Design Engineer; Semiconductor Machinery Hardware Los Angeles, CA; On-site

Design Engineer (Semiconductor Machinery 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 Design Engineer focused on semiconductor hardware to sit at the intersection of advanced part design and additive manufacturing. This is a deeply technical engineering role responsible for rethinking how semiconductor machinery 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 work hands‑on with some of the most precise and demanding hardware in the industry, identifying where Freeform’s platform unlocks performance regimes, architectures, and geometries that were previously impractical or impossible.

The ideal candidate is a strong mechanical engineer with a deep intuition for part design and an intimate understanding of semiconductor fabrication machinery and equipment. They understand semiconductor hardware at a component and systems level, can independently reason about manufacturability, materials, tolerances, and performance trade‑offs, and are excited by the creative challenge of designing parts from first principles.

• Drive part design and redesign across a broad range of semiconductor fabrication applications, including:
  • Wafer handling, robotic end‑effectors, and vacuum‑compatible armatures
  • Thermal management hardware and high‑precision cold plates
  • Ultra‑high vacuum (UHV) chambers and internal components
  • Gas delivery manifolds and high‑purity fluid systems
  • Lithography tool structural components and precision optics mounts
  • Pedestals and shower head assemblies for deposition tools
• Develop a deep understanding of component‑level requirements, performance drivers, and system constraints within semiconductor fabrication equipment
• Rethink part design from first principles, identifying where additive manufacturing enables new geometries, consolidated assemblies, improved performance, or reduced cost and lead time
• Develop and evaluate design concepts with a strong command of materials, tolerances, thermal and structural behavior, and production considerations
• Independently answer advanced technical questions related to design trade‑offs, process capabilities, qualification pathways, and production scalability
• Work closely with internal engineering and operations teams to drive feasibility, refine concepts, and align on execution
• Engage directly with customer engineering teams to understand application requirements, present design solutions, and build technical credibility
• Identify and pursue new application spaces where Freeform’s technology can deliver step‑change improvements over conventional manufacturing
• Provide field‑informed feedback to shape Freeform’s product, process, and technology roadmap

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or closely related technical discipline
• 5+ years of experience in a hands‑on engineering role within the semiconductor equipment or fabrication industry
• Strong intuition for part design, design‑for‑manufacturing, and how component geometry relates to performance and producibility
• Systems‑level understanding of complex semiconductor fabrication hardware and how components function within larger assemblies

• Experience designing or analyzing wafer handling systems, vacuum hardware, thermal management components, fluid delivery systems, or precision structural assemblies
• Familiarity with metal manufacturing processes, including additive manufacturing, casting, forging, or advanced machining
• 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…