Polymer Engineering Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Hadrian is building autonomous factories that help aerospace and defense companies manufacture rockets, satellites, jets, and ships up to 10x faster and up to 2x cheaper. By combining advanced software, robotics, and full‑stack manufacturing, we are reinventing how America produces its most critical parts.

We’re looking for an operations and systems engineering leader who can take polymer additive manufacturing equipment from standalone machines to fully integrated, automated production systems. You will lead polymer AM production operations and own the technical integration of polymer AM machines into our OPUS platform, including machine connectivity, controls interfaces, telemetry, production scheduling, yield, and delivery performance. You will drive automation across the AM cell (powder and material handling, build volume exchange, depowdering and cleaning, downstream workflows, safety interlocks) and partner closely with machine OEMs and automation vendors to unlock deeper capability, serviceability, and reliability. The initial focus will be scaling production capacity for small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) and related defense platforms. The ideal candidate brings deep polymer AM operations experience, strong systems integration and automation fundamentals, and a track record of industrializing complex equipment for repeatable, scalable production.

• Own polymer AM production operations including scheduling, throughput, yield, utilization, and on‑time delivery. Establish and maintain operational cadence, production metrics, and continuous improvement disciplines across the AM cell.
• Lead the end‑to‑end integration of polymer AM machines, peripherals, and cell infrastructure into OPUS, including connectivity, machine state models, telemetry, data quality, traceability, and enforceable interlocks.
• Define system requirements, interface control documents (ICDs), integration kits, and machine acceptance criteria that scale across multiple OEMs, process technologies, configurations, and sites.
• Lead automation strategy for AM cells including powder and material handling, build volume exchange, part removal, depowdering and cleaning, material flow, and operator ergonomics. Drive step‑change improvements in utilization, throughput, and safety.
• Serve as Hadrian’s technical lead with machine OEMs (Stratasys, HP, and others), automation integrators, and key suppliers to unlock deeper integration (APIs, controller access, logging, remote operations, calibration hooks, serviceability). Translate needs into joint development roadmaps and deliverables.
• Build and own factory acceptance test (FAT) and site acceptance test (SAT) protocols, commissioning checklists, and validation plans. Partner with Quality and Process teams to ensure integrated systems support qualification and production release.
• Establish reliability engineering discipline for AM equipment (PM strategy, spares, calibration, MTBF and MTTR tracking, failure mode mitigation). Lead structured root cause and corrective action with OEMs and internal teams.
• Lead efforts to implement hardware, firmware, and configuration improvements that increase build volume utilization, process stability, and throughput while maintaining configuration control.
• Own standard work for machine operation and integration points, including equipment control procedures, safety interlocks, change control, and training. Ensure readiness for regulated environments and customer audits.
• Hire, coach, and develop a high‑performing team across machine operations, engineering, controls, automation, and integration. Set execution cadence, prioritize the portfolio, and build reusable frameworks and knowledge bases.
• Partner tightly with Applications Engineering, Materials and Process, Manufacturing Engineering, Factory Automation, Software, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations to industrialize solutions and deliver production commitments.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Controls, Robotics, Manufacturing, or related); Master’s degree is a plus.
• 5+ years of experience in polymer additive manufacturing operations, systems engineering, equipment engineering, automation, or factory‑scale integration, with deep familiarity in one or more of the following technologies: Stratasys SAF, HP Multi‑Jet Fusion (MJF), FDM, SLA, or SLS. Equivalent experience in factory automation, equipment integration, or manufacturing systems engineering with meaningful polymer AM exposure will also be considered.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience (manager or team lead) with a track record of building and developing high‑performing teams.
• Hands‑on knowledge of polymer powder bed fusion or material extrusion machine architecture and key subsystems including powder or material handling, thermal management, print heads or optics, recoater or deposition systems, build volume management, atmospheres and environmental controls, sensing and monitoring, and post‑processing workflow.
• Demonstrated experience working with production‑grade polymer materials such as PA11, PA12, or similar engineering thermoplastics, including an understanding of material behavior, refresh ratios, and recyclability in a production environment.
• Demonstrated experience integrating complex equipment into higher‑level software systems (MES, SCADA, equipment management, manufacturing data pipelines, or similar), including requirements definition and interface standards.
• Experience managing production operations in a manufacturing environment, including capacity planning, scheduling, yield management, and delivery performance.
• Experience deploying automation in production manufacturing environments, including safety, interlocks, commissioning, and sustaining engineering.
• Strong problem‑solving using structured methods (8D, 5 Whys, fishbone) and proven ability to drive corrective and preventive actions to closure.
• Willing to travel up to 20%, including international supplier visits; U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident (required for ITAR compliance).

• Experience standing up or scaling polymer AM production from low‑rate to high‑volume operations. Hands‑on experience optimizing powder bed fusion or material extrusion systems for throughput and yield in a production setting. Industry relationships at polymer AM machine OEMs (HP, Stratasys, EOS, or similar). Experience with sUAS or unmanned systems component manufacturing is a strong plus.

For this role, the target salary range is $200,000–$250,000 (actual range may vary based on experience).

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees
• 401(k)
• Relocation support may be provided for certain situations, based on business need
• Flexible vacation policy

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

It is the Company’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The Company does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race inclusive of traits historically associated with race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists), color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin (including, in California, possession of a drivers license), ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, height or weight, medical condition, family care status, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, exercise of reproductive rights, any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws, or any combination of the above characteristics. When necessary, the Company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees, including for candidates or employees who are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.