Additive Manufacturing Specialist

Long-term Contract

On-site – Foster City, CA

Authorized to work in the U.S. with no sponsorship

$30-$38 hourly DOE / Full Benefits

JOB DESCRIPTION – Additive Manufacturing Specialist

QUALA is seeking an Additive Manufacturing Specialist for a long-term contract role working on-site in Foster City, CA. This is an exciting opportunity to work within an organization that is developing the first ground-up, fully autonomous vehicle and the supporting ecosystem required to bring this technology to market. They are transforming mobility-as-a-service by developing a fully autonomous, purpose-built fleet designed for AI to drive and humans to enjoy!

Overview:

As an Additive Manufacturing Specialist, you will serve as a technical anchor for the Additive Manufacturing (AM) Lab, driving the end-to-end realization of complex autonomous vehicle prototypes. Beyond standard operation, you will act as a Design-for-Manufacturability (DfM) consultant to engineering teams and internal clients, optimizing builds for high-performance materials and mission-critical throughput; unlocking new speed of prototype delivery. You are responsible for the strategic health of the lab, including process optimization, equipment evaluations, planning, and the technical guidance of prototyping workflows.

Responsibilities

• Design Consultation & DfM: Actively support design reviews related to Additive Manufacturing (DfAM) with engineers to optimize geometries for SLA, SLS, and Polyjet; proactively identify failure risks in CAD models before they reach the build tray to minimize material waste.
• Process Engineering: Develop and document standardized build parameters and post-processing two essential workflows: Additive Manufacturing (primary) and Laser Cutting (secondary) to ensure repeatable, high-quality output across all AM and Laser Cutting platforms.
• Complex System Integration: Oversee the final assembly of high-fidelity prototypes, e.g. integrating 3D-printed components with CNC-machined parts and complex electronics.
• Post processing of prototype parts : Actively guide and execute post-processing work such as sanding, painting, inserts, dyeing and other part finishing related activities.
• Workflow Coordination : Facilitate the prioritization of incoming JIRA requests to ensure alignment with prototyping deadlines.
• Machine Maintenance, Repair and Troubleshooting : Quickly, safely and correctly troubleshoot, diagnose and lead repair activities (whether internally or externally) maximizing part throughput
• Technical Vendor Liaison : Act as a technical point of contact for vendor support, service coordination, and troubleshooting of Additive Manufacturing and Laser Cutting equipment.
• Knowledge Sharing: Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to share best practices on advanced AM techniques and safety protocols.

Qualifications:

• Education & Experience: Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Design or Engineering with 4 to 6 years of experience in high-stakes prototyping or advanced manufacturing environments, or equivalent.
• Technical Mastery: Deep expertise in the chemical and thermal properties of advanced resins and powders (SLA, SLS, FDM, and Polyjet); proven ability to make quick and sound technical recommendations on AM materials, processes and applications.
• Advanced CAD: High proficiency in Solidworks, CATIA, specifically for fixture design and modifying complex assemblies for printability.
• Advanced CAM: High proficiency in part processing software, aka "slicers", such as Materialize Magics, GrabCAD Print (Stratasys) and / or Autodesk Fusion (AM build extensions); and/or similar.
• Precision Metrology: Demonstrated ability to perform quality control using precision measurement tools to validate part accuracy against GD&T requirements.
• Strategic Problem Solving: A proven track record of improving lab efficiency, reducing build failure rates, or streamlining post-processing cycles.
• Cross-functional Collaboration : Demonstrated ability to drive outsized positive outcomes and impact through thoughtful, effective and regular cross-functional activities across other internal teams (CNC machining, Welding, etc.)

Bonus Qualifications

• GD&T Proficiency: Ability to interpret and apply Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing to ensure functional fitment of prototype assemblies.
• Fabrication Versatility: Meaningful experience in other prototyping methodologies like: MIG/TIG welding and CNC operation experience.
• Safety & Compliance: Experience implementing OSHA-compliant shop safety programs or hazardous material management (HazMat).