Job Title: Senior R&D Thermoplastic Manufacturing Engineer (Startup)

Experience: 2–5 years industry experience (or PhD + relevant research)
Education: Minimum M.S.(PhD strongly preferred)
Department: Advanced Manufacturing / R&D
Reporting To: CTO / VP Engineering / Founder

Position Summary

We are an early-stage aerospace composites startup developing next-generation thermoplastic composite structures for civil and defence applications. We seek a highly capable R&D engineer who can convert cutting-edge materials and manufacturing concepts into scalable production-ready processes.

This role requires both deep technical knowledge and strong hands-on execution. The candidate must be comfortable working in an unstructured startup environment, moving between laboratory experimentation, process development, tooling design, factory setup, and customer demonstrations.

Key Responsibilities

Lead development of novel thermoplastic composite manufacturing processes from concept to pilot production.
Build and optimize manufacturing methods including:
- Thermoforming
- Compression molding
- Stamp forming
- Automated layup
- Induction / resistance welding
- Over-molding and hybrid molding
Design and execute R&D experiments using DOE and statistical methods.
Establish process windows for temperature, pressure, dwell, and cooling cycles.
Develop methods to reduce defects such as porosity, wrinkles, incomplete consolidation, and weld failures.
Work directly with founders to define technology roadmap and IP strategy.
Evaluate new materials, suppliers, and equipment.
Support prototype builds and customer demonstrations.
Help build internal manufacturing labs, process documentation, and SOPs.
Contribute to patent disclosures, technical publications, and proposal writing.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

M.S. minimum; PhD preferred in engineering or materials science.
2–5 years of relevant industrial experience, OR PhD with strong applied research.
Strong knowledge of thermoplastic composites and polymer processing.
Hands-on experience with high-performance polymers such as PEEK, PEKK, PPS, and PEI.
Familiarity with composite testing, microscopy, and failure analysis.
Strong analytical and experimental mindset.

Ideal Startup Candidate Traits

Builder mentality; comfortable creating systems from scratch
Highly hands-on in lab/shop environments
Comfortable with ambiguity and rapid iteration
Strong ownership mindset
Can operate independently with minimal supervision
Strong communication with customers, investors, and technical partners
Demonstrated ability to build something from zero (lab, process, prototype, tooling, or pilot line)

المهارات المطلوبة

Thermoplastic composites and polymer processingHands-on experience with high-performance thermoplastics (PEEK, PEKK, PPS, PEI)Thermoforming process developmentCompression molding process developmentStamp forming process developmentAutomated layup for composite manufacturingInduction and resistance welding for thermoplasticsOver-molding and hybrid molding techniquesDesign of Experiments (DOE) and statistical analysisProcess development and scale-up to pilot production (establishing process windows: temperature, pressure, dwell, cooling)Composite testing, microscopy, and failure analysisBuilding/managing internal manufacturing labs, SOPs, and process documentationEvaluation of materials, suppliers, and manufacturing equipmentPatent disclosures, technical publications, and contributing to IP strategyCustomer and stakeholder communication, demonstrations, and technical collaboration

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