Level 3 Communications, Inc

Senior Associate, Manufacturing Engineer

Level 3 Communications, Inc$73K — $136K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's Degree plus 2 years of manufacturing experience, or Graduate Degree with 0-2 years, or 6 years manufacturing experience in lieu of degree.
  • Hands-on experience in metal additive manufacturing, particularly in DMLS/LPBF processes.
  • Familiarity with CAD software (e.g., Creo, SolidWorks, NX).
  • Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
  • Knowledge of Design for Additive Manufacturing principles and GD&T.
  • Experience in ISO 9001/AS9100 environments.

Responsibilities

  • Operate and support LPBF additive manufacturing equipment and processes.
  • Ensure safe and efficient execution of additive manufacturing operations.
  • Establish and improve manufacturing processes and safety protocols.
  • Analyze data for continuous improvement and root cause identification.
  • Lead process improvement initiatives to enhance quality and reduce waste.
  • Support equipment commissioning and troubleshooting with OEMs.
  • Develop tooling and post-processing solutions for manufacturability.

Benefits

  • Health and disability insurance.
  • 401(k) match.
  • Flexible spending accounts.
  • EAP and education assistance.
  • Parental leave and paid time off.
  • Company-paid holidays.
Full Job Description
Job Title: Senior Associate, Additive Manufacturing Engineer

Job ID: 44775

Job Location: Canoga Park, CA

Job Schedule: 9/80: Employees work 9 out of every 14 days - totaling 80 hours worked - and have every other Friday off

Shift: 2nd - 10% Shift Differential Pay

Job Description:

The Senior Associate, Additive Manufacturing Engineer supports daily execution of metal additive manufacturing operations, including file preparation, printing, depowdering, post-processing, machine maintenance, and production troubleshooting to meet safety, quality, cost, and schedule objectives. This role is responsible for developing and improving process flows, work instructions, process controls, and manufacturing documentation while monitoring production performance data to identify root causes and drive continuous improvement. The engineer collaborates cross-functionally with design, quality, materials, maintenance, and production teams to translate design requirements into scalable additive manufacturing solutions, support equipment commissioning and process development, and improve manufacturability through tooling, fixturing, and post-processing methods.

The ideal candidate brings hands-on experience in metal additive manufacturing, the ability to independently manage technical tasks in a fast-paced, regulated manufacturing environment, and working knowledge of Design for Additive Manufacturing (DfAM), Computer-Aided Design (CAD) tools, and quality systems.

Essential Functions:

  • Operate and support advanced LPBF additive manufacturing equipment and related production processes, including file preparation, printing, depowdering, post-processing, and machine cleanout.
  • Drive daily execution of additive manufacturing operations to ensure safe, efficient production and consistent achievement of engineering, quality, customer, and schedule requirements.
  • Establish, maintain, and improve manufacturing process flows, standard operating procedures, work instructions, checklists, process controls, and safety protocols to ensure repeatability, reliability, and compliance.
  • Analyze data to identify trends, root causes, and opportunities for corrective action and continuous improvement.
  • Lead and support process improvement initiatives to increase throughput, reduce variation, waste, cost, and lead time, and improve overall product quality and manufacturing efficiency.
  • Support installation, commissioning, integration, maintenance, and troubleshooting of additive manufacturing equipment, including coordination with OEMs and internal support teams.
  • Develop tooling, fixturing, and post-processing solutions to improve manufacturability, repeatability, and flow of printed hardware through downstream operations.
  • Review technical data, drawings, customer requirements, internal procedures, and manufacturing documentation to ensure accuracy, compliance, data integrity, and alignment with production and quality standards.
  • Maintain a safe working environment by identifying and implementing safety improvements for additive manufacturing processes, equipment, material handling, and surrounding work areas.
  • Represent additive manufacturing processes to internal stakeholders and product teams, providing technical support for prototype, development, and production builds.
  • Lead or own improvement projects and other individual tasks through completion while contributing effectively in a team-based manufacturing environment.
  • Translate design requirements into manufacturable additive processes by evaluating part candidates for material selection, machine selection, manufacturability, design optimization, and business case viability.
  • Collaborate with design, materials, quality, maintenance, production, and other cross-functional teams to refine part designs, support development of process parameters, new materials and equipment, and scalable production methods.
  • Generate manufacturing estimates, including base timing, capacity, cost, schedule, ROI, and quoting support for internal and external customers.
  • Travel up to 10%
  • Ability to obtain a US LEVEL Secret security clearance


Basic Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's Degree and a minimum of 2 years of prior related manufacturing experience. Graduate Degree or equivalent with 0 to 2 years of prior related manufacturing experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 6 years of prior related manufacturing experience.


Preferred Qualifications:

  • Minimum 1 year of hands-on experience with metal Additive Manufacturing
  • Experience with CAD Modeling software (i.e. Creo, SolidWorks, NX, etc.) and Microsoft Office suite (i.e. Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, & Excel)
  • Exceptional written and oral communication skills to include: work instructions, process procedures, design review presentations, requirements derivation, and reports/materials to support company projects and activities.
  • Hands-on experience with metal additive manufacturing processes, including DMLS/LPBF, supporting machine operation, troubleshooting, parameter development, build file optimization, and production execution.
  • Strong knowledge of DfAM principles, with the ability to interpret engineering drawings, apply GD&T, and improve part manufacturability and process outcomes.
  • Familiarity with additive post-processing and inspection methods, including heat treatment, support removal, EDM, machining, NDT, and structured light inspection.
  • Experience supporting process development and industrialization, including material and machine selection, equipment commissioning, capability assessment, and workflow improvement.
  • Experience in ISO 9001 and/or AS9100 manufacturing environments, applying quality systems, root cause analysis, and cross-functional collaboration to resolve production and process issues.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities, solve technical problems independently, and collaborate effectively in fast-paced manufacturing environments while continuing to build additive manufacturing expertise.


In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in the State of California is $73,000 - $136,000. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

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