Additive Manufacturing Engineer, Fused Deposition Modeling at General Atomics Poway, CA

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) – an affiliate of General Atomics – is a world leader in remotely‑piloted aircraft and advanced radar systems. The Additive Manufacturing (AM) department in Poway, CA, is seeking a dynamic Plastics/Polymer Additive Manufacturing Engineer to support the Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM/FFF) production operation team. This onsite position will serve as a key interface among design, materials, process, and supply‑chain stakeholders, and will contribute to the growth of AM within the organization.

• Subject Matter Expert (SME) on industrial FDM/FFF AM and liaison with design, materials, process, and quality engineering.
• DfAM FDM/FFF SME and main point of contact for internal stakeholders, supporting design engineering’s learning of DfAM specific to FDM/FFF, and evaluating software tools for AM.
• Support plastics/polymer AM supplier qualification, relationships, and visits.
• Lead industrial production‑focused AM process development, qualification, implementation, and continuous improvement to enhance quality, yield, cost, and productivity.
• Initiate and lead lean manufacturing process improvement projects.
• Plan and implement AM equipment (including post‑processing) and associated processes and safety.
• Identify and address safety issues on the manufacturing floor.
• Support manufacturing production planning, coordination, execution, and process development.
• Provide production support to the AM operation team.
• Document manufacturing processes and assembly work instructions in conjunction with T&O Planning.
• Drive AM quality and inspection process improvement for plastics AM.
• Assist with internal AM CAD design needs for group operations.
• Disposition non‑conforming parts, perform root‑cause analysis, and implement corrective/preventive actions to reduce scrap and rework.
• Develop and manage FDM/FFF AM project plans.
• Participate in internal and external AM group representation (conferences, collaboration groups, executive reviews).
• Collaborate with Design Engineering during design release, application development, prototyping, and first‑article manufacturing of FDM/FFF components.
• Support and lead technology and material exploration, assessment, and incubation.

• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in engineering or related discipline, or equivalent experience; four+ years of experience with a bachelor’s degree or two+ years with a master’s degree.
• Extensive experience with FDM/FFF AM in an industrial production environment; experience with Stratasys production printers and file‑preparation software preferred.
• Experience in Aviation/Aerospace/Unmanned Aerial Systems industry (desired).
• Full workflow knowledge of FDM/FFF AM: business considerations, design release, pre‑print planning, printing, post‑processing, qualification, and inspection.
• Experience with FDM/FFF post‑processing equipment, safety best practices, and PPE.
• Working knowledge of adjacent FDM/FFF or polymer AM technologies and their applications.
• Expertise in Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM), with demonstrable examples; proficiency in at least one major CAD platform (Siemens NX, PTC Creo, CATIA, ProE, etc.).
• Experience with major FDM/FFF suppliers (service bureaus, contract manufacturers, materials and hardware providers, software providers).
• Background knowledge of conventional manufacturing processes complementary to FDM/FFF, such as CNC machining, bonding, coating, plating, infiltration, painting, and injection molding (plus).
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills for technical and non‑technical audiences.
• Ability to build and maintain an AM network and stay engaged.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Project, Excel, Visio); SAP experience an advantage.
• Self‑driven, innovative, independent and team‑oriented.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a DoD Security Clearance (Secret).
• Travel: 0–25%;
  Extended hours and occasional travel as required.

Salary Range: $81,080 – $141,650.

Relocation Assistance:
Not Provided.

U.S. Citizenship

Required:

Yes.

Clearance Required:

Secret.

General Atomics is committed to hiring a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to protected characteristics. EEO is the law. We also prohibit compensation discrimination under all applicable laws. For more information, visit . U.S. Citizenship is required for certain positions.