Role MissionThe mission of the Metal Engineer is to work in tandem with the Metal Lead to engineer solutions and outcomes that move Blackwave's mission forward. The role owns the technical side of liner production in Texas, from supplier relations to process optimization, so that the metallic liners at the core of our COPVs are built efficiently, consistently, and with minimal scrap.
Expected Outcomes
A successful Metal Engineer will:- Build the technical knowledge base for the Liner team to work and grow from
- Generate SOPs and set up data collection and storage for work processes
- Optimize the liner production process
- Develop the supporting steps that limit scrap rate and increase throughput within the department
- Take ownership of the technical side of supplier relations
Key Responsibilities- Partner with the Metal Manufacturing Lead on engineering decisions, priorities, and improvements for liner production
- Serve as the technical point of contact for metal suppliers, aligning on specifications, material quality, and delivery requirements
- Analyze and optimize liner production steps such as machining, welding, forming, cleaning, and heat treatment
- Identify root causes of scrap and defects, and implement corrective and preventive actions
- Develop supporting process steps that increase throughput while protecting quality and safety
- Write and maintain SOPs, work instructions, and technical documentation for the Liner team
- Set up data collection and storage for process parameters, results, and scrap tracking
- Build and share technical knowledge within the Liner team so it can work and grow independently
- Work with quality, operations, and other departments to resolve issues and keep production on track
- Coordinate with the Team in Germany to bring the process expertise to Texas
Competencies
Technical Know-How- Knowledge of metallic materials, specifically aluminum and stainless steel (required)
- Experience with at least one of the following: CNC machining, laser beam welding, friction stir welding, roll bending, laser cleaning, spinforming, or heat treatment (required)
- Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Metallurgy, or a related field (required)
- Good understanding of welding processes, ideally laser beam welding (nice to have)
- Production and industrial process knowledge (nice to have)
- Experience with research and development processes (nice to have)
Leadership and Professional Skills- Works effectively with other departments
- Problem solving and risk management mindset
- Eager and willing to jump in on delays and problems as they arise
- Finds and solves issues independently with limited direction
- Understands a production environment and evaluates work by priority level
- Communicates clearly, and gives and takes feedback effectively
Required QualificationsEducation and Experience- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Metallurgy, or a related field
- Intermediate level engineering experience in a manufacturing or production environment
- Hands on experience working with aluminum and stainless steel
- Proven experience with at least one of the metal processing technologies listed above
Preferred Qualifications- Experience with welding processes, especially laser beam welding
- Background in production and industrial processes
- Experience with research and development processes
- Experience managing technical relationships with suppliers
- A track record of reducing scrap and improving throughput in production
- Experience writing SOPs and building data collection systems for work processes
Language Skills- English is required (fluent)
Work Model- On-site work is mandatory
- Willingness to work both on the production floor and at the desk on a daily basis
- Our facility is located in the Port San Antonio aerospace hub
}
