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E-Space · 1 month ago

Senior Materials Scientist

Saratoga, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level

5+ years exp

E-Space is bridging Earth and space to enable hyper-scaled deployments of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions and services. The Senior Materials Scientist will be responsible for polymer selection, testing, and lifetime prediction for spacecraft and space-adjacent products, including designing experiments and analyzing results.

Information ServicesSatellite Communication

Growth Opportunities

No H1B

Responsibilities

Own polymer characterization for space environments: UV susceptibility (including VUV), vacuum/thermal behavior, atomicoxygen and radiation awareness, contamination/outgassing, and endoflife performance

Design test strategies & procedures: create endtoend test plans, DOEs, acceptance criteria, and data packages for materials, adhesives, coatings, films, potting/encapsulants, and composites

Build and operate custom rigs: conceive, specify, and bring up test equipment such as UVinvacuum exposure chambers, thermal vacuum cycling fixtures, LN₂based cryogenic setups, and environmental monitoring (e.g., radiometry, RGA, QCM)

Model lifetime & degradation: develop physicsoffailure and empirical models (e.g., Arrhenius/WLF/timetemperature superposition, UV doseresponse, Weibull/statistical life) to predict performance over mission profiles (LEO/GEO/deep space)

Execute and analyze: run tests, reduce data, quantify uncertainties, and deliver concise engineering recommendations and redlines to design/manufacturing

Author documentation: write procedures, lab work instructions, and formal test reports suitable for internal design reviews and customer/agency audits

Crossfunctional support: advise design, thermal, optical, contamination control, and manufacturing teams on material selection and qualification plans

Own compliance & safety: uphold lab safety for vacuum, UV, cryogens, and high voltage; ensure calibration/traceability and good measurement practice

Vendor & lab interfacing: qualify suppliers, specify external test campaigns (e.g., AO or radiation exposure), and review external lab reports

Qualification

Polymer characterizationLifetime prediction modelingCustom test rig designData analysisSafety complianceTechnical writingCross-functional supportVendor interfacingContamination controlCAD/FEA familiarityExperience mentoring

Required

5–10 years applied experience in polymer/materials characterization with a strong hands-on laboratory bias

Demonstrated ability to design from scratch: custom fixtures, chambers, exposure setups (vacuum + UV, LN₂/cryogenic), and to write robust procedures

Depth in polymer degradation mechanisms (photooxidation, chain scission/crosslinking, volatilization/outgassing, thermal aging) and how they map to space conditions

Proven skill in lifetime prediction and DOE/statistics, including building models that drive design decisions

Excellent technical writing: clear test plans, procedures, and reports suitable for design reviews and audits

Strong safety mindset around vacuum systems, UV sources, and cryogens

BS/MS/PhD in Materials Science, Polymer Science, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline (or equivalent practical experience)