Principal Additive Manufacturing Engineer - Aerospace DoD

POSITION SNAPSHOT : Our client is a contract manufacturer of metal components based in the Greater Los Angeles Area. They are eager to add a Principal Additive Manufacturing Engineer - Applications to their team. In this position, you will be a senior technical authority and customer-facing leader, directly engaging with primes, OEMs, and government stakeholders to shape the strategic application of AM technologies on mission-critical programs. This role operates at a peer level with senior customer engineers, guiding design decisions, qualification strategies, and technical roadmaps to ensure our client delivers innovative, reliable, and impactful solutions. You will lead technical strategy across key accounts, translate complex mission requirements into scalable AM solutions, and represent the company in high-level technical discussions, reviews, and program strategy sessions. Your influence will extend beyond individual programs, driving internal capability development and mentoring engineering talent to elevate the organization's technical depth and customer engagement.

The ideal candidate brings recognized subject-matter expertise in metal AM processes (LPBF / DMLS, DED, hybrid), materials (Ti, Ni, Al, Cu alloys), and post-processing, along with a deep understanding of aerospace materials science, simulation, and structural performance. You will lead technical design reviews, develop engineering proposals, and advocate for advanced DfAM techniques and qualification pathways aligned with DoD / NASA standards. This role requires strong communication skills, the ability to present complex concepts to diverse audiences, and a proven track record of influencing design and qualification decisions in aerospace and defense programs. Proficiency in CAD (NX preferred), FEA, and familiarity with AS9100D, NADCAP, and MIL-SPEC standards are essential. A bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Materials Engineering is required (master's preferred), along with 10+ years of relevant experience. U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a DoD SECRET clearance are mandatory for this position.

• Position Snapshot is a summary based on the full job description available from the client.