ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING ENGINEER JOB DESCRIPTION

Additive manufacturing process knowledge degrades fast when nobody owns it. Parts get rejected at inspection, cost models go unvalidated, and production teams default to legacy fabrication because nobody has formalized the design rules or qualified the materials. The Additive Manufacturing Engineer is the practitioner who closes that gap, owning process development from first-principles design through production-floor standardization. This role sits within advanced manufacturing or engineering functions, accountable to program and business unit leadership, and operates across material science, quality assurance, and supplier coordination.

As the Additive Manufacturing Engineer, you own the design, development, and qualification of additive processes, translating machine capabilities and material properties into production-ready standards that meet certification and cost requirements. You work across quality, operations, and program management teams, with scope spanning internal production lines and local AM suppliers.

Career Impact: Deep experience qualifying additive processes against aerospace welding specifications like AWS D17.1 and managing NDT acceptance criteria builds a technical profile that commands premium value in advanced manufacturing markets.

Business Impact: The design rules, cost models, and inspection procedures this role produces determine whether AM parts reach production or stall in rework, directly affecting program schedules and certification timelines.

Growth Opportunity: Ownership of process standardization and supplier qualification at this level opens advancement into AM program leadership, senior process architecture roles, or materials engineering specialization.

• Lead process development and qualification of additive manufacturing equipment, materials, and parameters to meet production and certification standards.
• Design and document AM design rules, operational procedures, and quality assurance processes to standardize production across internal and supplier sites.
• Develop technical inspection plans for NDT and geometric verification of printed structures, including acceptance criteria for non-conformances.
• Conduct root cause analysis on process failures and implement countermeasures on the production floor to prevent recurrence.
• Partner with quality, operations, and program management teams to align inspection criteria, scheduling, and risk assessments with program requirements.
• Build and validate cost models and trade studies to establish AM production rates and support business unit decision-making.
• Support application engineering for new part candidates, assessing AM viability, and optimizing designs for full additive potential.
• Identify and evaluate emerging additive technologies and materials to expand process capability within the manufacturing environment.

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Materials, or Manufacturing Engineering, or equivalent work experience.
• 3 or more years of additive manufacturing or manufacturing engineering experience, with hands-on process development in a production environment.
• Working knowledge of metallic additive processes and materials science, including metallurgical analysis and material sample evaluation.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute quality planning tools such as FMEA, control plans, and inspection procedures.
• Experience with geometric and dimensional inspection methods, including interpretation of blueprints and geometric tolerancing.
• Strong root cause analysis and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate findings into actionable production improvements.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present technical findings to cross-functional stakeholders.

• Prior exposure to NDT methods, such as digital radiographic testing, for evaluating additive structures.
• Familiarity with aerospace or industrial welding standards applicable to AM processes.
• LEAN or DFMA training with practical implementation experience in a manufacturing setting.
• Project management experience covering scope, schedule, cost, and cross-functional team coordination.

• Part qualification cycle time, measuring how efficiently new AM components progress from design review to production release.
• Inspection rejection rate per print run, reflecting the accuracy of developed acceptance criteria and process controls.
• Cost model variance vs. actuals, tracking how closely established AM rates align with real production costs over time.
• NDT non-conformance closure rate, measuring how quickly identified defects are root-caused and countermeasures implemented.
• Supplier AM process compliance rate, reflecting the effectiveness of standardized design rules and procedures across external sites.
• Typical tools: 3D CAD platforms (commonly SolidWorks or Inventor); simulation and analysis packages (commonly ANSYS).

• Base Salary Range: $85,000 to $115,000 annually, depending on experience and location
• Bonus: Annual performance bonus, typically 5% to 10% of base salary
• Equity: Uncommon at this level; offered at select manufacturers or growth-stage companies
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contribution standard
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually, plus federal holidays
• Common Perks: Tuition reimbursement, professional certification support, relocation assistance

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Work authorization in the United States is required for all applicants. Employment in this role is contingent on the successful completion of a background check, which may include verification of education, employment history, and criminal record. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available to applicants with disabilities upon request.

Reporting to program and business unit leadership, the Additive Manufacturing Engineer leads the operation of additive manufacturing equipment and develops design rules, process optimization approaches, and quality assurance processes to standardize AM across production and local suppliers. Partnering with Quality teams, customers, and program management, this role enables product certification, cost modeling, and training that expand AM adoption and capability.

Core Functions

• Lead the operation of the Additive Manufacturing equipment.
• Develop and document design rules, operational procedures, process optimization approaches, and quality assurance processes to standardize AM.
• Capture costs associated with AM to establish rates using cost models and trade studies.
• Work with Quality to establish quality standards and inspection criteria, and with customers to meet product certification requirements.
• Provide application engineering to business unit customers, from assessing product viability for AM to optimizing concepts for full AM potential.
• Lead training of AM concepts and applications.
• Provide support to Program Management with scheduling and risk assessments, while actively pursuing the latest state-of-the-art changes in AM.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering preferred.
• Experience in manufacturing, mechanical, or design engineering preferred.
• LEAN/DFMA training or implementation experience.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes with the ability to read blueprints and understand geometric tolerances.
• Proficient in MS Word and Excel for creating standard work instructions and process sheets.
• Ability to create and present detailed cost proposal materials and coordinate activities across engineering, estimating, tooling, and manufacturing groups.
• Good communication skills, must read and write English fluently, Spanish a plus.

The Additive Manufacturing Engineer shapes the company's manufacturing transformation by designing, developing, and testing additive processes across machines, software, materials, and part design for Insulation, Composite, and Roofing products worldwide. Working across advanced manufacturing, science and technology, and centers of excellence, this role enables step-change process innovation that disrupts legacy manufacturing and accelerates industrialization of new capabilities.

Key Responsibilities

• Embrace and uphold company policies and procedures related to safety, hazard documentation, near misses, and incidents.
• Lead improvements in safe work practices.
• Identify and lead strategic additive manufacturing projects focused on manufacturing process transformation.
• Collaborate with advanced manufacturing, science and technology, and centers of excellence to develop and optimize designs for additive manufacturing.
• Identify and apply additive technologies and materials to unlock opportunities for glass processing applications.
• Cultivate relationships with new and existing external partners to expand technology access and accelerate learning.
• Disrupt legacy manufacturing processes using a first principles design approach.
• Serve as project manager during new process industrialization efforts, coordinating between operations, innovation, sourcing, capital delivery, and product management.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to apply Early Management principles from TPM.
• Utilize Minimum Viable Experiment and lean startup concepts to enable faster development of innovative process and design solutions.
• Proactively mitigate risk and respond appropriately to project changes or challenges.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in engineering or related technical discipline preferred.
• Prior experience with metallic 3D printing and additive manufacturing, with a balance of theoretical and hands-on manufacturing engineering.
• Welding, material science, and/or metallurgical expertise, including material sample preparation and analysis.
• Experience in 3D CAD modeling (SolidWorks, Inventor) and/or design simulation packages (ANSYS).
• Project management skills covering scope, schedule, cost, risk, resources, and issue management, including cross-functional team leadership.
• Strong analytical and root cause problem-solving ability.
• Ability to interface with plant personnel and execute projects in a manufacturing environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Willing and able to travel and operate a varying range of equipment.

Embedded within a multifaceted Additive Manufacturing team of software, automation, computer vision, and weld engineers, the Additive Manufacturing Engineer owns the development of core inspection methods for large-scale 3D printed structures using Non-Destructive Testing techniques. Working closely with design, weld, and automation engineers, this role drives process improvement by characterizing non-conformances and enabling the acceptance of printed structures.

Qualifications & Experience

• Work with design, weld, and automation engineers to bring parts from design to production.
• Identify, address, and resolve current and potential future additive issues.
• Develop technical inspection plans and procedures for NDT and geometric inspection of large-scale 3D printed structures.
• Provide feedback to design engineers in the manufacturing review.
• Identify root causes of failures and implement countermeasures on the production floor to continuously improve the manufacturing process.
• Perform quality planning utilizing FMEA and Control Plan tools.
• Develop product and process inspection plans for print monitoring.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or physical science.
• 3+ years' experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with digital radiographic testing (RT) inspection methods and NDT techniques for additive structures.
• Experience with welding processes for additive manufacturing and their integration in robotic cells, including basic metallurgy of aluminum alloys.
• Proficiency in geometric and dimensional inspection using CMM, laser trackers, or laser scanners.
• Knowledge of relevant aerospace manufacturing and welding specifications, such as AWS D17.1 and other applicable standards.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to clearly present and report complex information.
• Highly self-motivated with the ability to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment.