Senior Process Engineer (Advanced R&D)

SENIOR PROCESS ENGINEER (ADVANCED RD) 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 RD 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, RD, 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 ( ... (truncated, view full listing at source)