The Aerospace Corporation

The Aerospace Corporation

Space systems research, design, and advisory

Materials Physicist - Non-Destructive Evaluation

Full-Time
$100k - $140k/yr
Entry
Master's, PhD
El Segundo, CA, USA
Remote

Full-time on-site; occasional travel of approximately 20% may be required.

No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship, US Top Secret Clearance Required

About the job

Requirements
  • A master's degree from an accredited college or university program in Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline, either pursuing or conferred within the last 12 months.
  • 0–1 year of industry experience.
  • A strong foundation in aerospace materials science, structural mechanics, and the physical principles underlying non-destructive inspection techniques.
  • Demonstrated experience performing and interpreting results from one or more non-destructive inspection techniques through academic research, laboratory coursework, or professional work, including radiographic testing, ultrasonic testing, eddy current testing, infrared thermography, or visual inspection methods.
  • Ability to learn new relevant science and engineering knowledge.
  • Willingness to travel occasionally and work outside normal business hours to support program needs, with approximately 20% travel or as required.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government-issued security clearance; U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
  • Transcripts.
Responsibilities
  • Support the development and validation of advanced non-destructive inspection techniques for mission-critical launch vehicle and spacecraft components, including radiography, ultrasonics, eddy current, thermography, and other inspection modalities.
  • Conduct applied research in materials characterization and non-destructive inspection science to solve emerging inspection challenges and enable next-generation aerospace systems.
  • Support mission assurance through analysis of inspection data, manufacturing documentation, and technical assessments for United States Space Force, National Reconnaissance Office, and commercial space programs.
  • Perform hands-on inspection of flight hardware and conduct field evaluations at manufacturing and launch sites.
  • Contribute to laboratory testing, failure investigations, and technical reviews to ensure structural integrity and mission success.
  • Develop expertise in new non-destructive inspection modalities through mentorship and hands-on training with senior technical staff.
Desired Qualifications
  • A Ph.D. degree from an accredited college or university program in Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline, with a research focus on nondestructive evaluation or materials characterization, either pursuing or conferred within the last 12 months.
  • Research or professional experience developing and qualifying non-destructive inspection methodologies for composite, metallic, or advanced material systems, including technique validation, procedure documentation, and performance verification.
  • Measurement and signal processing skills using Python, C++, or LabVIEW.
  • Experience with experimental fixture design, computer-aided design modeling, and prototyping using 3D printing or machine-shop fabrication for research applications.
  • Evidence of peer-reviewed journal publications in relevant technical areas.
  • Demonstrated use of machine-learning-based approaches to scientific data analysis.
  • Experience with the Intelligence Community.
  • A current and active TS/SCI security clearance issued by the U.S. government; U.S. citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance.
  • Strong written and oral communication skills for conveying technical information to diverse audiences.
  • Organizational, time-management, and project-management skills.
  • Ability to coordinate efforts with internal and external organizations.

About the company

The Aerospace Corporation

The Aerospace Corporation

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The Aerospace Corporation helps national security space programs through technical and scientific research, development, and advisory services. It provides engineering and acquisition management support to the Air Force, other Defense Department agencies, and civilian agencies. Its work covers launch system design and analysis, engineering, development, implications, and application, helping programs go from concept to tested systems. The company differentiates itself by focusing specifically on government space programs, offering independent technical expertise and mission-focused advisory services with a long history dating back to 1960, rather than competing primarily as a commercial contractor. Its goal is to enable reliable and secure space capabilities for national security by informing and guiding government programs from research through deployment.

Company Size

N/A

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

El Segundo, California

Founded

1960

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Aerospace and Google Public Sector launched a constellation-operations AI proof-of-concept on April 6, 2026.
  • Neumann Space signed a DiskSat commercial licence agreement on August 25, 2026, validating external demand.
  • Celeste Ford joined the Board of Trustees on September 23, 2026, strengthening defense and venture connectivity.

What critics are saying

  • Reuters on July 24, 2026 described Aerospace fighting young recruits as AI drains talent.
  • Law360 shows Fred Tucker v. The Aerospace Corporation et al. active on September 24, 2026.
  • Federal funding dependence and FFRDC constraints make a Pentagon budget cut existential within one cycle.

What makes The Aerospace Corporation unique

  • FFRDC status and 1960 heritage give Aerospace trusted access to classified national-security programs.
  • DiskSat architecture creates a standardized, stackable satellite platform; Neumann Space licensed it on August 25, 2026.
  • Agentic AI, NPPD propulsion, and deep systems engineering make Aerospace a mission-architecture integrator, not a contractor.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Paid Vacation

Paid Sick Leave

Paid Holidays

401(k) Retirement Plan

401(k) Company Match

Flexible Spending Account

Relocation Assistance

Professional Development Budget

Company News

WashingtonExec
Sep 23rd, 2026
The Aerospace Corp. adds Stellar Ventures' Celeste Ford to Board of Trustees.

The Aerospace Corp. adds Stellar Ventures' Celeste Ford to Board of Trustees. The Aerospace Corp. has elected Celeste Ford, managing director at Stellar Ventures and founder and board chair of Stellar Solutions Inc., to its board of trustees. Ford is a defense and space entrepreneur whose technical leadership has shaped defense, intelligence, civil and commercial space programs, the company said. "Celeste's visionary leadership and deep technical expertise make her a tremendous asset to our Board of Trustees," said Tanya Pemberton, Aerospace president and CEO. "Her talent for turning complex challenges into mission-ready solutions will be instrumental as we continue to advance and secure the nation's space capabilities." Ford launched Stellar Ventures in 2022 to invest in the next generation of space technology companies and served as its managing director. She founded Stellar Solutions, an aerospace engineering company, in 1995, where she served as its CEO until 2018. She also created the Stellar Solutions Foundation in 1998, launched the QuakeFinder humanitarian research and development program in 2001, and later expanded Stellar's global footprint by establishing companies in the U.K. and France in 2003 and 2017, respectively. Ford currently serves on several public, private and nonprofit boards, including the board of trustees at the University of Notre Dame and the Council on Foreign Relations. Staff Writer WashingtonExec celebrates the people, programs, and milestones shaping the Washington, D.C. government contracting community. Join 30,000+ leaders who start their day with The Daily. Our latest executive profiles, council news, and GovCon headlines - every morning.

WashingtonExec
Sep 22nd, 2026
The Aerospace Corp. elevates Kristin St. Peter to SVP, General Counsel and secretary.

The Aerospace Corp. elevates Kristin St. Peter to SVP, General Counsel and secretary. The Aerospace Corp. has promoted Kristin St. Peter to senior vice president, general counsel and secretary, effective Jan. 2. She will serve as an advisor to Aerospace leadership and its Board of Trustees, and lead the Office of the General Counsel. St. Peter will succeed Glenn McKeown, who will retire after serving in this role since 2022. "Kristin's experience, combined with her extensive mission-focused background, makes her an excellent fit for this position," said Tanya Pemberton, Aerospace's president and CEO. "Kristin will help ensure we remain well positioned to deliver trusted, independent expertise in support of our critical missions while upholding the legal and ethical responsibilities that guide our partnership with our customers." Before joining Aerospace in 2023, St. Peter served at the Defense Intelligence Agency as acting general counsel, overseeing a team advancing the agency's legal mission. She also served as DIA's principal deputy general counsel, and before that, held senior executive roles at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, including chief of the mission and international law team, chief of Congressional affairs and deputy associate director for capabilities. Earlier in her career, St. Peter was deployed across the Middle East and Africa providing legal support to U.S. and NATO operations. She began her federal service in 2003 with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Staff Writer WashingtonExec celebrates the people, programs, and milestones shaping the Washington, D.C. government contracting community. Join 30,000+ leaders who start their day with The Daily. Our latest executive profiles, council news, and GovCon headlines - every morning.

Washington Technology
Sep 18th, 2026
Tech, growth and sales leadership moves across the market.

Tech, growth and sales leadership moves across the market. Stay Connected Find opportunities - and win them. September 18, 2026 03:04 PM ET One of the military's primary engine providers is also undertaking a transition at the very top, among other key promotions and hires to note. Aerospace Corp. Debra Emmons has moved up to senior vice president of the civil systems group following four years as chief technology officer at the nonprofit organization, which she first joined in 2003. Emmons succeeds Jim Myers, who retired from Aerospace in August after five years there. Emmons' career in space includes satellite-focused roles at Hughes Space and Communications. Aerospace also promoted Kristin St. Peter to senior vice president, general counsel and secretary in a move to take effect Jan. 2. Aerospace operates a federally-funded research-and-development center focused on national security space. Peta Leonard has joined the software application development provider as vice president of artificial intelligence, a role she brings two decades of experience to. "Peta will help shape and advance our AI vision and strategy, working closely with our teams, customers, and leadership to identify where AI can create real, measurable impact," AttainX said in a LinkedIn post on the hire. Leonard most recently worked as a vice president at TSPi. Bob Jurenko has joined the space- and missile defense-focused company as vice president of business development, a role he brings two decades of experience to. Jurenko will oversee Aurex's efforts to expand its opportunity set, add new customers and shape other initiatives around products and capabilities. He most recently worked as director of hypersonic and strategic defense programs at Firefly Aerospace. Bharat Soni has joined the technology solutions provider as vice president and general manager for its federal services unit, a role he brings three decades of experience to. Soni will oversee DMI's push for growth across the federal mission space, a strategy that includes generative artificial intelligence. He most recently worked as senior director of strategic solutions at C3 AI. His career also includes roles at Guidehouse and Accenture Federal Services. Brooke Pierce has joined the technology solutions provider as president of its health segment, a role she brings two decades of experience to. DLH's health business includes work in technology, scientific research, data analytics, artificial intelligence and mission support services. Pierce most recently worked as a vice president at Leidos, where she spent seven years altogether. Her career also includes roles at Cotiviti and ARDX. Draganfly Defense USA AJ Pasagian has joined the drone systems and solution provider's U.S. defense subsidiary as president, a role he brings 35 years of Marine Corps service experience to. Pasagian's career includes an assignment as commanding general for Marine Corps Systems Command, where he led a team of 2,400 personnel and was its acquisition decision authority. "AJ joins Draganfly at an important time as we continue to expand our U.S. defense operations and respond to growing demand for trusted, North American-developed unmanned systems," Draganfly said in a LinkedIn post on his new role. Herrick Technology Laboratories Tom Cece has moved up to vice president of engineering at this maker of software-defined radios, which he first joined in 2016. "Tom will lead our engineering department, where he will accelerate innovation and spearhead the development of advanced hardware and software architectures designed to protect our warfighters and give our defense and government partners a definitive edge in contested spectrum environments," HTL said in a LinkedIn post on his new role. HTL credits Cece with helping advance its product lines that include the radios, as well as direction-finding antennas and other communication solutions. Chad Keefer has joined the cybersecurity company as vice president of federal sales, a role he brings 24 years of industry experience to. Keefer will lead Horizon3's go-to-market strategy centered around its autonomous penetration testing platform, which is designed to help operators find security issues and close attack paths. He most recently worked as head of U.S. federal at Infoblox. His career also includes roles at Appian and Forescout Technologies. Ryan Rohr has joined the employee-owned contractor as chief growth officer, a role he brings 19 years of experience to. Rohr will oversee Lentech's overall efforts to advance its market position, expand customer relationships and increase partnerships. Lentech announced the hire of Rohr six months after Rose Allen joined the company as CEO. He most recently worked as chief strategy officer at Thomson Reuters Special Services, the global tech company's subsidiary for the U.S. government market. Gary Noel has joined the mobile surveillance solutions provider as vice president of federal and international sales after eight years at Lockheed Martin. "Gary will drive Reconview's growth across federal government initiatives and lead our international sales strategy, bringing our advanced AI-powered security and surveillance solutions to global partners and public-sector clients," Reconview said in a LinkedIn post on his new role. Noel's tenure at Lockheed included separate stints as manager of international government affairs and business development, plus chief of staff for international business development. Jill Albertelli will move up to president of the company's Pratt & Whitney engine manufacturing segment on Jan. 1, when she will succeed the retiring Shane Eddy. Albertelli has been with Pratt & Whitney for three decades and currently works as president of the military engine business. Her career has included roles involving engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, commercial programs, sales and strategy. Eddy has worked at Pratt & Whitney for four decades and will support the company as an adviser between Jan. 1 and March, when he will retire. Sabel Systems Mini Polaski has joined this provider of engineering services as senior vice president and general manager for its aerospace digital acceleration business unit, a role she brings two decades of experience to. Polaski will lead Sabel's efforts to scale across the Air Force market and build on its portfolio of product lifecycle management support. Polaski most recently spent five years at Leidos as chief engineer. Her career also includes roles at Northrop Grumman and Boeing. Sabel has also hired Alexis Wenzel as vice president of business development for the Air Force account. She most recently was a BD director at BAE Systems Inc. and before that held a similar role at ICF. Scope Infotech Kathryn Wetherby has joined the software engineering services provider as chief strategy officer, a role she brings 25 years of health technology experience to. Wetherby will work with Scope Infotech CEO Riyaz Momin on efforts related to the company's market position, operational maturity and growth planning. Wetherby most recently spent 10 years at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, including as acting director of its marketplace IT group. Significance Inc. Brad Zwirschitz has joined the professional services provider as chief growth officer, a role involving revenue growth and market expansion initiatives. Zwirschitz will oversee Significance's functions in business development, capture strategy, partnerships and go-to-market efforts. He most recently worked as president of Main Sail. Mary Ahern Snyder started Significance in 2014 and has led it ever since as president and CEO. Stacy Schwartz has joined the wireless carrier as vice president of its government business, a role she brings three decades of experience. Schwartz's career includes 25 years at AT&T, where she was a vice president in its public sector unit. She has also led the public sector unit at RingCentral. George Fischer, an executive vice president at T-Mobile's business group, announced the hire of Schwartz in a LinkedIn post. American Systems Christopher "Chris" Carson has joined the board of directors as an independent member at the employee-owned contractor, where he will also chair its audit and finance committee. Carson moves into the seat formerly held by Barry Broadus, who was a member for nine years. Broadus is the former ICF chief financial officer who retired in the spring after four years in that role. Carson is a four-decade market veteran helped found the government practices at Argy and then at BDO, which acquired Argy in 2012. He is also a former chief financial officer for Ultra Safe Nuclear Corp. Riverside Research David Deptula and Stacey Dixon have joined the board of trustees at the nonprofit science firm, which announced its hire of new CEO Tom Lash earlier this month. Deptula is a retired Air Force lieutenant general who retired in 2010 after a 34-year career in service that culminated with four years as deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Dixon is a former principal deputy director of national intelligence, the second-highest ranking official in the intelligence community. She also served in leadership roles at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Aviation Week
Sep 1st, 2026
Aerospace Corp. pushes adoption of DiskSat tech after successful demo.

Aerospace Corp. pushes adoption of DiskSat tech after successful demo. A little more than eight months after launching a four-set of its novel DiskSat, The Aerospace Corp. sees an opportunity to reshape the small satellite industry. The federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) envisions flattening satellites from the common cubic form to a wafer-like... Based in the Seattle area, Garrett covers the space sector and advanced technologies that are shaping the future of aerospace and defense, including space startups, advanced air mobility and artificial intelligence.

Neumann Space
Aug 25th, 2026
Neumann Space signs agreement with The Aerospace Corporation.

Neumann Space signs agreement with The Aerospace Corporation. Media Release - 25 August 2026 Neumann Space Signs Commercial Licence Agreement with The Aerospace Corporation combining the innovative DiskSat architecture with Neumann Space's purpose-designed Flatypus electric propulsion platform, creating a highly scalable platform for the next generation of commercial and sovereign space missions. The agreement expands cooperation between the Australian and U.S. Space sectors and brings together two highly complementary technologies: Aerospace's standardized, stackable DiskSat architecture and Neumann Space's solid-state electric propulsion technology.