Materials Test Engineer - Composites & Space Hardware (all genders)

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

THE WHY

To end COPV failure in spaceflight. Every structural design decision at Blackwave rests on material data — and that data is only as good as the test campaign behind it. This role builds our materials database for safety-critical structural components: auditable, reproducible, and directly usable for design and qualification. No trustworthy data, no trustworthy hardware.

THE WHAT

You own material test campaigns end-to-end — from test planning, specimen matrices, and rig design through mechanical, thermal, and physical characterization to validated, reviewed datasets in our central materials database. You challenge test methods on their actual informative value, not just their formal correctness.

You ensure:

• every dataset entering the materials database is reviewed, reproducible, and traceable from specimen to report
• no result leaves the lab without explicit uncertainty ranges and validity limits
• design and R&T requirements demonstrably shape the test matrix — not the other way around

You don't produce data points. You build the data foundation our hardware flies on.

Your tasks in detail and by priority:

• Run material test campaigns end-to-end: Plan, prepare, and execute mechanical and thermal test campaigns — from test plan and specimen preparation to execution and a validated, internally reviewed dataset in the materials database. → High Performance: A complete campaign, from plan to database, with zero data gaps.
• Integrate design and R&T into test planning: Bring structural design and simulation requirements into the test matrix and run joint review workshops per campaign. Your data answers questions the design teams actually have. → Togetherness: The test matrix is built with the teams who use the data.
• Report uncertainties without exception: Measurement uncertainty, specimen geometry deviations, and method limitations are stated proactively in every test report — even when it makes results harder to accept. → Candor: Every result comes with its uncertainty range and validity limits. Always.
• Maintain full traceability: Every campaign is fully logged — specimen IDs, test parameters, raw data, evaluation scripts, release status. The chain from specimen to report holds up under audit. → Accountability: Traceable from sample to signature. No open entries.
• Improve the methods themselves: Question and upgrade existing test methods and evaluation routines — automated data evaluation, new specimen geometries, DIC-based strain measurement — and present the improvement to the team. → Playfulness: The method is not sacred. Better is better.

YOUR PROFILE

• Degree: Bachelor's or Master's in Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Mechanical testing: Solid knowledge of mechanical test methods — tension, compression, bending, fatigue — and the relevant standards (e.g. DIN EN ISO 527, ASTM D3039). Hands-on test experience is essential; a purely theoretical background is not sufficient for this role.
• Materials: Experience with composite or metallic structural materials (CFRP, GFRP, aluminum or titanium alloys).
• Test planning & rig design: You can design a test campaign from scratch — specimen matrices, rig functionality, statistical evaluation of results.
• Data evaluation & documentation: Proficient in Python, MATLAB, or comparable tools; you write standard-compliant test reports and take documentation seriously — complete traceability is a requirement, not a preference.
• Languages: German B2–C1 (technical documentation and team discussions) and English C1–C2 (standards, international reports, supplier communication).
• On-site presence: Predominantly on-site in Taufkirchen for lab work and test rig operation; data evaluation can be done hybrid.
• Nice to have: Thermal or microstructural characterization (DSC, TGA, SEM, DIC); familiarity with qualification standards (ECSS, AIAA, MIL-HDBK-17 / CMH-17) or qualification-by-analysis approaches; statistical methods such as Weibull analysis or ANOVA; experience contributing to a qualification dossier.

WHAT WE OFFER

• High level of autonomy & real impact: Build our materials testing methods and data infrastructure from the ground up — your data directly enables product safety and qualification
• Startup mindset meets aerospace innovation: Flat hierarchies, fast decisions, and space for your ideas
• Choose your own benefit: Germany ticket, Egym Wellpass, or a tax-free Give Card
• Healthy & social lunch culture: Enjoy fresh meals during shared lunch breaks
• Stunning views: Wind down on our rooftop terrace with breathtaking views of the Alps in Taufkirchen or enjoy our indoor garden in Garching-Hochbrück
• Growth opportunities: Work on exciting projects and learn from inspiring people
• We live our team culture: From tech talks to team events and after-work gatherings – we celebrate success together

About us

Blackwave designs, manufactures and ships flight-qualified, commercial off-the-shelf composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) for launch vehicles and satellites. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, the company delivers COPVs from a standardized portfolio with flight heritage. The approach reduces lead time from months to days while ensuring that each tank is qualified and flight-ready. Blackwave's mission is to end COPV failure in spaceflight. The company employs more than 150 people across manufacturing facilities in Germany and Texas.

More information at Blackwave.com and the procurement platform COPV.com.