Engineer Material Process 3

Job Title: Engineer Material Process 3 (Principal / Sr. Principal Materials and Process Engineer)Job Description

This role offers the opportunity to shape advanced materials and manufacturing solutions that support high-reliability aerospace and defense products. As a Materials and Process Engineer, you will define and qualify materials, processes, and manufacturing methods for metallic components, ensuring they meet stringent engineering, contractual, and regulatory requirements.

You will collaborate closely with design, manufacturing, suppliers, and laboratory teams to drive robust, repeatable processes, resolve complex material and process issues, and maintain high standards of quality, safety, and performance.

Responsibilities

• Define engineering requirements for parts, materials, processes, manufacturing technologies, machinery, tools, and automation systems used in product design and production, ensuring alignment with contractual and regulatory obligations.
• Select, develop, or recommend metallic materials and associated processes that meet performance, reliability, and manufacturability requirements.
• Qualify new materials, parts, and processes to meet engineering and program requirements, including planning and executing qualification test and audit programs.
• Manage and support test and audit programs to qualify suppliers to applicable material and process requirements.
• Support engineering design reviews by providing materials and process expertise, including evaluation of metallic parts and manufacturing processes.
• Participate in and support failure analyses for metallic parts and processes, working with cross-functional teams to identify root causes and recommend corrective actions.
• Assist in supplier qualification activities, including reviewing supplier capabilities, processes, and documentation to ensure compliance with requirements.
• Respond to routine supplier technical inquiries and escalate complex supplier or production issues to senior Materials and Process engineers as needed.
• Perform analyses to characterize material and process performance, including evaluation of tool, material, part, or process failures.
• Recommend corrective actions for material, process, or manufacturing issues and prepare them for senior engineering review and approval.
• Coordinate and support laboratory activities such as metallography, hardness testing, tensile testing, and non-destructive testing/inspection (NDT/NDI).
• Compile and organize test data from laboratory activities for interpretation, engineering disposition, and documentation.
• Apply project management practices to plan and execute assigned tasks, ensuring cost, technical, and schedule requirements are met.
• Incorporate Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS), LEAN, and Quality principles into materials and process work, lab activities, and procedures.
• Support the creation, review, and revision of material and process specifications, work instructions, and test plans to ensure alignment with internal and industry standards.
• Support investigations of non-conformances and supplier deviations by collecting evidence, performing basic root-cause analysis, and drafting corrective action recommendations.
• Maintain accurate engineering records, including test reports, engineering orders, and related documentation, and support configuration control and design reviews.
• Communicate technical findings, analysis results, and recommendations clearly to cross-functional teams, stakeholders, and leadership.
• Interact frequently with manufacturing floors, supplier facilities, and testing laboratories to support process implementation, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement.
• Travel occasionally to supplier sites, test facilities, and other locations as required to support engineering, qualification, and troubleshooting activities.
• Comply with all applicable security, health, and safety policies while performing engineering and lab activities.

Essential Skills

• 5 years of engineering experience with a Bachelor of Science in a STEM discipline, preferably in Materials Science and Engineering; or 3 years of Materials Science and Engineering experience with a Master’s degree; or 1 year with a PhD for Principal-level consideration.
• 8 years of engineering experience with a Bachelor of Science in a STEM discipline, preferably in Materials Science and Engineering; or 6 years of Materials Science and Engineering experience with a Master’s degree; or 4 years with a PhD for Sr. Principal-level consideration.
• Engineering experience in aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability manufacturing environments.
• Practical knowledge of metallurgy for ferrous and nonferrous alloys, including heat treatment basics, corrosion and fatigue fundamentals, and common materials testing methods.
• Hands-on exposure to metallographic sample preparation and basic laboratory techniques such as cutting, polishing, etching, and hardness testing.
• At least 2 years of experience with manufacturing processes such as machining, forging, forming, fastening, welding/brazing, plating/coating, and related metallic manufacturing methods.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and specifications related to metallic materials and processing.
• Experience with materials testing and failure analysis, including root cause failure analysis and evaluation of material performance.
• Familiarity with non-destructive testing and inspection (NDT/NDI) techniques.
• Active U.S. Department of Defense Secret security clearance.
• Ability and willingness to work full-time onsite in Woodland Hills, CA.
• Strong written and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to clearly convey technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to apply project management practices to meet cost, technical, and schedule objectives.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Active Top Secret security clearance.
• Master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, or Polymer Engineering.
• PhD in Material Science or Materials Engineering.
• Expert-level, first-principles engineering knowledge of metals and materials.
• Knowledge of physical and mechanical properties and evaluation methods, including tensile strength, hardness, fatigue, fracture toughness, creep, stress rupture, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), non-destructive inspection, and spectroscopy.
• Detailed knowledge of one or more production processes such as forging, casting, forming, coating, plating, heat treating, fusion welding, friction stir welding, electron beam (EB) welding, additive manufacturing, and composite manufacturing.
• Hands-on experience in a high-production manufacturing environment.
• Experience with technical review of materials processing and a strong understanding of how process variables influence resulting material performance.
• Demonstrated track record of success in rapidly growing, fast-paced, and highly competitive environments.
• Ability to execute effectively in an entrepreneurial, resourceful setting that operates under tight timelines and aggressive schedules.
• Strong desire to mentor and help grow less-experienced employees.
• Capability to interact with and convey concepts to all levels of an organization.
• Strong academic foundation in materials science or related disciplines, coupled with practical, hands-on experience.
• Experience with manufacturing process evaluation, materials science, material testing, and failure analysis.
• Experience evaluating process performance, qualifying suppliers, and ensuring manufacturing methods meet engineering and quality requirements.

Work Environment

This role is based full-time onsite in Woodland Hills, CA, within a high-reliability aerospace and defense engineering and manufacturing environment. You will work closely with cross-functional engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams, as well as with external suppliers and testing laboratories.

The position involves frequent interaction on manufacturing floors, at supplier facilities, and in test labs, where you will support materials and process implementation, qualification, and troubleshooting. Laboratory work includes metallography, hardness testing, tensile testing, and non-destructive testing/inspection, using standard metallographic preparation tools and test equipment.

Occasional travel to supplier sites, test facilities, and other locations may be required to support engineering reviews, audits, and failure investigations. The work environment emphasizes Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS), LEAN, and Quality principles, with structured processes, configuration control, and formal design reviews.

Security, health, and safety policies are strictly enforced, and adherence to these policies is an integral part of daily work.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Los Angeles, CA.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $58.00 - $70.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job

classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be

subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits

available for this temporary role may include the following

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Los Angeles,CA.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 10, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market.

With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without

regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,

sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected

by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or

adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,

please email actalentaccommodation@actalentservices.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the

city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants

with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a

condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law

shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,

including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications

and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you

acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.