Senior Coatings Process Engineer / SME - 27134

HII's Mission Technologies division
Chicago, US
On-site

Job Description

Requisition Number: 27134

Required Travel: 0 - 10%

Employment Type: Full Time/Salaried/Exempt

Anticipated Salary Range: $92,760.00 - $145,000.00

Security Clearance: Ability to Obtain

Level of Experience: Mid

This opportunity resides with Warfare Systems (WS), a business group within HII’s Mission Technologies division. Warfare Systems comprises cyber and mission IT; electronic warfare; and C5ISR systems.

HII works within our nation’s intelligence and cyber operations communities to defend our interests in cyberspace and anticipate emerging threats. Our capabilities in cybersecurity, network architecture, reverse engineering, software and hardware development uniquely enable us to support sensitive missions for the U.S. military and federal agency partners.

Meet HII’s Mission Technologies Division

Our team of more than 7,000 professionals worldwide delivers all-domain expertise and advanced technologies in service of mission partners across the globe. Mission Technologies is leading the next evolution of national defense – the data evolution - by accelerating a breadth of national security solutions for government and commercial customers. Our capabilities range from C5ISR, AI and Big Data, cyber operations and synthetic training environments to fleet sustainment, environmental remediation and the largest family of unmanned underwater vehicles in every class. Find the role that’s right for you. Apply today. We look forward to meeting you.

To learn more about Mission Technologies, click here for a short video: https://vimeo.com/732533072

Job Description

HII, Mission Technologies has an opportunity available for a highly experienced Senior Coatings Process Engineer / Subject Matter Expert (SME) to support the development of advanced polymer‑based coatings for DoD and commercial applications, including high‑temperature and ablative thermal‑protection elastomers.

The opportunity will focuse on providing expert guidance across formulation, scale‑up, and production readiness. The ideal candidate brings deep knowledge of MIL‑Spec coating requirements and a proven track record of developing, qualifying, and launching high‑performance coating systems.

We are open to considering full-time and/or part-time applicants.

:

  • Level 3 Engineer: $92,760 - $132,514
  • Level 4 Engineer: $114,966 - $164,237

Essential Job Responsibilities

  • Serve as the primary technical advisor for coating formulation, processing, and production.
  • Guide equipment selection, facility layout, and production‑line setup for coatings manufacturing.
  • Review and refine formulation strategies to ensure compliance with MIL‑Spec and other relevant standards.
  • Support identification of target customers, programs, and applications within defense markets.
  • Oversee qualification testing, conformance testing, and regulatory compliance activities.
  • Define scale‑up pathways, raw‑material sourcing strategies, and best practices for efficient, repeatable production.
  • Act as a technical liaison between internal teams, suppliers, and external partners to ensure alignment across development and manufacturing.
  • Contribute to market strategy, product positioning, and competitive differentiation in CONUS/OCONUS defense and commercial coatings markets.
  • Identify, troubleshoot, and resolve technical or operational issues that may impact production quality or throughput.
  • Support R&D activities, including testing, evaluation, documentation, and reporting for new coating technologies and elastomeric systems.

Minimum Qualifications

  • Level 3 - 5 years relevant experience with Bachelors in related field; 3 years relevant experience with Masters in realted field; 0 years experience with PhD or Juris Doctorate in related field; or High School Diploma or equivalent and 9 years relevant experience.
  • Level 4 - 9 years relevant experience with Bachelors in related field; 7 years relevant experience with Masters in related field; 4 years relevant experience with PhD or Juris Doctorate in realted field; or High School Diploma or equivalent and 13 years relevant experience.
  • 5+ years of experience working within government and/or defense with similar product lines - specifically with MIL-Spec coating systems.
  • Strong understanding of the coatings supply chain, qualification process, and customer expectations.
  • Demonstrated experience launching or advising on new coating lines or products.
  • Background in chemistry, chemical engineering, coatings technology, or a related field.

Physical Requirements

  • May require working in an office, industrial, shipboard, or laboratory environment. Capable of climbing ladders and tolerating confined spaces and extreme temperature variances.

HII is more than a job - it’s an opportunity to build a new future. We offer competitive benefits such as best-in-class medical, dental and vision plan choices; wellness resources; employee assistance programs; Savings Plan Options (401(k)); financial planning tools, life insurance; e

Skills & Requirements

Technical Skills

DefenseCybersecurityNetwork architectureReverse engineeringSoftware developmentHardware development

Domain Knowledge

DefenseCoatings

Salary

$92,760 - $145,000

year

Employment Type

FULL TIME

Level

mid

Posted

4/10/2026

Apply Now

You will be redirected to HII's Mission Technologies division's application portal.