PROCESS ENGINEER (ADVANCED R&D)

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 Process Engineer at Freeform, you will have the unique opportunity to invent novel processes for the world’s most advanced metal 3D printing systems. You will deep dive into complex, multi-physics phenomena to gain a fundamental understanding of the system and use those learnings to create a new state-of-the-art process. You will work alongside an interdisciplinary team of mechanical, software, and simulations engineers to analyze massive in-situ data sets as well as post-print material characteristics and rapidly iterate on improving the printing technology with machine learning. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in a fast-paced R&D environment, solving very audacious problems from scratch.

3D printing experience is not required to be successful here - rather we look for smart, motivated, collaborative engineers who love solving hard problems and creating amazing technology! 

Responsibilities: 

• Assist the Process Engineering team in developing a deep understanding of the metal additive process and hardware operation by analyzing massive in-situ data sets to gain insight into physical mechanisms of the printing process
• Drive execution of experiments, analyze data, and develop and optimize processes on a metal additive system
• Perform post-build metrology measurements and analysis of material properties such as tensile strength, surface roughness, and alloy microstructure
• Generate and track quality metrics of printed customer parts such as dimensional accuracy, defect distribution, and surface roughness
• Assist in the development and implementation of tool qualification procedures
• Collaborate with mechanical, software, and simulations engineers to analyze data and rapidly improve printing processes

Basic Qualifications:

• Advanced degree (MS/PhD) in material science, physics, or similar engineering discipline
• First principles thinker with strong fundamentals in physics
• Experience with experimental design and statistical data analysis
• Strong data analysis skills and ability to interpret important information from extremely large data sets

Nice to Have:

• Undergraduate research experience in material science, physics, mechanical engineering
• Process development experience from cutting edge industries such as semiconductor, solar, or displays
• Experience with Python and/or MATLAB
• Experience with statistical data analysis software such as R, JMP, or Minitab
• Experience operating complex equipment
• Familiarity with metallurgical sample preparation such as cutting, grinding, polishing, acid etching, and optical microscopy
• Passion for developing new processes from scratch
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

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)
  • Relocation assistance provided 
  • 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  
  • As a growing company, the salary range is intentionally wide as we determine the most appropriate package for each individual taking into consideration years of experience, educational background, and unique skills and abilities as demonstrated throughout the interview process. Our intent is to offer a salary that is commensurate for the 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 $95,000-$140,000. 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.

MATERIALS LAB TECHNICIAN (TRAINEE)

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 Materials Lab Technician (Trainee) at Freeform, you will play a critical role in the testing and analysis of 3D printed parts and materials for the world’s most advanced additive manufacturing systems. You will be trained to perform a variety of sample preparation and testing procedures with extreme attention to detail and critical thinking skills. You will work alongside the senior technician and engineering team to improve testing processes and procedures with a focus on automation and scalability. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in a fast-paced R&D environment, will be a fast learner with a hunger to grow, and will have a “no job too big or small” mentality.

3D printing experience is not required to be successful here - rather we look for smart, motivated, collaborative individuals who love solving hard problems and creating amazing technology.

Responsibilities:  

• Perform metallurgical sample preparation including cutting, grinding, polishing, acid etching, and mounting
• Operate and maintain testing equipment such as Instrons, surface scanners, and more
• Contribute to printing operations such as vacuuming powder, removing finished parts from the system and loading fresh build plates 
• Work with the engineering team to collect data and conduct testing, analysis, and review of printed parts
• Perform data entry and report generation
• Participate in process improvement efforts to streamline testing procedures
• Contribute to installation and commissioning of new machines used for material testing / qualification

Basic Qualifications:  

• High school diploma or GED
• Personal or professional experience working with machines, mechanical systems, material testing, or related processes

Nice to Have:

• 1+ years of professional experience in materials and processing, mechanical testing, semiconductor processing, or chemical processing
• Experience in metallurgical sample preparation
• Extreme attention to detail and critical thinking skills
• Experience handling and keeping track of a large number of physical parts and the measurements taken on them
• Experience in operating complex equipment
• Experience working with hazardous materials
• Experience with data entry
• Ability to lift and/or move up to 30lbs unassisted
• Ability to climb ladders and be on your feet for extended periods of time
• Must be available and willing to work overtime when needed

Location: 

• We are located in Hawthorne, CA in a 35,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility featuring large open spaces for team collaboration, R&D, and production, as well as easy access to the 405, 105, and 110 freeways. Our facility is in the heart of Los Angeles' vibrant emerging tech ecosystem alongside many other high growth startups and enterprises. 

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 
  • As a growing company, the salary range is intentionally wide as we determine the most appropriate package for each individual taking into consideration years of experience, educational background, and unique skills and abilities as demonstrated throughout the interview process. Our intent is to offer a salary that is commensurate for the 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 pay range for this role is $20–$26/hour. 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.

SENIOR PROCESS ENGINEER (ADVANCED R&D)

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 Senior Process Engineer at Freeform, you will have the unique opportunity to invent novel processes for the world’s most advanced metal 3D printing systems. You will deep dive into complex, multi-physics phenomena to gain a fundamental understanding of the system and use those learnings to create a new state-of-the-art process. You will work alongside an interdisciplinary team of mechanical, software, and simulations engineers to analyze massive in-situ data sets as well as post-print material characteristics and rapidly iterate on improving the printing technology with machine learning. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in a fast-paced R&D environment, solving very audacious problems from scratch.

3D printing experience is not required to be successful here - rather we look for smart, motivated, collaborative engineers who love solving hard problems and creating amazing technology! 

Responsibilities:

• Develop a deep understanding of the metal additive process and hardware operation by analyzing massive in-situ data sets to gain insight into physical mechanisms of the printing process
• Work independently to design and execute experiments, analyze data, and develop and optimize processes on a metal additive system
• Perform post-build metrology measurements and analysis of material properties such as tensile strength, surface roughness, and alloy microstructure
• Generate and track quality metrics of printed customer parts such as dimensional accuracy, defect distribution, and surface roughness
• Develop and implement tool qualification procedures
• Collaborate with mechanical, software, and simulations engineers to analyze data and rapidly improve printing processes
• Strategize continuous improvement plans to enhance system performance, reliability, and scalability

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in material science, physics, mechanical engineering, or similar engineering discipline
• 5+ years of process development experience in complex physics-based applications such as semiconductor, solar, or additive manufacturing
• Experience developing Design of Experiments (DOE), statistical data analysis, and process optimization
• Experience gathering and processing large data sets

Nice to Have:

• Master’s or PhD in material science, physics, mechanical engineering
• Process development experience from cutting edge industries such as semiconductor, solar, or displays
• Experience with machine learning or data science
• Experience with statistical data analysis software such as R, JMP, Python, or Minitab
• Experience with statistical process control and tool health monitoring
• Experience operating complex equipment
• Familiarity with metallurgical sample preparation such as cutting, grinding, polishing, acid etching, and optical microscopy
• Familiarity with programming languages such as MATLAB or Python
• Passion for developing new processes from scratch
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

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)
  • Relocation assistance provided 
  • 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  
  • As a growing company, the salary range is intentionally wide as we determine the most appropriate package for each individual taking into consideration years of experience, educational background, and unique skills and abilities as demonstrated throughout the interview process. Our intent is to offer a salary that is commensurate for the 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 $140,000-$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.

SENIOR MATERIALS ENGINEER (METAL 3D PRINTING)

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 Senior Materials Engineer at Freeform, you will have the unique opportunity to establish the company’s M&P infrastructure, strategy, and best practices for our advanced metal 3D printing technology. We are looking for someone with solid fundamentals in materials engineering, an understanding of metals, and a keen interest in working on the cutting edge of additive manufacturing development. In this role, you will own materials engineering efforts from cradle to grave, including hands-on sample testing, analysis of findings, and strategic process improvements. If you want to make an impact at a rapidly growing company that’s revolutionizing metal additive manufacturing, we’d love to hear from you!

Success here doesn't hinge on 3D printing experience. Instead, we seek intelligent, motivated, and collaborative engineers who thrive on solving challenging problems and creating groundbreaking technology!

Responsibilities:

• Establish Freeform’s M&P best practices, and materials testing infrastructure and strategy
• Operate equipment to measure material properties such as tensile strength, surface roughness, and microstructure
• Generate and track quality metrics of printed customer parts such as dimensional accuracy, defect distribution, and surface roughness
• Organize, analyze and interpret data and present key findings
• Work with process development team to tie key materials findings into improvement of upstream printing processes, including training our advanced machine learning models
• Establish and optimize processes and procedures for measuring and quantifying material quality
• Create automation for M&P procedures to take human out of the loop
• Strategize continuous improvement plans to enhance system performance, reliability, and scalability

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in material science, materials engineering, metallurgy, or mechanical engineering
• 7+ years of professional materials engineering experience (with at least three years in metals)
• Experience developing and optimizing metallurgical sample preparation techniques such as cutting, grinding, polishing, acid etching, and optical microscopy

Nice to Have:

• Master’s or PhD in in material science, materials engineering, metallurgy, or mechanical engineering highly preferred
• 10+ years of materials engineering experience
• Experience with metal additive manufacturing highly preferred
• Experience with laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processes
• Experience in process development
• Experience operating complex materials equipment
• Familiarity with processing large datasets and statistical data analysis software such as R, JMP, or Minitab
• Passion for improving the state of metal 3D printing

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)
  • Relocation assistance provided 
  • 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  
  • As a growing company, the salary range is intentionally wide as we determine the most appropriate package for each individual taking into consideration years of experience, educational background, and unique skills and abilities as demonstrated throughout the interview process. Our intent is to offer a salary that is commensurate for the 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 $125,000-$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.