Senior Additive Manufacturing Engineer

Arcturus • Los Angeles, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Arcturus is developing a novel wire technology stack utilizing carbon nanomaterials to overcome the performance limitations of metals at high operating temperatures. This technology aims to significantly enhance the performance of electric motors for drones and robotics, heat sinks, and the broader energy grid. This is a ground-floor opportunity for an early senior additive manufacturing engineer to contribute to building a groundbreaking technology. The role involves close collaboration with technical leads across additive manufacturing, nanomaterials, processing, and testing. It is a hands-on position for individuals eager to work quickly, conduct experiments, build hardware, and translate novel materials science into repeatable manufacturing capabilities.

Requirements

• BS, MS, or PhD in mechanical engineering, materials science, manufacturing engineering, welding engineering, metallurgical engineering, physics, or a related field.
• 2+ years of hands-on experience in additive manufacturing, metal processing, powder metallurgy, laser processing, welding, or a closely related field.
• Experience with at least one relevant process area such as LPBF, DED, WAAM, powder metallurgy, laser processing, welding, or metal AM post-processing.
• Strong hands-on engineering instincts and comfort working in a lab, shop, or manufacturing environment.
• Ability to execute experiments, analyze results, troubleshoot problems, and communicate findings clearly.
• Strong technical documentation skills, including build notes, test plans, process updates, and experimental summaries.
• High ownership, attention to detail, and comfort working in a fast-moving startup environment.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with LPBF or DED metal additive manufacturing (or similar, e.g., WAAM).
• Experience with aluminum, copper, conductors, metal matrix composites, or non-standard material systems.
• Familiarity with AM build preparation tools, CAD, slicing, support generation, scan strategy setup, or print simulation.
• Experience with powder handling, feedstock preparation, post-processing, sample preparation, or materials characterization.
• Familiarity with DOE, statistical analysis, root-cause analysis, or process optimization.
• Experience working in a startup, research lab, advanced manufacturing team, or hardware development environment.

Responsibilities

• Support LPBF, DED, and related metal additive manufacturing experiments for carbon nanomaterial-infused aluminum and copper systems.
• Prepare builds, define build layouts, support orientation and support strategy, and assist in executing design-for-additive-manufacturing decisions.
• Develop and refine print parameters, scan strategies, thermal management approaches, and process recipes.
• Support powder and feedstock handling, build setup, machine operation, sample removal, post-processing, and documentation.
• Help diagnose print defects including porosity, cracking, distortion, poor bonding, surface quality issues, and inconsistent build outcomes.
• Partner with nanomaterials, process, and testing teams to connect print parameters to electrical, thermal, mechanical, and microstructural performance.
• Help build and maintain fixture designs, CAD files, build records, process travelers, test plans, and experiment summaries.
• Support DOE-style experimentation, repeatability studies, and root-cause investigations.
• Work with vendors, machine shops, external labs, and equipment suppliers as needed to facilitate experiments and builds.

Benefits

• Competitive cash compensation and meaningful equity
• Direct technical ownership over a core manufacturing platform
• The chance to define the playbook for nanomaterial-enhanced metal additive manufacturing
• Relocation support for employees moving from outside the Los Angeles area

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: High school or GED