Staff/Lead Manufacturing Development Engineer

Freeform; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Employer-paid medical, dental, and VSP

Life insurance

Traditional and Roth 401(k)

Paid vacation and holidays

Generous parental leave

Free daily meals

Casual dress and flexible hours

Job summary

Freeform, based in Hawthorne, CA, seeks a Staff/Lead Manufacturing Development Engineer to design and implement scalable post-processing and delivery systems for a high-throughput metal 3D printing factory.

You will lead hardware development, collaborate with mechanical, electrical, software, and controls teams, and drive continuous improvement in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. Onsite five days a week with significant stock-based compensation and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related Engineering discipline.
• 5+ years of professional experience in engineering development or manufacturing engineering.
• Experience in a fast-paced hardware development or manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement scalable systems to automate post-print operations and increase factory throughput.
• Lead development and integration of new manufacturing hardware and tooling for next-gen factory architecture.
• Identify and eliminate process inefficiencies using first-principles analysis and data-driven approaches.
• Act as a force multiplier for R&D teams, bridging development and operations for efficiency.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, software, and controls engineers to co-develop factory solutions.
• Drive continuous improvement across the full post-processing workflow.

Skills

Hardware development

Manufacturing engineering

Data-driven analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's in Aerospace Engineering

Related Engineering discipline

Tools

ERP/MRP (Oracle, NetSuite)

CNC machining

Job description

Job DescriptionJob DescriptionSTAFF/LEAD MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT 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 Staff/Lead Manufacturing Development Engineer, you will lead the design and implementation of novel factory technologies to accelerate and automate our post-processing and part delivery operations. This role blends deep technical engineering development with hands-on manufacturing implementation. You will apply first-principles thinking to streamline operations, eliminate inefficiencies, and pioneer scalable, robust processes for the world's first high-throughput metal 3D printing factory.We're looking for a highly technical and hands-on engineer with a background in hardware development and a passion for building the future of manufacturing. This is a high-impact, cross-functional role with opportunities for leadership and growth.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement scalable systems and processes to automate post-print operations, reduce lead time, and enable factory throughput expansion
• Lead development and integration of new manufacturing hardware and tooling to support next-generation factory architecture
• Identify and eliminate process inefficiencies using first-principles analysis and a data-driven approach
• Act as a force multiplier for R&D teams, bridging development and operations to maximize efficiency and velocity
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, software, and controls engineers to co-develop factory solutions
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives across the full post-processing workflow

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related Engineering discipline
• 5+ years of professional experience in engineering development or manufacturing engineering
• Experience in a fast-paced hardware development or manufacturing environment

Nice to Have

• 8+ years of experience in hardware or manufacturing development roles
• Technical leadership experience
• Prior experience leading factory buildouts, production line deployment, or automation systems integration
• Background in post-processing operations (machining, heat treat, inspection, etc.)
• Hands-on experience with factory infrastructure: power systems, industrial gases, material logistics
• Familiarity with metal additive manufacturing, CNC machining, casting, or similar complex metal manufacturing processes
• ERP/MRP experience (Oracle, NetSuite, etc.)
• Strong Excel/data analysis capabilities
• Knowledge of OSHA/EHS standards

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. Our fast-paced, cross-functional environment is built on close collaboration, and as such, this role requires full-time onsite presence (five days a week), with very limited exceptions.

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 $150,000-$200,000. The upper end of the range is reserved for individuals who demonstrate exceptional experience, deep domain mastery, and a proven history of high performance and impact.

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.