Materials Engineer (New Grad December 2026)

MATERIALS ENGINEER (NEW GRAD DECEMBER 2026) Freeform builds AI-native manufacturing systems that unify software, hardware, and physics to produce industrial-scale parts at the speed of human ideation. By treating manufacturing as a single integrated system, we unlock a new era of innovation where complex hardware is designed, built, and scaled without limits. As a Materials Engineer at Freeform, you will support the company's M&P infrastructure, strategy, and best practices for our advanced metal 3D printing technology. You will work alongside senior engineers to conduct hands on sample testing, analyze findings, and contribute to strategic process improvements. This is a unique opportunity to build a fundamental understanding of metals characterization and processing while working at the cutting edge of additive manufacturing. 3D printing experience is not required to be successful here, rather we look for smart, motivated, collaborative engineers who love solving hard problems and creating amazing technology! Responsibilities: Support the development of Freeform's M&P best practices and materials testing infrastructure Operate equipment to measure material properties such as tensile strength, surface roughness, and microstructure Generate and track quality metrics of printed customer parts such as dimensional accuracy, defect distribution, and surface roughness Organize, analyze, and interpret data and present key findings Work with the process development team to tie key materials findings into improvement of upstream printing processes, including training our advanced machine learning models Assist in optimizing processes and procedures for measuring and quantifying material quality Support automation efforts for M&P procedures to take human out of the loop Basic Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Metallurgy, or Mechanical Engineering from an ABET accredited university or college Hands on lab or coursework experience with metals characterization, processing, or sample preparation techniques such as cutting, grinding, polishing, acid etching, and optical microscopy Well versed in materials engineering fundamentals and comfortable taking a first principles approach to solving problems Nice to Have: Advanced degree (Master's, PhD) in Materials Science, Materials Engineering, Metallurgy, or Mechanical Engineering Experience with metal additive manufacturing highly preferred Experience with laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processes Experience operating complex materials equipment (SEM, Instron, etc.) Familiarity with processing large datasets and statistical data analysis software such as R, JMP, or Minitab Passion for improving the state of metal 3D printing Comfortable working in fast paced, ambiguous environments and iterating quickly (comfortable building the plane as we fly it) Strong communicator who collaborates across disciplines and proactively seeks support when needed Willing to take ownership of tasks big and small, with a hands on, problem solving mindset Strong work ethic with a refuse to fail mindset Demonstrated indicators of excellence and/or achieving success against adversity (i.e. top academic performance, leadership in engineering clubs, first generation college student, or other examples of resilience and achievement) Location: Based in Hawthorne, our vertically integrated facility brings technology development, R&D, and production together under one roof. We operate at the center of LA’s deep tech ecosystem, surrounded by some of the most ambitious hardware innovation happening anywhere in the country. Our fast-paced, cross-functional environment is built on close collaboration, and as such, this role requires full-time onsite presence (five days a week), with very limited exceptions. What We Offer: We have an inclusive and diverse culture that values collaboration, learning, and making deliberate data-driven decisions. We offer a unique opportunity to be an ear…