Technical Program Manager, Additive Manufacturing

Frontdoor Defense; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision and life-insur

401(k) plan

Relocation assistance

Flexible vacation policy

Job summary

Hadrian in Los Angeles seeks a Technical Program Manager for Additive Manufacturing to own complex metal AM programs from development through industrialization. You will build automation, establish baselines, and drive production-grade reliability across engineering, operations, supply chain, software and customer-facing programs.

You will lead cross-functional teams to ensure on-time delivery, maintain program health, and coordinate with sales and partners on proposals, while managing CapEx

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in technical program management within aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing environments.
• Hands-on experience with metal additive manufacturing: process development, equipment qualification or production industrialization.
• Proven ability to take complex manufacturing systems from development through production-grade reliability.
• Strong cross-functional coordination across engineering, operations, supply chain and software in fast-paced environments.
• Ability to communicate program status and decisions crisply to senior technical stakeholders and executive leadership.
• Familiarity with NIAR qualification frameworks or AM program certifications and audit readiness.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a closely related technical field.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain program planning artifacts: WBS, integrated master schedules, risk registers, and EVM reporting.
• Lead process qualification efforts — own parameter development cycles, establish production baselines, and ensure traceability from process inputs to qualified output standards.
• Drive automation and subsystem integration across the AM production cell: laser and scanner systems, powder and gas handling, recoater and z-stage, thermal management, safety interlocks, and control systems connectivity.
• Establish and continuously improve machine monitoring and reliability programs.
• Serve as the primary technical and programmatic interface for aerospace and defense customers and partners — leading program status briefings and reviews with clear, decision-ready communication.
• Serve as connective tissue across sales, supply chain and engineering: systems, materials & process, applications, software and quality — identifying and resolving execution risks early to maintain program health and delivery commitments.
• Manage CapEx budget for AM facility buildouts and coordinate with contractors and internal stakeholders. Advocate for strategic investments in AM equipment, facility requirements, process automation and infrastructure.
• Partner with sales on program shaping, proposal development, BOE generation and DFARS/ITAR-compliant delivery frameworks.

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a closely related technical field.

Job description

Technical Program Manager, Additive Manufacturing

Own end-to-end delivery of additive manufacturing programs from development to production handoff.

Location: Los Angeles

Compensation: $135,000 – 175,000 USD / year

About The Role

We are looking for someone who has taken complex metal additive manufacturing equipment from development through industrialization, built the automation and process infrastructure around it, and driven it to production‑grade reliability.

This is not a coordination role — it is an ownership role.

You will serve as the program execution backbone for our additive manufacturing buildout, managing cross‑functional delivery across engineering, operations, supply chain, software, and customer‑facing programs. As the company expands factory footprint across new and existing locations, you will own infrastructure and program milestones that make it happen.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain program planning artifacts: WBS, integrated master schedules, risk registers, and EVM reporting.
• Lead process qualification efforts — own parameter development cycles, establish production baselines, and ensure traceability from process inputs to qualified output standards.
• Drive automation and subsystem integration across the AM production cell: laser and scanner systems, powder and gas handling, recoater and z‑stage, thermal management, safety interlocks, and control systems connectivity.
• Establish and continuously improve machine monitoring and reliability programs.
• Serve as the primary technical and programmatic interface for aerospace and defense customers and partners — leading program status briefings and reviews with clear, decision‑ready communication.
• Serve as connective tissue across sales, supply chain and engineering: systems, materials & process, applications, software and quality — identifying and resolving execution risks early to maintain program health and delivery commitments.
• Manage CapEx budget for AM facility buildouts and coordinate with contractors and internal stakeholders. Advocate for strategic investments in AM equipment, facility requirements, process automation and infrastructure.
• Partner with sales on program shaping, proposal development, BOE generation and DFARS/ITAR‑compliant delivery frameworks.

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• 5+ years of experience in technical program management within aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing environments — with a track record of delivering hardware‑intensive programs on time.
• Hands‑on experience with metal additive manufacturing: process development, equipment qualification or production industrialization.
• Proven ability to take complex manufacturing systems from development through production‑grade reliability — not just track the people doing it.
• Strong cross‑functional coordination skills across engineering, operations, supply chain and software in fast‑paced, resource‑constrained environments.
• Ability to communicate program status, risks and decisions crisply to both senior technical stakeholders and executive leadership.
• Familiarity with NIAR qualification frameworks or experience guiding AM programs through third‑party process certification and audit readiness.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or a closely related technical field.

Compensation

Target salary range is $135,000 – 175,000 USD annually (range may vary based on experience).

Benefits for Full‑time Employees

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance plans.
• 401(k) plan.
• Relocation support may be provided for certain situations, based on business need.
• Flexible vacation policy.

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8U.S.C.1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Hadrian is an equal‑opportunity employer. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or any other characteristic protected by law. The company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees.