Staff Engineer, Manufacturing Paint Materials

Lucid Motors is seeking a Staff Paint Materials Advanced Manufacturing Engineer to join us at Amp-1 in Casa Grande, AZ. This opportunity will be responsible for defining material specifications for paint systems (pre-treatment, E-Coat, primer, basecoat, clear coat) as well as sealers, adhesives, betafoam, and related materials. This role partners closely with suppliers to ensure all materials meet functional, aesthetic, and durability requirements. 

The ideal candidate will be a strong cross-functional communicator, able to coordinate with manufacturing engineers, design studios, and product engineering teams to align on material selection, testing, and validation. This role also manages supplier onboarding, vendor contracts (in partnership with Purchasing), material buyoffs, and serves as the primary point of contact for all paint-related programs, including new launches, greenfield, and brownfield projects. 

You will: 

• Develop and execute DOEs with suppliers to validate materials against industry standards.
• Define and document specifications for paint materials, sealers, and adhesives.
• Manage the process of developing and maintaining color standards.
• Collaborate with the Design Studio to deliver colors that meet both aesthetic and performance criteria.
• Work with product engineers to ensure correct material specifications are applied.
• Establish validation and launch plans in partnership with suppliers and manufacturing engineers.
• Serve as the subject-matter expert for environmental compliance related to paint and material formulations.
• Ensure all formulations meet the requirements of governing environmental agencies.
• Support process development, including establishing application parameters for paints and sealers.
• Lead pretreatment and E-Coat development to optimize corrosion resistance.
• Contribute to control plan creation to ensure operational readiness.
• Support RFQ processes for direct material contracts and indirect system material needs.
• Maintain HMIS compliance for material toxicity and corrosivity.
• Oversee lab testing and buyoffs with vendors for new material approvals.
• Evaluate and integrate new paint technologies for compatibility with approved materials. 

You bring: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, STEM or related field, or equivalent relevant education and experience.
• A minimum of 8+ years of experience (10+ years preferred) in automotive topcoat technology and paint materials (development + manufacturing support).
• Direct OEM automotive manufacturing experience (required).
• Proven ability to lead or collaborate within cross-functional teams to achieve program targets (required).
• Willingness to travel up to 30% (domestic & international).
• Factory Acceptance Testing/Site Acceptance Testing, Buyoff experience (preferred)
• Mechanical, electrical, P&ID drawing understanding (preferred).
• Industrial Engineering experience (preferred).
• Process simulation experience (preferred).