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Graduate Materials Engineer information

See California salary details

$40K

$91.4K

$116.9K

How much do graduate materials engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 15, 2026, the average yearly pay for graduate materials engineer in California is $91,426.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $82,900.00 and $101,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the graduate materials engineer position, and why are they important?

A Graduate Materials Engineer typically needs a degree in materials science, engineering, or a related discipline, coupled with strong analytical, problem-solving, and laboratory skills. Familiarity with characterization tools such as scanning electron microscopes (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and CAD software is highly advantageous. Excellent communication, teamwork, and project management skills help graduates thrive in multidisciplinary engineering environments. These combined skills are critical to effectively investigate and improve material properties, contribute to innovative projects, and support organizational goals.

What can I do with a master's in graduate materials engineering?

A master's in materials engineering prepares graduates for roles such as materials engineer, research scientist, or quality control specialist in industries like aerospace, automotive, or manufacturing. It provides skills in materials characterization, testing, and analysis, often requiring knowledge of tools like CAD software and laboratory techniques. Career advancement may involve obtaining professional certifications or pursuing further research or management positions.

Are graduate materials engineers in high demand?

Graduate materials engineers are in moderate demand, especially in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and manufacturing that require expertise in materials selection, testing, and analysis. Employment opportunities often depend on industry growth, technological advancements, and the engineer's skills in CAD, materials testing, and certifications like ASM or NACE.

Is a master's in materials engineering worth it?

A master's in materials engineering can enhance a graduate materials engineer's technical knowledge, research skills, and competitiveness for advanced roles or specialized positions. It may also lead to higher salaries and opportunities in research, development, or management, but the value depends on career goals and industry demand.

What is a graduate materials engineer?

A Graduate Materials Engineer is an entry-level role where you apply your knowledge of materials science to develop, test, and improve materials used in various industries. You may work with metals, polymers, ceramics, or composites to enhance product performance and durability. Typical responsibilities include conducting research, analyzing material properties, assisting in manufacturing processes, and ensuring quality control. This role provides hands-on experience and technical training, helping you develop expertise in material selection and failure analysis. It often serves as a foundation for career growth in engineering, research, or product development.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a graduate materials engineer?

As a Graduate Materials Engineer, you can expect to spend your days conducting laboratory tests, analyzing material performance, preparing reports, and assisting with research and development projects. You will often collaborate with senior engineers, production teams, and quality control staff to troubleshoot issues or optimize materials for specific applications. Your role may also involve reviewing technical documentation, maintaining testing equipment, and participating in team meetings to discuss project progress. This hands-on, collaborative environment provides valuable experience and fosters growth in both technical and professional skills.

What are popular job titles related to Graduate Materials Engineer jobs in California?

For Graduate Materials Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Graduate Materials Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Graduate Materials Engineer jobs in California are:

Graduate Materials Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Graduate Materials Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 81% Full Time, 13% Part Time, 2% Temporary, 2% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $91,426 per year, or $44 per hour.

Materials Engineer (New Grad December 2026)

Freeform

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

$95K - $120K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 7 days ago

Job description

MATERIALS ENGINEER (NEW GRAD DECEMBER 2026)
Freeform builds AI-native manufacturing systems that unify software, hardware, and physics to produce industrial-scale parts at the speed of human ideation. By treating manufacturing as a single integrated system, we unlock a new era of innovation where complex hardware is designed, built, and scaled without limits.
As a Materials Engineer at Freeform, you will support the company's M&P infrastructure, strategy, and best practices for our advanced metal 3D printing technology. You will work alongside senior engineers to conduct hands on sample testing, analyze findings, and contribute to strategic process improvements. This is a unique opportunity to build a fundamental understanding of metals characterization and processing while working at the cutting edge of additive manufacturing.
3D printing experience is not required to be successful here, rather we look for smart, motivated, collaborative engineers who love solving hard problems and creating amazing technology!
Responsibilities:
  • Support the development of Freeform's M&P best practices and materials testing infrastructure
  • Operate equipment to measure material properties such as tensile strength, surface roughness, and microstructure
  • Generate and track quality metrics of printed customer parts such as dimensional accuracy, defect distribution, and surface roughness
  • Organize, analyze, and interpret data and present key findings
  • Work with the process development team to tie key materials findings into improvement of upstream printing processes, including training our advanced machine learning models
  • Assist in optimizing processes and procedures for measuring and quantifying material quality
  • Support automation efforts for M&P procedures to take human out of the loop

Basic Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Metallurgy, or Mechanical Engineering from an ABET accredited university or college
  • Hands on lab or coursework experience with metals characterization, processing, or sample preparation techniques such as cutting, grinding, polishing, acid etching, and optical microscopy
  • Well versed in materials engineering fundamentals and comfortable taking a first principles approach to solving problems

Nice to Have:
  • Advanced degree (Master's, PhD) in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Metallurgy, or Mechanical Engineering
  • Experience with metal additive manufacturing highly preferred
  • Experience with laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processes
  • Experience operating complex materials equipment (SEM, Instron, etc.)
  • Familiarity with processing large datasets and statistical data analysis software such as R, JMP, or Minitab
  • Passion for improving the state of metal 3D printing
  • Comfortable working in fast paced, ambiguous environments and iterating quickly (comfortable building the plane as we fly it)
  • Strong communicator who collaborates across disciplines and proactively seeks support when needed
  • Willing to take ownership of tasks big and small, with a hands on, problem solving mindset
  • Strong work ethic with a refuse to fail mindset
  • Demonstrated indicators of excellence and/or achieving success against adversity (i.e. top academic performance, leadership in engineering clubs, first generation college student, or other examples of resilience and achievement)

Location:
  • Based in Hawthorne, our vertically integrated facility brings technology development, R&D, and production together under one roof. We operate at the center of LA's deep tech ecosystem, surrounded by some of the most ambitious hardware innovation happening anywhere in the country.
  • Our fast-paced, cross-functional environment is built on close collaboration, and as such, this role requires full-time onsite presence (five days a week), with very limited exceptions.

What We Offer:
  • We have an inclusive and diverse culture that values collaboration, learning, and making deliberate data-driven decisions.
  • We offer a unique opportunity to be an early and integral member of a rapidly growing company that is scaling a world-changing technology.
  • Benefits
    • Significant stock option packages
    • 100% employer-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance (premium PPO and HMO options)
    • Life insurance
    • Traditional and Roth 401(k)
    • Relocation assistance provided
    • Paid vacation, sick leave, and company holidays
    • Generous Paid Parental Leave and extended transition back to work for the birthing parent
    • Free daily catered lunch and dinner, and fully stocked kitchenette
    • Casual dress, flexible work hours, and regular catered team building events
  • Compensation
    • Our intent is to offer a salary that is commensurate for the company's current stage of development and allows the employee to grow and develop within a role.
    • In addition to the significant stock option package, the estimated salary range for this role is $95,000-$120,000, dependent on the candidate's academic level (Bachelors, Masters, or PhD) and demonstrated out of classroom experience.
  • Freeform is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity; employment with Freeform is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

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