Lab Technician – Materials Testing
Job Description
Lab Technician – Materials Testing
Location: El Segundo, CA
Timeline: Immediate start through May (extension possible)
Employment Type: Contract (Full-Time Hours)
Radiant is building portable nuclear microreactors to power the world’s most critical infrastructure. Our mission is to deliver resilient, zero-emissions energy anywhere. To do that, we test aggressively, move quickly, and hold an exceptionally high technical bar.
We are looking for 1–2 Lab Technicians to support mechanical and thermophysical materials testing as we accelerate hardware development.
What You’ll Do
You will support hands-on testing of structural and high-temperature materials critical to reactor performance.
Mechanical Property Testing
- Tensile testing
- Compression testing
- Friction testing
- 3-point and 4-point bending
Thermophysical Property Testing
- Thermal conductivity testing (Laser Flash Analysis – LFA)
- Coefficient of thermal expansion (Dilatometry – DIL)
Lab Operations
- Operate and maintain Instron and other high-value testing equipment
- Perform precision sample preparation and measurements
- Follow detailed lab procedures and safety protocols
- Ensure high data quality and documentation standards
- Support fast test turnaround while maintaining rigor
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related engineering discipline
- OR
- 2+ years of hands-on experience in a materials testing laboratory
- Experience running mechanical test equipment (e.g., Instron or equivalent)
- Comfort working with high-value, sensitive lab instrumentation
- Strong attention to detail in measurements and documentation
- Ability to work independently in a fast-paced hardware environment
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience conducting both mechanical and thermophysical testing
- Familiarity with LFA and dilatometry equipment
- Ability to analyze test data and write clear, structured test reports
- Experience supporting engineering teams in a product development environment
What Success Looks Like
- Tests are executed safely, accurately, and on schedule
- Data is clean, traceable, and engineering-ready
- Equipment is treated with care and maintained properly
- Reports (if applicable) clearly communicate findings and conclusions