THE PURPOSE:
As a Senior Metallurgist at Virgin Hyperloop One, you will be responsible for working with the design and manufacturing teams to ensure the metals chosen in the Virgin Hyperloop One system are the optimum selections for each specific application, and that they perform as expected throughout the life of the product. As part of this responsibility, you will not only make material selection recommendations, but work with the other engineering teams to ensure that each material is fully vetted for its environment. Every member of the Materials Engineering team should be conscious of inappropriate or unsafe materials combinations, environments, or loading conditions which may cause unexpected material failure, and work to design solutions that avoid these pitfalls. In addition to material properties, the Virgin Hyperloop One Senior Metallurgist should have in-depth knowledge of the cost of various materials and processes, such that an economical solution can be created for the various material needs in the system.

THE ROLE:
• Work collaboratively with design teams on metals material selection and specification of testing for materials validation and qualification, considering material properties, processing, environment, life, and cost
• Coordinate materials testing, either in-house or at an appropriate lab, through all stages of product development. Testing must meet internal design and performance requirements, as well as external requirements that support certification of the Virgin Hyperloop One system
• Identify reliability concerns (corrosion, fatigue, wear, thermal, etc.) in products and designs across the Virgin Hyperloop One system, and work with design and manufacturing teams to create reliable solutions in our processes and products
• Where specific materials expertise is insufficient, leverage relationships with other experts in industry or academia to facilitate the best material or process choices. Identify and lead materials opportunities with these experts or with business partners
• Train, guide and define tasks for technicians working with the Materials Team on various projects. Additionally, create guidelines and train other members of the engineering team to improve knowledge in materials selection, metallurgy, heat treatment, metal processing, fabrication and finishing of metal products, and metals testing
• Always work to promote a safety culture, by following Environmental Health and Safety guidelines and creating improvements to enhance efficiency and safety in the laboratories and other work areas.
• Provide recommendations for materials test equipment improvements and new capabilities.
THE CANDIDATE:
• Has ample experience working at multiple stages in the product lifecycle
• Can work quickly and efficiently on a tight schedule, with little technical guidance. At the same time, candidate has exceptional interpersonal skills and be able to work collaboratively with many other teams.
• Thrives working in a challenging environment
• Has excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to create concise and thorough documentation that can be used to further the knowledge base of the company
• Enjoys enacting creative solutions to solve problems
• Is comfortable with the limits of their own knowledge and admits when they do not know the answer, but is driven to continue learning every day
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:
• Bachelor’s degree in Metallurgy, Materials Science, or equivalent degree or experience
• Knowledge of a variety of metals, and an understanding of the key properties and limitations of each, including the use of heat treatments and mechanical treatments to alter mechanical properties
• Experience selecting and vetting materials for a new design, including determining necessary testing to prove a material for an application
• Hands-on experience with materials evaluation, testing, manufacturing, and characterization techniques, including determination of appropriate evaluation techniques and limitations of evaluation methods
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
• Experience with designing for corrosion protection in a variety of metals, particularly steel
• Hands-on experience developing heat treatment processes for a variety of aerospace metals
• Experience with failure analysis of metal products
• Experience working in a startup environment or working in the early stages of an engineering company, working to create or mature engineering processes