Automation Engineer, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)

Job description

HADRIAN - MANUFACTURING THE FUTURE Hadrian is building autonomous factories to reindustrialize America. By combining AI, advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we help aerospace and defense companies build rockets, satellites, aircraft, ships, and other mission-critical systems up to 10x faster and at significantly lower cost. Following our $1.37B Series D at a $7.87B valuation, Hadrian is rapidly expanding our manufacturing footprint, launching new capabilities across welding, casting, forging, electronics, additive manufacturing, and more, while scaling our Factory-as-a-Service platform to transform how critical products are built. Backed by leading investors including JPMorgan Chase, Valor Equity Partners, Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, 137 Ventures, Lux Capital, T. Rowe Price, and Morgan Stanley, we’re building the future of American manufacturing—and looking for exceptional people to help make it happen. If you’re ready to take on the most challenging and rewarding work of your career while helping create American manufacturing jobs for generations to come, you’re exactly who we’re looking for. THE ROLE We are hiring an Automation Engineer, NDT to design and deploy automation for advanced NDT inspection cells across UT, VT, RT, and CT. This is an end-to-end automation role for someone who has direct experience building inspection capability in the real world. You will own robot / motion paths, sensor integration, acquisition timing, station sequencing, operator UX, data traceability, safety, and production commissioning. You will partner with certified NDT personnel and Quality on method validation, acceptance criteria, and audit evidence. This is not an NDT technician role and not a generic controls role. We are looking for someone who has personally designed, deployed, or commissioned automated inspection / NDT systems and knows what breaks when those systems hit production. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Design and deploy automated inspection cells for advanced NDT methods including ultrasonic testing (UT), visual testing / visual inspection (VT), radiographic testing (RT), and computed tomography (CT). - Own the cell automation stack: robot / motion path, sensor integration, deterministic triggering, acquisition PC, sequencer, HMI / operator UX, data logging, and production handoff. - Plan scan / inspection paths that balance coverage, probability of detection, cycle time, kinematics, collision risk, and operator workflow. - Integrate modality-specific hardware: phased-array UT probes, cameras / lighting / optics, digital radiography sources and detectors, CT turntables / reconstruction flows, and related acquisition systems. - Partner with certified NDT personnel and Quality to validate methods against applicable standards and customer requirements. - Build structured inspection data pipelines for SPC, traceability, customer handoff, and archival. - Own station safety with EHS: radiation for RT / CT, laser / lighting for VT, couplant / water / ergonomics for UT, collision and LOTO for all modalities. - Commission on the floor, debug drift / escapes / false calls / timing issues, and hold the line when inspection blocks production. - Qualify vendors and integrators; write acceptance tests, red-line designs, and keep suppliers honest. - Codify reusable inspection automation patterns so the next station inherits a platform instead of a one-off science project. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR - 3+ years designing, deploying, or commissioning automated inspection / NDT systems in production or high-reliability environments. - Direct ownership of at least one automated inspection station involving robot / motion, sensor acquisition, station sequencing, data logging, and acceptance / production handoff. - Deep practical experience in at least one advanced NDT modality: - UT: phased-array, TFM / FMC, encoded scanning, robotic scan paths, couplant handling. - VT: 2D / 3D / multispectral vision, lighting, optics, calibration, dimensional / cosmetic inspection, gauge R&R. - RT: digital radiography, source / detector integration, shielding, interlocks, radiation safety. - CT: turntable / positioning, reconstruction pipeline, volumetric analysis, large-data workflow. - Measurement rigor: MSA / gauge R&R, POD / ROC where applicable, uncertainty, acceptance criteria, and audit-ready evidence. - Working knowledge of robot / motion systems and industrial controls such as Fanuc, ABB, Kuka, Yaskawa, Beckhoff TwinCAT, or Siemens TIA. - Comfort debugging across mechanical, controls, acquisition, software, data, Quality, and operator workflows. - Bachelor's degree in EE, ME, Mechatronics, Robotics, Physics, Materials, or related STEM, or equivalent direct experience. - ITAR eligible. WHAT WILL SET YOU APART - Radiation safety officer / state radiation safety training for RT / CT. - GD&T, CMM, metrology, or di