Materials & Process Engineer, Composites R&D

Swarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The company is moving quickly to launch the first aircraft designed specifically for swarming, as well as the Command & Control software to mobilize swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets and empower human operators to achieve superhuman results. The team has created and exited multiple startups, negotiated defense deals worth billions of dollars, and designed and built 30+ novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic. The Role Swarm Aero is building autonomous UAV systems that push the limits of what composite airframes can do at production scale. As our Materials & Process Engineer, you will own the R&D work that makes that possible, developing novel material systems and manufacturing processes from concept through validation. This is a hands-on research role: you will originate material selections, design and run experiments, generate first-principles data, and build the process foundation that our structures will be manufactured against. You will work closely with the structures design team to ensure what you develop is both technically superior and producible at volume. What You'll Do - Develop and evaluate composite material systems for structural aircraft components, including resin systems, fiber architectures, and core materials, with an emphasis on novel or emerging approaches suited to high-performance UAS - Design and execute material characterization programs: mechanical testing, environmental exposure, fatigue, and failure analysis, generating original properties data, not just referencing existing databases - Develop manufacturing processes for complex composite structures, including layup, tooling, cure cycle development, and inspection criteria - Drive design-for-manufacturability collaboration with the structures team, influencing part geometry and assembly strategy from early design stages - Evaluate and mature out-of-autoclave, automated fiber placement, or other advanced fabrication approaches where they offer structural or production advantages - Build process documentation and qualification frameworks that can scale with production rate Basic Qualifications - B.S. in Materials Science, Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or related discipline - 7+ years of experience in composite structures development, with demonstrated ownership of material or process research, not solely production execution - Experience generating original material properties data through designed experiments and testing programs - Hands-on composite fabrication experience across multiple material systems (thermoset, thermoplastic, sandwich structures, or similar) Preferred Qualifications - M.S. or Ph.D. in a relevant discipline, or equivalent depth through industry R&D work - Experience in an aerospace R&D environment: defense prime, national lab, advanced manufacturing group, or high-velocity startup - Familiarity with structural simulation tools (FEA) and ability to collaborate on model correlation with test data - Experience scaling a process from prototype to production, understanding both the R&D and the manufacturing translation - Exposure to UAS, UAM, or other high-performance unmanned platforms As part of our commitment to maintaining a safe and trustworthy work environment, Swarm Aero conducts a thorough screening of prospective employees. Candidates will be subject to a comprehensive background verification process as a prerequisite for employment. What We Offer - Meaningful equity in a high-growth defense technology company - Competitive base salary commensurate with experience - Medical, dental, vision, and 401k - PTO and paid sick leave - Monthly wellness stipend - Daily catered lunch (office) - Paid parental leave - Direct impact on a critical national security mission - A world-class t