Materials Engineer

*Position Title:* Materials Engineer *Location:* Storrs Mansfield, Connecticut (near the UConn campus) *Employment Type:* Full-Time *Salary Range:* $90,000–$120,000 (commensurate with experience) *Citizenship Requirement:* U.S. Citizen or U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) *About the Role* We are seeking a *Materials Engineer* to join a small, fast‑moving startup developing next‑generation thermal barrier coatings and related advanced ceramic coating technologies. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a hands‑on, collaborative environment and is capable of independently driving tasks to completion with professionalism and accountability. The selected candidate will work closely with the *Lead R&D Engineer*, contributing to coating formulation, powder processing, materials characterization, and performance evaluation. In addition to thermal barrier coatings, the position may involve work on other thermal spray–based coating systems. *Key Responsibilities*

• Collaborate with senior engineering leadership on development and evaluation of advanced ceramic coatings, including thermal barrier systems.
• Perform powder processing, slurry/solution preparation, and feedstock optimization for coating deposition.
• Conduct microstructural and chemical characterization using SEM/EDS, XRD, optical microscopy, and related techniques.
• Support high‑temperature durability testing, oxidation/corrosion studies, thermal cycling, and adhesion evaluations.
• Analyze coating performance data and contribute to technical reports, documentation, and presentations.
• Work effectively in a small startup environment, taking ownership of assigned tasks and executing them with minimal oversight.
• Assist with process development for thermal spray technologies as needed (experience beneficial but not required).

*Desired Qualifications*

• *B.S. in Materials Science & Engineering* (or closely related field).
• *2–7 years of experience* in materials development, ceramic processing, coatings, or high‑temperature materials or recent graduate with thermal spray and/or SEM sample preparation experience.
• Strong hands‑on experience with powder processing, ceramic feedstock preparation, and materials characterization.
• Familiarity with microstructure–property relationships in ceramic or high‑temperature materials.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage priorities, and deliver high‑quality technical results.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

*Preferred Qualifications*

• Experience with thermal spray processes (plasma spray, SPPS, SPS, or related methods).
• Background in aerospace materials, turbine coatings, or extreme‑environment ceramics.
• Experience with design of experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis of materials data.
• Prior work in government‑funded or export‑controlled R&D environments.

*Citizenship Requirement* Due to project sponsorship and export‑controlled research activities, applicants *must be U.S. Citizens or U.S. Permanent Residents*. *How to Apply* Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter to employment@solutionspray.com