P101037 Materials Engineer - Interiors

Who we are looking for.

Slate Auto is looking for a technically sharp, self-directed Contract Materials Engineer to accelerate our accessories program over a 6–12 month engagement. The work spans a broad range of material domains including mold-in-color surfaces, soft trim, and other decorative materials. Reporting to the Head of Accessories, you will own execution across an active materials engineering program covering development, test planning, material approvals, and supplier engagement, partnering cross-functionally with CMF, Vehicle Engineering, and our supplier base.

This is a hands-on execution role with real ownership. This position is based on site in Troy, Michigan.

What you get to do

• Lead and approve Slate Material Approvals (SMA) execution across multiple active material categories, closing backlogs while building repeatable approval frameworks from the ground up.
• Execute a structured materials compatibility DOE program. Responsibilities include sample preparation, coordination with prototyping partners, external lab contracting, iterative data interpretation, and development of an internal test protocol. Full technical reporting required at each stage.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to develop and execute a materials development and validation program for new appearance applications. Work includes test plan development, supplier and 3rd party lab engagement, and identification of applicable regulatory and compliance requirements.
• Draft material performance specifications across active programs under senior product engineer direction, working from test data, surrogate references, and first-principles reasoning.
• Facilitate workstreams with directed material suppliers of Slate. Aligning applications suppliers and teams to support the product launches.

What you bring to the Team

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, materials science, chemistry or equivalent. MS a plus.
• 3+ years in materials engineering or a closely adjacent field.
• Comfortable operating independently. You can own a workstream, coordinate suppliers and labs, and deliver without heavy oversight.
• Comfortable in start-up environments. You can roll up your sleeves to do the work and build or recommend the tools needed to be successful as the company grows.
• A collaborative “one company” teammate with a continuous improvement approach that is equally comfortable with engineering details and test environments.
• Capability to work cross-functionally with partners, suppliers, and vendors, building strong relationships that produce positive results.