Senior Materials Engineer (Metals, Forming & Castings) (Automotive)

Location: Foster City, California, United States; onsite

Company

Zoox develops autonomous vehicle technology and purpose-built vehicles for on-demand mobility.

What you will do

• Lead failure investigations across vehicle development, production, and field releases.
• Perform mechanical testing and metallurgical characterization using SEM/EDS, metallography, fractography, and hardness testing.
• Advise Design, Manufacturing, and Quality teams on metal selection, process capability, and forming, stamping, and casting failure modes.
• Develop and maintain material specifications, process specifications, quality acceptance criteria, and ASTM/ISO/SAE test procedures.
• Support supplier qualification, PPAP review, material certification review, and corrective actions.
• Manage laboratory test plans, equipment calibration, SOPs, safety standards, external vendor labs, and junior engineer mentoring.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• 8+ years of experience in materials engineering, failure analysis, or metallurgical engineering.
• Hands-on expertise with metals, forming, stamping, casting processes, and related failure modes.
• Strong experience with Instron/UTM mechanical testing, fractography, SEM/EDS, metallography, and hardness testing.
• Experience independently leading root cause investigations and corrective actions with cross-functional teams.
• Working knowledge of ASTM, ISO, and SAE standards, technical specification development, and mentoring junior engineers or technicians.

Nice to have

• Experience analyzing failures in polymers, composites, adhesives, bonded joints, or coatings.
• Familiarity with AutoForm, LS-DYNA, casting simulation, DFMEA, or PFMEA.
• Supplier quality engineering, PPAP, or material certification experience.
• High-volume automotive manufacturing or vehicle development experience.
• Advanced degree in Materials Science or Metallurgy.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time onsite work in Foster City, California.
• Compensation may include base salary, Amazon RSUs, Zoox Stock Appreciation Rights, and a potential sign-on bonus.
• Benefits include paid sick leave, vacation, bereavement leave, unpaid time off, health insurance, disability insurance, life insurance, and long-term care insurance.