Metallurgical Process Engineer

Fabri is seeking a Metallurgical Process Engineer to build and own the solidification science behind high-performance investment castings for demanding aerospace and space-industry applications. This role is for someone who reasons from the first‑principles physics of how metal freezes, feeds, and forms structure, and wants direct ownership over how critical hardware is melted, cast, solidified, inspected, and iterated on — using fundamentals rather than legacy playbooks. We are an early‑stage investment casting startup building a fully integrated digital foundry. Our mission is to deliver precision metal castings with unparalleled speed and cost‑effectiveness. By leveraging our exclusive high‑throughput additive manufacturing process and AI‑driven design software, we can deliver castings in days, saving our customers critical time and money. We are well capitalised and backed by top‑tier investors (including RTX Ventures and Lockheed Martin) and major customers, with significant funding raised in the past year. We’ve shipped our first customer parts and have generated significant commercial excitement in both the aerospace and industrial sectors. Fabri is located in Boston Metrowest. During this startup phase and for the foreseeable future, all employees will be on‑site and closely involved with building and operating the end‑to‑end process. The Role As Metallurgical Process Engineer, you will develop Fabri’s high‑temperature investment casting processes from the solidification physics up, responsible for driving parts from melt to accepted hardware with speed, control, and quality. You will predict and control how the mushy zone feeds, where shrinkage and porosity form, and how grain structure evolves, then conduct root‑cause failure analysis, eliminate casting defects, tighten process windows, and establish robust, repeatable manufacturing processes suitable for aerospace qualification. You will also be a primary voice in designing the foundry itself. Working closely with mechanical design, automation, and other process leads, you will inform new process and equipment design and make build/buy decisions — specifying and commissioning next‑gen foundry hardware that delivers the precise thermal and process control needed to cast some of the most difficult aerospace alloys at high yield. This is a rare chance to rethink foundry equipment and process from the ground up rather than inherit it. Reporting directly to the CTO, you will operate with high ownership and direct influence over Fabri’s technical and manufacturing direction. Responsibilities Own the solidification behavior of Fabri’s castings — relating thermal history, gradient (G), and growth rate (R) to grain size, grain growth, segregation, and microstructural outcomes, with a focus on repeatability, yield, and defect reduction. Predict, measure, and control shrinkage and feeding, including porous (interdendritic) flow through the mushy zone, to eliminate shrinkage porosity, microporosity, and hot tearing. Inform the design of new processes and equipment, rebuilding foundry hardware and process steps from first principles to achieve precise thermal and solidification control. Design and control solidification to manage grain structure, segregation, phase evolution, shrinkage, hot tearing, porosity, surface condition, and dimensional stability using a combination of SPC, DOE methods, and physics‑based reasoning. Work closely with the software team to develop in‑house thermal and solidification simulations (including gradient/growth‑rate and mushy‑zone feeding models) to guide alloy selection, gating, risering, mold design, and thermal control decisions. Work across the full foundry stack as needed, including patterns, shell systems, melt practice, pouring, and post‑cast processing, ensuring strong linkage between process inputs and measured solidification outcomes. Partner with equipment, mechanical design, and automation engineers to define requirements and build custom foundry hardware that enables new casting and solidification approaches. Interface directly with customers and internal stakeholders on technically deep discussions around material selection, casting strategy, qualification approach, and production readiness. Rapidly transition processes from development into stable production ownership, moving programs forward at a pace consistent with modern aerospace and spaceflight development. Qualifications Even if you don’t meet every qualification, we encourage you to apply for this role. We value curiosity, problem‑solving skills, and strong fundamentals, and know great candidates come from many backgrounds, not just traditional casting. Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field. Strong first‑principles command of the fundamentals of solidification is required — nucleation and growth, constitutional supercooling, dendritic and columnar‑to‑equiaxed transition behavior, thermal gradient and growth rate (G/R) relationships, mushy‑zone feeding and porous flow, segregation, and shrinkage. Strong first‑principles grounding in the underlying physics, including heat transfer, fluid flow, thermodynamics, phase transformations, grain structure and grain growth, and surface phenomena. 5+ years of experience developing or improving a physically demanding process where solidification, melting, thermal control, or microstructure drives the outcome (e.g., metal casting, additive manufacturing, welding or joining, crystal growth, thermal processing, or a related high‑temperature materials process). A demonstrated ability to reason from first principles and pick up unfamiliar domains quickly. We care more about depth of understanding than years spent in any one industry. Understanding of Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Design of Experiments (DOE) methods for improving and maintaining high‑quality processes. Demonstrated experience identifying process or material defects, performing root‑cause analysis, and driving changes to eliminate them. Comfort working hands‑on with hardware and equipment, close to the physical process rather than only at a desk. Ability to operate effectively in a startup environment with high ownership, ambiguity, and a bias toward execution. Ability to rapidly identify, learn, and reason across diverse, multi‑disciplinary physics domains and process steps using a systems‑engineering mindset, applying strong theoretical fundamentals to solve complex problems efficiently. Fabri does not provide visa sponsorship for this position. To comply with ITAR regulations, candidates for this role must be US nationals (i.e., US citizens or lawful permanent residents) to be considered. Preferred Skills Experience with thermal, fluid, or solidification simulation tools (e.g., ProCAST, MAGMASOFT, Flow‑3D, or comparable) to model gradient/growth‑rate, mushy‑zone feeding, and shrinkage. Experience with directionally solidified (DS) and/or single‑crystal (SCX) solidification. Hands‑on foundry experience, working directly on the floor operating equipment alongside technicians and engineers (valued, but not required). Direct experience with nickel superalloy or other high‑temperature investment casting for aerospace or space applications. Experience spanning multiple foundry functions, including patterns, shelling, casting, and post‑processing. Experience designing, building, or commissioning process equipment or custom hardware. Experience working in an AS9100‑compliant environment. Prior work in a startup or rapid‑iteration manufacturing environment with high ownership and ambiguity. What We Offer High ownership in solving some of the hardest problems in advanced manufacturing and industrial automation of the US’ most critical supply chains Freedom from legacy foundry constraints – ownership and authority to question entrenched practices, pursue bold ideas, and rapidly innovate without barriers Direct influence over equipment selection, process architecture, and long‑term foundry strategy. A small, elite, hands‑on engineering team with deep technical autonomy. Competitive compensation, meaningful equity, and the chance to work on hardware that advances humanity’s future. Fabri is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We foster an environment where safety and commitment to quality are central in everything we do. #J-18808-Ljbffr Fabri