Mechatronics Engineer

MatterWave; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Matterwave is seeking a hands-on engineer to join as one of the first hires, working directly with the founders across the full hardware stack of our ultrasonic retrofit module for LPBF metal 3D printing. You will wire sensors, write and debug control code, design fixtures, and assemble hardware, often in the same week.

You will lead hands-on investigations, run experiments, and help scale the product by building additional modules and advancing in-house power electronics design as the company

Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of hands-on engineering experience
• Direct experience with metal additive manufacturing or complex electromechanical systems
• Sound engineering judgment; ability to work independently and flag risks early
• Ability to work in ambiguous, resource-constrained environments
• U.S. person status per ITAR

Responsibilities

• Operate and develop parameters for LPBF metal 3D printing (EOS M290 platform): build setup, powder handling, recoating, failure diagnosis
• Build and maintain control systems for the ultrasonic module: DAQ hardware integration, sensor wiring, 24V industrial electrical work, real-time control software
• Integrate and tune power ultrasonics hardware: transducers, generators, amplitude control, resonance behavior
• Design and fabricate fixtures, mounts, and retrofit hardware (CAD plus basic machining)
• Run structured experiments, analyze results, coordinate alloy characterization with partner labs (basic in-house microscopy and hardness testing), and document findings for customer deliverables
• Build and assemble additional ultrasonic modules as the product scales toward repeatable production
• Contribute to bringing ultrasonic generator design and build in-house (power electronics, drive circuitry)

Skills

Hands-on engineering

Metal additive manufacturing

Electrical wiring

Control software

Problem solving

Independent work

ITAR compliance

Education

B.S./M.S. in Engineering

Tools

Python

C

CAD

Job description

About Matterwave

Matterwave is a deep-tech advanced manufacturing startup developing ultrasonic-assisted Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) metal 3D printing. Our retrofit module equips production LPBF machines with high-power ultrasonics to control solidification and microstructure in-process. We work with government and commercial partners and are scaling toward commercial deployment.

The Role

You will be one of the first engineering hires, working directly with the founders across the full stack of the technology: running and modifying a metal 3D printer and building out the hardware and control systems of our ultrasonic retrofit module. This is a hands‑on role — you will wire sensors, write and debug control code, design fixtures, and assemble hardware, often in the same week.

We are a small team, and this role will grow with the company. We are looking for someone who wants to build things with their own hands now and lead a team later. You will wear multiple hats, and the mix will shift as we grow — the right person sees that as the appeal, not the fine print.

What You’ll Do

Now

• Operate and develop parameters for LPBF metal 3D printing (EOS M290 platform): build setup, powder handling, recoating, failure diagnosis
• Build and maintain control systems for the ultrasonic module: Data Acquisition (DAQ) hardware integration, sensor wiring, 24V industrial electrical work, real‑time control software
• Integrate and tune power ultrasonics hardware: transducers, generators, amplitude control, resonance behavior
• Design and fabricate fixtures, mounts, and retrofit hardware (CAD plus basic machining)
• Run structured experiments, analyze results, coordinate alloy characterization with partner labs (basic in‑house microscopy and hardness testing), and document findings for customer deliverables

Next

• Build and assemble additional ultrasonic modules as the product scales toward repeatable production
• Contribute to bringing ultrasonic generator design and build in-house (power electronics, drive circuitry)

Required Qualifications

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• 5+ years of hands‑on engineering experience (industry, national lab, or graduate research that involved building and running real hardware)
• Direct experience with metal additive manufacturing, or with building and debugging complex electromechanical systems
• Sound engineering judgment: knowing when to work through a problem independently and when to flag a risk to the team early
• Demonstrated ability to work independently in an ambiguous, resource‑constrained environment
• U.S. person status per International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)

Preferred Qualifications

• LPBF operation and parameter development experience specifically
• Ability to read, modify, and debug control code (Python or C), with or without AI assistance
• Comfort with electrical integration: wiring, sensors, reading datasheets and schematics
• Solidification metallurgy fundamentals: nucleation, grain refinement, porosity mechanisms
• Power ultrasonics experience or understanding of wave/acoustic theory
• Program management and documentation habits — planning parallel work, writing procedures others can follow — and willingness to contribute outside your core discipline as the company grows

No candidate will have everything on this list. If you meet the required qualifications and a few of the preferred ones, we want to hear from you.

What It’s Like Here

Small team, fast iteration, no technicians — engineers do their own hands‑on work. You’ll have direct ownership of systems end‑to‑end and see your work go from wiring diagram to printed metal part. The work spans disciplines, and so will you: expect to pick up skills outside your background, make judgment calls with incomplete information, and help set the culture of the engineering team as it forms around you. We are looking for future leaders — people who want to grow into larger roles as the company does.