ASNT NDT Level III in UT or equivalent certification upon hire
8+ years of NDE experience in aerospace or safety-critical fields
Hands-on phased array experience, including calibration and data analysis
Proficiency with phased array platforms like Evident or Zetec
Experience writing and defending procedures to industry standards
Knowledge of NASA-STD-5009 and MIL-HDBK-1823
Background in fracture mechanics for negotiating flaw sizes
Responsibilities
Serve as the authority on UT methods, owning written practices and procedures
Train and certify Level I and II inspectors as the team expands
Develop phased array techniques for titanium components
Characterize material properties and validate inspection results
Collaborate with engineering on inspectable part designs
Set initial flaw sizes for fracture control with engineering teams
Plan and execute probability of detection studies for hardware
Benefits
Opportunity to build and lead the NDE function from the ground up
Direct influence on design and process decisions
Hands-on work with flight-critical hardware
Meaningful equity in a fast-moving startup environment
Engagement in a small, dynamic team
Full Job Description
Lead NDE Engineer (UT Level III) - Build the Ultrasonic Inspection Program for Additive Flight Hardware
Long Beach, CA | On-site
Opportunity Summary
An early-stage aerospace manufacturer is hiring its first dedicated nondestructive evaluation engineer to bring ultrasonic inspection in-house. The company produces large metal additive components for fatigue-critical and damage-tolerant applications, including titanium pressure vessels, where traditional inspection vendors trained on forged and cast material often lack experience with the defect types and grain structures unique to deposited metal.
As the UT method Level III, you will set inspection strategy, write and defend procedures, stand up an immersion scanning cell, and sign off on fracture-critical flight hardware. You will also influence part design and deposition paths so inspectability is built in from the start, and you will grow the NDE team as production scales.
Job Duties
Serve as the UT method authority, owning the written practice, phased array and conventional UT procedures, and technique sheets
Train, qualify, certify and audit Level I and Level II inspectors as the team grows
Develop phased array techniques for additively deposited titanium, including focal law design, probe and wedge selection, and reference standard design
Characterize velocity and attenuation across build orientations and validate TFM/FMC results against destructive sectioning
Partner with design and process engineering on part geometry and deposition paths so components are inspectable before production begins
Work with structures and materials engineering to set and defend NDE-based initial flaw sizes for fracture control
Plan and run probability of detection studies on representative hardware that will hold up to government customer review
Specify, commission and qualify an in-house ultrasonic immersion system, including tank, phased array instrumentation and manipulator integration
Provide technical oversight of outsourced NDT methods and inspection suppliers
Own the NDE content of qualification plans, first article inspection packages and proposals
Support AS9100 compliance and lead preparation for Nadcap NDT accreditation
Qualifications
ASNT NDT Level III in UT, or a qualification and examination history that supports certification to NAS 410 or SNT-TC-1A Level 3 upon hire
8+ years of NDE experience in aerospace, pressure vessels, nuclear or another field where a missed indication carries safety-critical consequences
Hands-on phased array experience, including focal law and calibration block design, DAC/TCG, encoded scanning and analysis of your own data
Proficiency with phased array platforms such as Evident, Zetec, Eddyfi/M2M, AOS or similar
Track record writing procedures to specification (AMS-STD-2154, ASTM E2700, ASTM E1417, ASTM E1742) and defending them in audits
Working knowledge of NASA-STD-5009 and MIL-HDBK-1823
Enough fracture mechanics background to negotiate flaw size requirements with stress engineers
Must be a U.S. person as defined by ITAR (22 CFR 120.62)
Preferred Experience
Production use of TFM/FMC and plane wave imaging
Immersion UT with automated or robotic scanning and manipulator integration
NDE of additively manufactured metals, including inspection through as-built surfaces
Inspection of titanium and aluminum welds made by TIG, plasma arc, laser or electron beam processes
Designing POD studies to MIL-HDBK-1823A or ASTM E3023
Level I or higher in RT, PT or eddy current array
Interest in probe design and inspection research beyond procedure writing
Familiarity with AIAA S-080 metallic pressure vessel requirements or acceptance criteria for wire-arc deposited material
Nadcap NDT and AS9100 audit experience
CIVA or similar ultrasonic simulation tools
Authored the NDE section of a qualification plan reviewed by a government customer
Why Join Us
First dedicated NDE hire with a mandate to build the function and lead the team
Direct influence on design, process and fracture control decisions, not only downstream inspection
Build an immersion inspection cell and NDE program from the ground up
Work on flight-critical hardware for aerospace, space and defense customers
Meaningful early-stage equity in a small, fast-moving team
Hands-on work with hardware every day
Compensation Details
$135,000 - $170,000 + equity
ITAR Requirement
This position requires access to technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Applicants must be U.S. persons as defined by 22 CFR 120.62.
