Senior Design Engineer (Aerospace & Defense Hardware)

SENIOR DESIGN ENGINEER (AEROSPACE & DEFENSE HARDWARE) 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. Freeform is hiring a Senior Design Engineer focused on aerospace & defense hardware to sit at the intersection of advanced part design and additive manufacturing. This is a deeply technical senior engineering role responsible for rethinking how aerospace and defense hardware is conceived, designed, and produced - not just adapting existing parts for a new process, but fundamentally reimagining what's possible when legacy design constraints no longer apply. You will own complex design challenges end-to-end, working hands-on with some of the most complex hardware in the industry, and serve as a technical authority on where Freeform's platform unlocks performance regimes, architectures, and geometries that were previously impractical or impossible. The ideal candidate is a highly experienced mechanical or aerospace engineer with deep intuition for part design, a genuine passion for pushing the boundaries of what hardware can do, and a track record of leading technical work on complex hardware programs. They understand aerospace and defense systems at a component and systems level, can independently drive and mentor others on manufacturability, materials, and performance tradeoffs, and are excited by the creative challenge of designing parts from first principles. The core draw of this role is the engineering itself - though this person will also engage directly with some of the most sophisticated  frontier companies in the  aerospace and defense industr ies . Responsibilities:   Drive part design and redesign across a broad range of aerospace and defense hardware, including:   Propulsion systems   Heat exchangers and thermal management hardware   Valves and fluid systems   Turbomachinery components   Combustion devices   Lightweight structural components and assemblies   Develop and own deep component-level understanding of requirements, performance drivers, and system constraints within aerospace and defense programs   Lead first-principles part redesigns, identifying where additive manufacturing enables new geometries, consolidated assemblies, improved performance, or reduced cost and lead time   Define and evaluate design concepts with expert command of materials, tolerances, thermal and structural behavior, and production considerations   Serve as a senior technical resource - independently resolving advanced questions related to design tradeoffs, process capabilities, qualification pathways, and production scalability, and helping guide less experienced engineers   Partner closely with internal engineering and operations teams to drive feasibility, refine concepts, and own execution outcomes   Lead technical engagements with customer engineering teams to understand application requirements, present design solutions, and establish deep technical credibility at a senior level   Identify, scope, and champion new application spaces where Freeform's technology can deliver step-change improvements over conventional manufacturing   Shape Freeform's product, process, and technology roadmap through field-informed technical leadership and strategic input   Basic Qualifications:   Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering   5+ years of experience in a hands-on engineering role within aerospace, defense, or a closely related high-performance industry   Demonstrated ability to lead complex hardware programs from concept through qualification and production   Experience designing or analyzing propulsion systems, thermal systems, fluid systems, turbomachinery, or high-performance structural components   Deep systems-level understanding of complex mechanical hardware and how components function within larger assemblies   Nice to Have:   10+ years of experience in a hands-on engineering role within aerospace, defense, or a closely related high-performance industry   Familiarity with metal 3D printing or design for additive manufacturing (DFAM) concepts   Strong intuition for part design, design-for-manufacturing, and how component geometry relates to performance and producibility   Experience mentoring engineers and providing technical direction on hardware development programs   Experience carrying hardware through development, qualification, and production ramp   Ability to clearly communicate complex technical concepts to both engineering and non-engineering stakeholders   Strong first-principles reasoning and comfort operating in ambiguous, fast-moving problem spaces   Strategic thinker with an instinct for where technology can unlock the most value   Team player, positive attitude, growth mindset, integrity, accountability, adaptability, entrepreneurial, driven, results-oriented and ethical   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 early and integral member of a rapidly growing company that is scaling a world-changing technology.   Benefits   Significant stock option packages