Head of Materials & Process (Seattle)

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-earth and space-to-space), to delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data. By rethinking how energy and data are generated and distributed in space, we’re unlocking entirely new ways to operate both in orbit and on Earth.

Founded in 2024 by Baiju Bhatt (co-founder of Robinhood), Cowboy Space Corp. is backed by leading investors and built by a team from top aerospace and defense organizations. We’re moving quickly to solve complex technical challenges and build a new category of space infrastructure.

About the Role

Own the material development, qualification, processing integrity, and metallurgical performance across all vehicle systems. This includes metallurgy, heat treatment, welds, brazes, and additive manufacturing, as well as curating the foundational material databases that power our design decisions. Responsible for ensuring that every structural joint and component survives extreme operating environments with absolute reliability, minimal weight, and maximum manufacturing throughput.

Responsibilities

• Establish Factory Standards: Define processes and oversee NDT/NDI methods to ensure manufacturing reliability and repeatability.
• Develop Joining Techniques: Lead the development of braze and weld joints in the iterative hardware development cycle for vehicle and engine components.
• Own Material Databases: Drive the characterization and development of physical, mechanical, and thermal properties to fuel our design databases.
• Advance Additive Manufacturing: Partner daily with development and production teams to optimize LPBF processes, focusing heavily on nickel-based superalloys.
• Drive Failure Analysis: Lead rapid root-cause investigations using metallography, fractography, and mechanical testing.
• Collaborate & Review: Provide authoritative technical sign-offs on drawings, specs, and designs to solve complex vehicle-level hardware challenges.
• Build & Lead the Team: Recruit, mentor, and grow a world-class team of M&P engineers and technicians.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in materials engineering or related engineering field.
• 5+ years of relevant M&P experience, including with nickel-based superalloys.
• 1+ years of relevant additive manufacturing experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in materials engineering or related field.
• 5+ years of professional work experience developing or qualifying laser powder bed fusion processes for nickel-based superalloys (e.g., Inconel 718, 625).
• Experience with one or more of the following manufacturing methods: additive (laser powder bed fusion), direct energy deposition (DED), casting, forging, brazing, heat treating, laser welding.
• Understanding of mechanical testing methods for metals including fracture and fatigue.
• Knowledge of aerospace metals including nickel-based alloys, stainless steels, aluminum alloys, and titanium alloys.
• Hands‑on experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Understanding of non‑destructive test methods for fracture control.
• Experience with fracture mechanics, fatigue, and creep testing of additively manufactured superalloys.
• Hands‑on experience with process monitoring, in‑situ sensors, or advanced process control for LPBF.
• Direct experience designing and developing weld and braze processes.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $160,000-$227,000 annually. The actual base salary offered will depend on factors such as job‑related skills, experience, qualifications, and internal equity.

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
• Employees and their eligible dependents may enroll in medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan.
• Paid time off.
• 10 paid holidays per calendar year.
• Paid parental leave.
• Relocation assistance if applicable.
• Daily lunch in the office and a fully stocked kitchen with beverages and snacks.

ITAR Requirements

Export Control Requirement: To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), applicants must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about ITAR here.

Disclaimer

This job description is a summary of the primary duties and responsibilities of the job and position. It is not intended to be a comprehensive or all‑inclusive listing of duties and responsibilities. Contents are subject to change at Cowboy Space Corp.’s discretion.

Cowboy Space Corp. is an equal employment opportunity employer. We consider individuals for employment or promotion according to their skills, abilities and experience. Cowboy Space Corp. is committed to complying with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, physical, mental or developmental disability, sex (which includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding), veteran status, military status, marital or registered domestic partnership status, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics), genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, as well as any other category protected by federal, state or local laws.