Principal Additive Manufacturing Engineer - Applications

Our client is a leading metal additive manufacturing (AM) partner for aerospace and defense organizations. They design, optimize, and produce mission-critical hardware that enables customers to leverage AM technologies in ways previously thought impossible. Our team supports cutting-edge programs across aviation, space, and national defense, delivering engineering excellence from concept through production.

About the Role

The Principal Additive Manufacturing Engineer - Applications is a senior, customer-facing technical authority. You will work directly with aerospace and defense primes, OEMs, and government organizations to guide AM strategy, influence design decisions, and deliver advanced metal AM solutions for high-stakes missions.

This role operates at a peer-to-peer level with senior customer engineers and plays a key part in shaping the future of AM adoption across critical defense and aerospace programs.

What You Will Be Doing

• Serving as the senior technical lead and trusted advisor for key aerospace and defense programs.
• Leading AM strategy, qualification plans, and adoption pathways across complex customer missions.
• Running technical design reviews, engineering workshops, and program strategy sessions with customer leadership.
• Translating mission and performance requirements into optimized metal AM solutions that balance cost, risk, and reliability.
• Developing high-impact proposals, white papers, and technical recommendations for advanced AM applications.
• Driving implementation of DfAM best practices, simulation-based optimization, and qualification approaches for mission-critical hardware.
• Working cross-functionally with business development, manufacturing, and quality teams on capture strategies and program execution.
• Acting as the primary technical interface from concept through qualification and production.
• Mentoring engineers and elevating the organization's customer-facing AM technical depth.
• Ensuring compliance with aerospace standards: AS9100D, NADCAP, MIL-SPEC, ITAR, and other regulatory requirements.

What You Need to Bring

• Recognized expertise in metal additive manufacturing for aerospace and defense applications.
• A proven ability to influence design, qualification, and engineering decisions at primes, OEMs, and government agencies.
• Deep knowledge of LPBF/DMLS, DED, and hybrid AM processes and relevant alloys (Ti, Ni, Al, Cu).
• Strong background in aerospace materials science, metallurgy, and thermal-mechanical behavior of AM components.
• Proficiency in CAD (NX preferred), AM simulation tools, and FEA, with the ability to present technical findings clearly.
• Demonstrated success presenting to executive and non-technical customer stakeholders.
• Understanding of AS9100D, NADCAP, MMPDS, MIL-SPEC, and aerospace certification and qualification pathways.
• Leadership skills to mentor and guide engineering teams in both technical execution and customer engagement.
• Bachelor's degree required (Mechanical, Aerospace, or Materials Engineering).
• Master's degree preferred.
• 10+ years in aerospace/defense AM engineering, advanced design, or manufacturing applications.
• Eligibility to obtain and maintain a DoD SECRET Security Clearance (required for employment).