Staff Materials Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

About Tempo

Based in San Diego, California, Tempo develops thermochemical energy storage (TCES) systems designed for energy-intensive industries. The platform enables industrial operators to shift energy use over time by sourcing power when it is most cost-effective and enables the electrification of high-temperature industrial heat at a cost advantage to using fossil fuels. By storing electricity thermochemically, the system delivers a continuous stream of combustion-free, high-temperature air at up to 1,200&degree;C.

Tempo is backed by leading climate and energy investors, including Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Khosla Ventures, and Prelude Ventures.

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Job Description

The Staff Materials Engineer will lead complex materials development and quality initiatives that directly impact product reliability, manufacturability, and supplier readiness. This role combines deep technical expertise in ceramic materials with ownership of quality systems, process control strategies, supplier qualification, and scale-up readiness.

This experienced Materials Engineer will operate as a technical leader across R&D, manufacturing, and supplier organizations, ensuring that materials, processes, and inspection methodologies consistently produce reliable outcomes. Beyond project execution, this role establishes standards, develops quality frameworks, mentors engineers, and drives continuous improvement across the organization.

This position is particularly suited for an engineer with significant experience in ceramic manufacturing, quality assurance, process control, failure analysis, and supplier qualification.

Key Responsibilities

Innovation

• Lead efforts around material development with desired electro/thermo-physical properties
• Conceive and implement material testing and qualification strategies

Quality Systems & Manufacturing Excellence

• Establish QA/QC methodologies for ceramic materials, components, and manufacturing processes.
• Develop inspection plans, control plans, acceptance criteria, and statistical process control methodologies.
• Lead root-cause investigations for material failures, process deviations, yield losses, and field performance issues.
• Develop incoming, in-process, and final inspection strategies for ceramic products.
• Drive implementation of quality systems with internal teams and external manufacturing partners.
• Define critical-to-quality (CTQ) characteristics and process capability targets.

Supplier Quality & Qualification

• Lead qualification and auditing of ceramic suppliers and contract manufacturers.
• Develop supplier scorecards and quality metrics.
• Review and approve manufacturing process changes, material substitutions, and corrective actions.
• Partner with suppliers to improve yield, consistency, and throughput.

Failure Analysis & Reliability

• Lead investigations involving cracking, creep, thermal shock, dimensional instability, conductivity drift, and microstructural degradation.
• Correlate microstructure, processing history, and operating conditions with component performance.
• Develop accelerated life testing methodologies and reliability validation plans.

Process Scale-Up

• Define quality requirements for pilot and commercial-scale manufacturing.
• Identify manufacturing risks before scale-up and implement mitigation plans.
• Drive process capability improvements and manufacturing readiness assessments.

Basic Qualifications

• MS in Ceramics Engineering, Materials Science, or similar discipline
• 5–10 years relevant experience with hands on formulations, characterization, and analysis

Preferred Skills and Experience

• PhD in Ceramics Engineering, Materials Science, or similar discipline
• Deep Expertise in ceramic processing, sintering, powder technology, and high-temperature materials.
• Demonstrated experience implementing QA/QC systems in ceramic or refractory manufacturing environments.
• Strong understanding of SPC, DOE, process capability studies, MSA, and quality engineering tools.
• Expertise in failure analysis using SEM, XRD, microscopy, thermal analysis, and mechanical testing.
• Experience with supplier qualification and manufacturing scale-up.
• Ability to translate laboratory findings into robust production controls.

Compensation Range

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $148000 to $161,700 + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, location, and relevant education or training. 

Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include equity or benefits .

Physical Demands

• Sitting and standing: Extended periods at a desk performing computer-based design, simulation, and documentation work, balanced with time at a lab bench or in the shop during hardware build and testing
• Lifting and carrying : Lift and carry equipment, test fixtures, or hardware assemblies up to 50 lbs.; heavier items handled with mechanical assistance or team lift
• Hand dexterity: Frequent use of hands for assembly, fabrication, instrumentation hookup, and operation of test and shop equipment
• Visual acuity: Ability to read engineering drawings, inspect hardware, and identify dimensional and surface quality features during fabrication and testing
• PPE compliance: Ability to wear and work effectively in required personal protective equipment, including safety glasses, heat-resistant gloves, safety shoes, and other appropriate gear in high-temperature lab and shop environments
• Safety acumen: Demonstrated understanding of lab and shop safety protocols, including hazard recognition and risk mitigation in environments involving high-temperature equipment, energized systems, and fabrication machinery
• Travel: Occasional travel (estimated <5%) for tool or material pickup

Working at Tempo

Tempo is a lean organization working on exciting challenges, and the people who thrive here share a few things in common beyond their technical skills.

• Clear, direct communication: You professionally say what you mean, lead with empathy, use tact, ask when you're unsure, and keep the people around you informed without being asked. At a company our size, communication gaps are expensive, and good communicators add to success and efficiency!
• Low-ego helpfulness: You're willing to jump in on work that isn't strictly yours, whether that's helping a teammate debug something, lending a hand in the shop, or flagging an issue you noticed outside your lane. No one here succeeds in a silo.
• Intellectual curiosity: You're genuinely interested in how things work, not just your piece of it, but the broader system. Tempo sits at the intersection of chemistry, mechanical engineering, power electronics, and software; the more you understand about the whole, the more valuable you become.
• Business awareness: You understand that your work exists in a business context. You think about cost, timeline, and tradeoffs—not just technical elegance—and you make decisions accordingly.
• Comfort with ambiguity: Processes here are still being built. You can make progress without a perfect playbook, and you know when to ask for direction versus when to use your judgment and move forward.
• Accountability: You own your outcomes, including the misses. When something goes sideways, the instinct here is to fix it and learn from it, not to explain why it wasn't your fault. 

This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the position and is not an exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Tempo reserves the right to modify, add, or remove responsibilities as business needs evolve. Employees may be asked to perform duties outside of those listed above from time to time.

Tempo is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. Tempo participates in E-Verify. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check including employment and education check. 

California Privacy Notice (CCPA) - In connection with your application, Tempo collects personal information that you voluntarily provide, such as your name, contact information, employment history, and other information relevant to your candidacy. This information is collected and used solely for the purpose of evaluating your application and administering the hiring process. Tempo does not sell applicants' personal information. For more information about your rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), please contact HR.

Tempo does not accept unsolicited resumes or candidate profiles from external recruiters, staffing agencies, or third-party search firms. Submission of unsolicited resumes by any external agency — whether to a Tempo employee, hiring manager, or any other representative — does not constitute or imply an agreement for placement fees, and Tempo will not be responsible for any fees related to unsolicited submissions under any circumstances. Any candidate submitted without a prior, fully executed, written fee agreement between the agency and Tempo's Human Resources department will be deemed the sole property of Tempo. Tempo reserves the right to pursue and hire such candidates without obligation to the submitting agency.