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Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing Jobs in California

Own PEEK, ULTEM, and other engineered thermoplastic 3D printing processes. * Work with design engineering to drive Design for Additive Manufacturing (DFAM), including participating in design reviews ...

Manufacturing Engineer, Additive

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$86K - $110K/yr

Own PEEK, ULTEM, and other engineered thermoplastic 3D printing processes. * Work with design engineering to drive Design for Additive Manufacturing (DFAM), including participating in design reviews ...

3D Printing Lead

Huntington Beach, CA · On-site

$90K - $120K/yr

To keep up with them, manufacturing has to change. That's what we're building. We're looking for a hands-on 3D Printing Lead to own our large-format additive manufacturing operation. This role is ...

3D Printing Lead

Huntington Beach, CA · On-site

$90K - $120K/yr

To keep up with them, manufacturing has to change. That's what we're building. We're looking for a hands-on 3D Printing Lead to own our large-format additive manufacturing operation. This role is ...

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Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing information

See California salary details

$13

$24

$40

How much do additive manufacturing 3d printing jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for additive manufacturing 3d printing in California is $24.46, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $19.23 and $28.46 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an additive manufacturing 3d printing specialist?

To thrive as an Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing specialist, you need a solid understanding of engineering principles, CAD modeling, and material science, typically supported by a degree in engineering, manufacturing, or related fields. Familiarity with 3D printing hardware, slicing software, and certifications such as SME Additive Manufacturing Fundamentals are commonly required. Problem-solving, attention to detail, and strong collaboration skills help professionals innovate and troubleshoot in dynamic production environments. These skills and qualifications are essential for producing high-quality components, optimizing manufacturing processes, and driving technological advancement in the field.

What is additive manufacturing 3D printing?

Additive manufacturing 3D printing is a process of creating three-dimensional objects by adding material layer by layer, based on a digital model. Unlike traditional manufacturing methods that often involve cutting away material, additive manufacturing builds objects from the ground up, reducing waste. This technology is used in various industries, including aerospace, automotive, healthcare, and consumer products, for prototyping and producing complex or customized parts. 3D printing enables rapid design iteration, cost-effective production of small batches, and the creation of intricate geometries that may be impossible with traditional manufacturing techniques.

What are some common challenges faced by professionals in additive manufacturing 3d printing roles, and how can they be addressed?

Professionals in Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing often encounter challenges such as material limitations, machine calibration issues, and ensuring consistency across production runs. Addressing these challenges involves staying current with the latest advancements in printer technology and materials, following rigorous quality control protocols, and collaborating closely with design and engineering teams to optimize print settings. Continuous learning and proactive troubleshooting are essential for maintaining high-quality output and meeting project timelines.

What is the difference between Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing vs CNC Machinist?

AspectAdditive Manufacturing 3D PrintingCNC Machinist
CredentialsTypically requires technical certifications or training in 3D printing technologiesRequires machining certifications or technical training in CNC operations
Work EnvironmentWorks in labs or manufacturing facilities with 3D printersWorks in machine shops or manufacturing floors with CNC machines
Industry UsageUsed in prototyping, custom parts, and small-batch productionUsed for precision machining of metal and plastic parts in various industries

While both roles are involved in manufacturing, Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing focuses on building parts layer-by-layer using 3D printers, ideal for rapid prototyping and complex geometries. CNC Machinists operate subtractive machines to carve parts from raw materials, emphasizing precision and surface finish. Both roles require technical skills but differ in processes, equipment, and application areas.

What are popular job titles related to Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing jobs in California?

For Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing jobs?

Cities in California with the most Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing job openings:

Infographic showing various Additive Manufacturing 3D Printing job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 9% Internship, 82% Full Time, and 9% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $50,871 per year, or $24.5 per hour.

Senior Manufacturing Process Engineer

Gantri

San Leandro, CA • On-site

$90 - $120/hr

Other

Re-posted 21 days ago


Job description

Gantri is building the next generation of digital manufacturing for design. We enable designers and brands to create high-quality, sustainable products significantly faster and more flexibly than traditional manufacturing.

Gantri operates one of the world’s largest production 3D printing farms for consumer lighting and manufactures products on-demand at our Digital Factory in California. Our vertically integrated manufacturing platform combines additive manufacturing, advanced finishing, coatings, automation, process engineering, and software-driven operations to reimagine how products are made at scale.

As we aggressively scale production capacity, we are investing heavily in manufacturing systems, labor efficiency, and factory industrialization across printing, sanding, priming, painting, inspection, curing, and material flow operations.

We are seeking a Senior Manufacturing Engineer who is deeply technical, highly practical, and relentlessly focused on improving manufacturing systems at scale.

This is not a traditional sustaining manufacturing engineering role. This is a highly hands‑on, high‑impact manufacturing systems role focused on scaling and industrializing real‑world additive manufacturing and finishing operations.

You will work directly on the factory floor to identify bottlenecks, redesign workflows, improve manufacturability, increase throughput, reduce labor content, and help build the future operating model for Gantri manufacturing.

The ideal candidate is equally comfortable diagnosing print failures, redesigning sanding workflows, developing tooling and fixtures, optimizing coating processes, improving production flow, and leading large‑scale process improvement initiatives under aggressive timelines and constrained resources.

This role will directly influence Gantri’s ability to dramatically improve manufacturing efficiency and scale our next‑generation digital manufacturing platform.

Key Responsibilities:

Additive Manufacturing Scaling
  • Improve throughput, uptime, reliability, and manufacturability across large‑scale 3D printing operations
  • Optimize print workflows, printer utilization, maintenance systems, and production readiness
  • Develop scalable operational standards for high‑volume additive manufacturing
Finishing & Surface Process Engineering
  • Lead major improvements in sanding, priming, painting, coating, curing, and cosmetic finishing operations
  • Reduce labor content while improving surface quality and process consistency
  • Design scalable finishing workflows, tooling, fixtures, and workstations
Manufacturing Efficiency
  • Identify and execute high‑impact labor reduction opportunities across production operations
  • Improve factory flow, ergonomics, material handling, staging, and production sequencing
  • Drive measurable gains in throughput, cycle time, yield, and staffing efficiency
Process Development & Industrialization
  • Develop robust manufacturing processes capable of scaling with production growth
  • Establish process controls, SOPs, validation methods, and engineering standards
  • Lead root cause analysis and rapid problem solving for complex manufacturing issues
Technical Leadership
  • Operate as a senior technical leader across manufacturing operations
  • Mentor engineers and technicians
  • Help prioritize and execute critical scaling initiatives under aggressive timelines and constrained resources
Manufacturing Data & Process Intelligence
  • Analyze production data to identify trends, surface bottlenecks, and prioritize improvement opportunities across printing, finishing, and inspection
  • Build and operational dashboards and reports that translate raw factory data into actionable insights
  • Work with structured datasets (Google Sheets, Python, or similar) to model throughput, yield, cycle time, and labor efficiency
  • Develop data‑driven feedback loops between process changes and measurable production outcomes

What We're Looking For:

Required
  • 8+ years of hands‑on manufacturing engineering experience
  • Strong experience in process‑intensive manufacturing environments
  • Proven ability to scale complex production operations
  • Excellent mechanical/process engineering intuition
  • Strong factory‑floor execution mindset
  • Ability to independently identify and drive high‑leverage improvements
  • Comfortable operating in fast‑moving, highly ambiguous environments
  • Comfort working with production datasets to identify trends and drive decisions (Google Sheets proficiency at minimum; Python/pandas or similar a plus)
  • Experience building operational metrics, tracking systems, or manufacturing dashboards
Strongly Preferred
  • Additive manufacturing / 3D printing experience
  • Finishing, coating, paint, sanding, polishing, or cosmetic manufacturing experience
  • Experience with high‑mix, low‑volume manufacturing
  • Startup or rapid‑scaling manufacturing experience
  • Fixture, tooling, and workstation design experience
  • Experience improving labor‑intensive manufacturing operations
You Might Be a Great Fit If You Have Worked In
  • Additive manufacturing
  • Aerospace composites
  • Automotive paint or surface finishing
  • Consumer electronics cosmetic manufacturing
  • Footwear manufacturing
  • Advanced prototyping labs
  • Industrial coating operations
  • Dental or medical device manufacturing
  • High‑end fabrication environments
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