Production Operations Engineer

Socket.dev; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical, Dental, Vision insurance (eml

Life insurance

401(k)

Paid vacation and holidays

Parental Leave

Free daily catered lunch

Job summary

Freeform is seeking a Production Operations Engineer to oversee the flow of metal 3D printed parts through post-processing, reading drawings and GD&T, and communicating with customers and internal teams on status and disposition. The role requires hands-on manufacturing experience, strong communication skills, and the technical depth to read drawings and tolerances under production pressure.

Based in Hawthorne, CA, the position offers a path for growth as the company scales.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or related engineering field.
• Internship or professional experience in manufacturing, production, or quality engineering.
• Experience working with hand tools, machinery, or complex hardware assembly.
• Ability to read engineering drawings and communicate clearly with customers on technical topics.

Responsibilities

• Own the day-to-day flow of parts through post-processing, monitoring throughput and flagging issues before they become bottlenecks
• Evaluate part rework, deformation, and nonconformance against drawings and GD&T requirements, and determine appropriate disposition
• Communicate part status, rework decisions, and deviations directly with customers and internal stakeholders
• Support test procedures and inspection steps to ensure parts meet requirements before shipment
• Work with manufacturing development engineers to flag recurring process issues and provide floor-level feedback on tooling and fixturing performance
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date production tracking and documentation to support traceability and reporting
• Help identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in how parts, materials, and data move through the factory, and work with cross-functional teams to resolve them

Skills

Hands-on production experience

Reading engineering drawings

Customer-facing communication

Problem-solving under pressure

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or related engineering field

Tools

MRP/ERP systems

Production tracking systems

Hand tools and machinery

Job description

PRODUCTION OPERATIONS ENGINEER

Freeform builds AI-native manufacturing systems that unify software, hardware, and physics to produce industrial-scale parts at the speed of human ideation. By treating manufacturing as a single integrated system, we unlock a new era of innovation where complex hardware is designed, built, and scaled without limits.

As a Production Operations Engineer at Freeform, you will sit at the intersection of manufacturing and operations, keeping complex metal 3D printed parts moving through high-volume post-processing operations. You will track parts through each stage of production, evaluate deviations against drawings and GD&T requirements, and communicate directly with customers and internal teams on part status and disposition. Complex geometries, tight tolerances, and an exacting eye for detail define the work, on parts built for some of the world\'s most advanced hardware systems.

You will operate in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where schedules evolve quickly and rigor and reliability are non-negotiable. This role requires hands-on manufacturing experience, strong communication skills, and the technical depth to read drawings, understand tolerances, and make sound calls under production pressure.

Responsibilities:

• Own the day-to-day flow of parts through post-processing, monitoring throughput and flagging issues before they become bottlenecks
• Evaluate part rework, deformation, and nonconformance against drawings and GD&T requirements, and determine appropriate disposition
• Communicate part status, rework decisions, and deviations directly with customers and internal stakeholders
• Support test procedures and inspection steps to ensure parts meet requirements before shipment
• Work with manufacturing development engineers to flag recurring process issues and provide floor-level feedback on tooling and fixturing performance
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date production tracking and documentation to support traceability and reporting
• Help identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in how parts, materials, and data move through the factory, and work with cross-functional teams to resolve them

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor\'s degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or related engineering field
• Internship or professional experience in manufacturing, production, or quality engineering
• Experience working with hand tools, machinery, or complex hardware assembly
• Ability to read engineering drawings and communicate clearly with customers on technical topics

Nice to Have:

• 2+ years of experience in a hands-on production, manufacturing, or quality engineering role
• Strong understanding of GD&T and drawing interpretation
• Experience with metal additive manufacturing, machining, or precision post-processing
• Experience evaluating nonconformances, rework, or part deformation
• Familiarity with MRP/ERP tools and production tracking systems
• Direct customer-facing experience in a manufacturing environment
• Ability to prioritize and make sound judgment calls under production pressure

Location:

• Based in Hawthorne, our vertically integrated facility brings technology development, R\&D, and production together under one roof. We operate at the center of LA's deep tech ecosystem, surrounded by some of the most ambitious hardware innovation happening anywhere in the country.

What We Offer:

• We have an inclusive and diverse culture that values collaboration, learning, and making deliberate data-driven decisions.
• We offer a unique opportunity to be an early and integral member of a rapidly growing company that is scaling a world-changing technology.
• Benefits
• Significant stock option packages
• 100% employer-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance (premium PPO and HMO options)
• Life insurance
• Traditional and Roth 401(k)
• Paid vacation, sick leave, and company holidays
• Generous Paid Parental Leave and extended transition back to work for the birthing parent
• Free daily catered lunch and dinner, and fully stocked kitchenette
• Casual dress, flexible work hours, and regular catered team building events

Compensation:

• Asa growing company, the salary rangeis intentionally wide as wedeterminethe mostappropriate packageforeach individualtaking into consideration years of experience, educational background, and unique skills and abilities asdemonstratedthroughout the interview process. Our intent is to offer a salary that iscommensurateforthe company\'s current stage of development and allows the employee to grow and develop within a role.
• In addition to the significant stock option package, the estimated salary range for this role is $90,000-$130,000, dependent on the candidate\'s academic level (Bachelors, Masters, or PhD) and demonstrated out of classroom experience.

Freeform is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity; employment with Freeform is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.