Principal Materials Engineer

Principal Materials Engineer – Aerospace

Location: Northeast Ohio | Hybrid

Travel: Approximately 25%

Level: Senior level candidates may also be considered

About the Role

A global industrial manufacturer is seeking a Principal Materials Engineer to support a growing aerospace engineering organization. This is a highly technical individual-contributor role focused on metallurgy, heat-treatment processes, materials testing, manufacturing process development, and continuous improvement.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical materials expertise with practical manufacturing experience and the ability to communicate complex engineering concepts clearly to customers, suppliers, engineers, and non-technical stakeholders.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and support materials and metallurgical engineering projects for aerospace applications
• Develop, optimize, and troubleshoot heat-treatment processes , including carburizing, hardening, tempering, austempering, and related thermal processes
• Evaluate ferrous materials, metal-forming processes, and material property requirements
• Conduct materials testing, laboratory evaluations, failure investigations, and technical problem-solving
• Develop qualification plans for new or modified manufacturing and thermal-treatment processes
• Support new product and process development from concept through production
• Maintain compliance with applicable aerospace specifications, industry standards, and internal requirements
• Partner with manufacturing facilities and suppliers to improve process capability, quality, throughput, cost, and safety
• Support equipment selection, process implementation, and technical evaluation of manufacturing investments
• Develop business cases and technical justification for capital improvement projects
• Collaborate with Product Engineering, Manufacturing, Process Development, Strategic Sourcing, suppliers, customers, and other technical teams
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship while serving as a subject-matter expert within the organization

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Engineering , or a related technical discipline
• Strong experience in materials, metallurgy, or manufacturing engineering
• Hands-on knowledge of heat treatment and thermal processing
• Experience with ferrous metals, metal forming, materials testing, laboratory evaluation, and engineering investigations
• Practical manufacturing or industrial experience
• Experience supporting aerospace products or aerospace manufacturing is highly preferred
• Familiarity with aerospace specifications, quality systems, or compliance requirements is a strong plus
• Experience with capital equipment or large-scale manufacturing improvement projects is beneficial
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to translate highly technical information into clear recommendations for customers and cross-functional stakeholders
• Comfortable working across multiple departments, facilities, suppliers, and organizational levels

Level Flexibility

While this search is targeted at the Principal Engineer level, candidates with approximately 3+ years of highly relevant experience may be considered for a Senior-level position depending on technical background and overall fit.

Additional Details

• Hybrid schedule with approximately 3 days per week on-site
• Approximately 25% travel , primarily domestic with occasional international travel possible
• Primarily an individual-contributor position with opportunities to mentor and influence technical direction
• Strong long-term advancement opportunities within a growing aerospace organization
• Competitive base salary, annual incentive opportunity, and comprehensive benefits