Principal Additive Manufacturing Engineer

The role

This person will own major additive manufacturing workstreams across LPBF, DED, and related metal processing methods. They will develop, troubleshoot, and scale processes for carbon nanomaterial-infused aluminum and copper systems.

What you will do

• Own major additive manufacturing workstreams across LPBF, DED, and related metal processing approaches
• Develop process windows for aluminum and copper systems
• Lead parameter development, build strategy, scan strategy, thermal management, and machine/process troubleshooting
• Serve as a senior technical voice on metal AM process physics and machine behavior
• Lead design-for-additive-manufacturing decisions
• Diagnose and resolve print failures
• Build process maps connecting machine inputs to material outcomes
• Partner with nanomaterials, process, characterization, mechanical, and product engineering
• Develop qualification plans, build records, process documentation, and acceptance criteria
• Use DOE, data analysis, and structured root-cause methods to improve yield and throughput

Required qualifications

• BS, MS, or PhD in mechanical engineering, materials science, manufacturing engineering, welding engineering, metallurgical engineering, physics, or a related field
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in additive manufacturing, advanced manufacturing, metal processing, powder metallurgy, laser processing, welding, or a closely related field
• Strong experience with metal AM processes such as LPBF, DED, WAAM, EBAM, cold spray, powder metallurgy, or related metal processing methods
• Strong understanding of melt pool physics, heat transfer, solidification, residual stress, metallurgical behavior, and process-structure-property relationships
• Demonstrated experience developing, optimizing, troubleshooting, and documenting manufacturing or AM processes in real hardware environments
• Ability to lead technical workstreams, mentor others, and drive ambiguous problems toward clear technical decisions
• Strong scientific and technical writing skills

Nice to have

• Deep experience with LPBF and/or DED process development
• Experience printing or processing aluminum and/or copper alloys
• Experience with metal matrix composites, unusual feedstocks, carbon nanomaterial-infused metals, or other non-standard AM material systems
• Experience with machine-level AM development, including lasers, optics, motion systems, shielding gas, powder handling, feedstock delivery, sensing, or controls
• Familiarity with AM build preparation tools, CAD, slicing, support generation, scan strategy setup, and print simulation workflows
• Experience qualifying and scaling AM processes in aerospace, automotive, energy, or another high-performance manufacturing environment
• Experience working in a startup or first-of-its-kind manufacturing environment

Benefits

• Competitive cash compensation
• Meaningful equity
• Direct technical ownership over a core manufacturing platform
• Relocation support for employees moving from outside the Los Angeles area

About the company

Arcturus is creating a new wire technology stack that uses carbon nanomaterials to overcome the materials limitations of metals. Their technology is designed to improve the performance of electric motors for drones and robotics, heat sinks, and the energy grid.