Materials Science Engineer Jobs in Houston, TX (NOW HIRING)

Interlune is a space resources company based in Seattle, WA. We will provide resources from space to power a clean and sustainable economy on Earth and in space.

We are looking for a Doer who wants to join our early-stage team and accelerate humanity's progress toward an off-world future. Our engineering team combines expert knowledge of geological sciences, mechanical engineering, automation, systems engineering, modeling and simulation, and advanced fabrication to build the infrastructure that will create an in-space economy. To join our small team, you must be agile, willing to learn, and able to take on multiple roles as needed.

We are seeking a materials engineer or scientist to partner with our design teams and suppliers on material and process selection for lunar surface systems operating in the extreme lunar environment. This role will work to understand how dust, vacuum, thermal extremes, radiation, charging, and regolith interaction affect material performance, wear, and lifetime. That understanding will translate into material and process choices, qualification testing, and design guidance for exposed hardware.

Applicants from all industries are welcome, with particular emphasis in complex, multi-disciplinary system development. Familiarity with and prior experience in the semiconductor, high-vacuum, tribology/bearings, high-voltage/electrostatic-discharge, or abrasive-wear (e.g., mining) industries are valuable but not required, as are space, planetary science, or aerospace backgrounds.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the materials and process authority across multiple hardware efforts, collaborating with thermal, mechanisms, electrical, and systems engineering disciplines.
• Partner with design teams and suppliers to define material and process requirements for dust mitigation technologies for radiators, solar cells, and other dust sensitive surfaces.
• Partner with design teams and suppliers on radiator coating selection and development (e.g., considering adhesion, application process, and robustness to thermal cycling), coordinating with thermal engineering on performance targets.
• Support surface charge mitigation efforts (e.g., bonding, grounding, and conductive coating material choices) based on results from an analytical surface charging model.
• Support broader dust management solutions (e.g., joint seals, wear-protective coatings for moving parts) as program scope expands, potentially including simulant-based wear testing.
• Design and execute development and qualification testing to validate material and process choices (e.g., adhesion, thermal cycling, wear/abrasion).
• Contribute to materials documentation for the hardware they support (e.g., Materials Control Plan, Materials Usage Documents, flammability/off-gassing inputs).

Required Qualifications:

• B.S. in Physics, Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in materials science/engineering with materials behavior in vacuum and/or extreme thermal cycling environments (e.g., space, semiconductor/high-vacuum processing, cryogenics).
• Practical knowledge of how electrostatic charging and abrasive dust impact mechanical and electrical hardware.
• Experience in developing materials analyses, test plans, materials control documentation, and analyzing test results.
• Excellent verbal, written, and communication skills with a keen attention to detail.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment, with strong cross-functional and cross-supplier collaboration skills.

Desired Qualifications:

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Materials Science, Planetary Sciences, Spacecraft Systems Engineering, or a related technical subject area.
• Experience with material compatibility, tribology, or contamination control.
• Experience qualifying hardware by analysis when full-scale or true-environment testing isn't feasible (e.g., bounding material behavior analytically rather than testing only to conditions you can fully replicate).
• Experience with spacecraft or surface charging, grounding, or electrostatic discharge mitigation.
• Experience with coatings selection or development for extreme-environment performance (e.g., adhesion, abrasion resistance, dielectric/electrical breakdown).
• Direct experience with space, planetary surface, or spacecraft hardware development.
• Working knowledge of planetary sciences, geology, and lunar regolith mechanics

Export Control Regulations

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants for employment at Interlune must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Interlune is seeking to hire highly motivated and forward-thinking professionals who are interested in focusing on creating our off-world future. Interlune is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Don't meet every requirement? If you're excited about this role but you don't meet all of the job requirements, we encourage you to apply and explain why the experiences you do have are a suitable substitute. We'd hate to miss out on the perfect candidate for this or other roles.

Compensation range for on site WA state employees is:

Target Levels:

Level 3 Range: $125,000 - $195,000

Level 4 Range: $150,000 - $250,000

Your actual level and base salary will be decided based on your specific experience and skill level.

Benefits:

Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, short and long-term disability, and other benefits

Paid Time Off: Flexible PTO policy with paid company holidays.