HARDWARE DESIGN ENGINEER (CONTROL & COMPUTE SYSTEMS)
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 Hardware Design Engineer at Freeform, you will play an integral role in the design and development of custom electronics that bring our advanced metal 3D printing factory systems to life. You’ll work with a talented engineering team from some of the world’s most innovative companies on electrical system design, development, and integration efforts across the factory systems, with a specific focus on PCB and compute system design. You will use a first-principles approach to solving problems and tackling new areas within electrical engineering that you may not have directly worked on before. The ideal candidate is capable of running projects from cradle to grave and has the ability to work effectively with other engineering disciplines.
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:
- Rapidly design, develop and test highly reliable electronics and PCBs
- Model and simulate circuit designs for analysis and performance
- Contribute to electrical architecture, product requirements, component selection, analysis, schematic capture, prototyping, bring-up, debugging, documentation, product management, productization, manufacturing, and test
- Drive component selection, analysis, schematic capture, prototyping, bring-up, debugging, documentation, manufacturing, and test
- Hands-on debugging of the unexpected via the use of laboratory test equipment, custom instrumentation, and testing setups
Basic Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or similar engineering discipline
- 2+ years of professional post-graduate experience designing PCBs
- Experience designing, developing, and testing analog and digital circuits (e.g. generating electrical schematics, analyzing circuits, breadboarding prototypes, etc.)
- Well-versed in electrical engineering fundamentals and comfortable taking a first-principles approach to solving problems
Nice to Have:
- Advanced degree (Master's, PhD) in electrical engineering
- Familiarity with industrial automation technologies, robotics, spacecraft avionics, or similar high-performance electromechanical system
- Experience with sensors, embedded microcontroller design and firmware, and FPGA hardware and software development
- Experience with high-speed data acquisition systems, high-accuracy motion systems, high-speed scanning systems, or similar camera/telemetry-based control systems
- 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:
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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.
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
- 100% employer-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance (premium PPO and HMO options)
- Life insurance
- Traditional and Roth 401(k)
- Relocation assistance provided
- Paid vacation, sick leave, and company holidays
- Generous Paid Parental Leave and extended transition back to work for the birthing parent
- Free daily catered lunch and dinner, and fully stocked kitchenette
- Casual dress, flexible work hours, and regular catered team building events
- Compensation
- Our intent is to offer a salary that is commensurate for the company’s current stage of development and allows the employee to grow and develop within a role.
- In addition to the significant stock option package, the estimated salary range for this role is $90,000-$140,000, dependent on the candidate’s education and experience.
- Freeform is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity; employment with Freeform is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
