Manufacturing Development Engineer

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 Manufacturing Development Engineer at Freeform, you will design the processes, tooling, and fixturing behind some of the most geometrically complex metal parts in production today. Tight tolerances, intricate internal features, and multi-step post-processing paths are the norm, not the exception, and these parts are headed for some of the world's most advanced hardware systems. You'll be building processes that don't exist yet, where precision and scale have to work together from day one.

This is a greenfield engineering problem, not an optimization exercise. You'll think in systems, bring a craftsman's eye to your work, and make pragmatic tradeoffs that compound in the right direction over time. If you've thrived in high-velocity hardware environments where the processes didn't exist yet and the stakes were real, this role was built for you.

Responsibilities:

Work closely with senior engineers to design and implement scalable manufacturing processes for new hardware and printed parts
Design, build, and iterate on tooling, jigs, and fixtures to support reliable, high-throughput production
Develop and refine test procedures and post-processing steps to improve part flow through the factory
Develop lightweight documentation and process standards to support scaling production without slowing engineering iteration
Help identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in how parts, materials, and data move through the factory, and work with cross-functional teams to improve them
Support the transition of new processes and tooling from R&D into production, partnering with the production team to ensure a smooth handoff

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in mechanical, manufacturing, or related engineering field
Internship or professional experience in manufacturing, development engineering, or build engineering
Experience working with hand tools, machinery, or complex hardware assembly

Nice to Have:

2+ years of experience in a hands-on manufacturing or production engineering role
Experience with manufacturing process development in a fast-paced hardware environment
Understanding of GD&T and/or how to read drawings
Experience with metal additive manufacturing or precision post-processing
Exposure to fixturing, DFM, or process validation
Familiarity with MRP/ERP tools and production tracking systems
Ability to translate high-level engineering goals into practical factory processes