Quick overview
Job description
About Blackwave
Blackwave designs, manufactures and ships flight-qualified, commercial off-the-shelf composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) for launch vehicles and satellites. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Munich, Germany, the company delivers COPVs from a standardized portfolio with flight heritage. The approach reduces lead time from months to days while ensuring that each tank is qualified and flight-ready. Blackwave's mission is to end COPV failure in spaceflight. The company employs more than 150 people across manufacturing facilities in Germany and Texas.
More information at Blackwave.com and the procurement platform COPV.com.
Role Mission
The 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 Qualifications
Education 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
Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
Blackwave Texas Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected characteristics under applicable law.
ITAR Eligibility
Because we work on technologies that are subject to U.S. export regulations (ITAR), this role can only be filled by individuals who meet specific eligibility criteria.
To be considered, you must be one of the following:
a U.S. citizen or U.S. national,
a U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder),
a refugee or asylee admitted under U.S. law, or otherwise authorized to receive U.S. export-controlled information from the Department of State.
If you’re unsure whether you meet these requirements, you can learn more about ITAR here
At Blackwave Texas Inc., we hire for talent, curiosity, and the drive to build what’s next. Employment decisions are based on merit, competence, and qualifications.
If you’d like to review our affirmative action plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or if you require an accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at career@blackwave.de
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