Ceramic Additive Process Engineer, Contractor

Beehive Industries is dedicated to Powering American Defense by revolutionizing the design, development, and delivery of jet propulsion systems to support the warfighter. Through the integration of additive manufacturing, the company aims to meet the growing and urgent needs for unmanned aerial defense by dramatically improving a jet engine’s speed to market, fuel efficiency, and cost.

Founded in 2020, the company is headquartered in Centennial, Colorado, with additional facilities in Knoxville, Tennessee, Loveland Ohio, and Mount Vernon, Ohio. Beehive is committed to grow and advance the defense industrial base while manufacturing exclusively in the USA. This role will be located at our Loveland, Ohio facility.

Role Overview

The Ceramic Additive Process Engineer is responsible for developing, optimizing, and scaling ceramic additive manufacturing processes for advanced applications, including investment casting molds, cores, and high-temperature components. This role focuses on binder jet and related technologies, driving process stability, material performance, and production throughput in a digitally integrated manufacturing environment.

What You'll Do...

• Develop and optimize ceramic additive manufacturing processes, with emphasis on:
• Binder jet printing of molds and cores
• Slurry-based and photopolymer ceramic systems (SLA/DLP where applicable)
• Define and control critical process parameters, including:
• Binder saturation and droplet behavior
• Powder characteristics (PSD, flowability, packing density)
• Layer thickness, recoating, and drying conditions
• Lead development of binder systems and chemistries, including:
• High-temperature capable binders (>2800°F environments)
• Debind and burnout behavior
• Compatibility with superalloy casting processes
• Optimize print quality and resolution, addressing:
• Surface finish
• Dimensional accuracy
• Feature fidelity and defect reduction (streaking, delamination, warping)
• Develop and refine post-processing workflows, including:
• Drying and curing
• Debinding cycles (thermal and/or catalytic)
• Sintering or infiltration strategies (if applicable)
• Collaborate with casting and materials teams to ensure:
• Mold integrity during preheat and pour
• Thermal shock resistance
• Minimal interaction with molten alloys (e.g., Ni-based superalloys)
• Support design-for-additive (DfAM) guidelines for ceramic molds and cores:
• Wall thickness limits
• Drainage/venting strategies
• Structural reinforcement
• Implement in-process monitoring and control systems, including:
• Printhead performance (piezo behavior, meniscus control)
• Fluid delivery systems (pumps, viscosity, surface tension control)
• Drive process scale-up from R&D to production, including:
• Throughput optimization
• Yield improvement
• Equipment qualification and repeatability
• Troubleshoot process issues such as:
• Binder/powder incompatibility
• Clogging, jetting instability, or print defects
• Cracking during drying or debind
  

You have...

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• 5–10+ years of experience in ceramic processing, additive manufacturing, or powder-based systems
• Strong understanding of:
• Ceramic materials and high-temperature behavior
• Binder chemistry and fluid dynamics
• Thermal processing (drying, debinding, sintering)
• Experience with binder jet or similar additive processes
• Familiarity with process control and experimental design (DOE)
• The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance is required. U.S. Citizenship is required, as only U.S. Citizens are eligible for a security clearance
  

Nice to have...

• Experience with ceramic molds/cores for investment casting
• Familiarity with Ni-based superalloy casting environments (IN718, MAR-M247, Rene alloys)
• Experience working with high-temperature binders and burnout systems
• Knowledge of printhead systems (piezoelectric jetting) and fluid delivery optimization
• Experience in aerospace or AS9100-regulated environments
• Background in scale-up or manufacturing ramp of additive processes
• Exposure to simulation tools (thermal, flow, or sintering models)
  
  

If this sounds like you, please submit an application with your resume. This could be the opportunity you are looking for to expand your skills, contribute to a winning team, and work with talented people who love what they do and take pride in our mission.

Beehive Industries offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes group Medical, Dental, Life, and Short and Long-Term disability coverage from day one. We also offer a generous 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with a Company match. Every role at Beehive Industries is bonus eligible and will also receive equity in the company.

Beehive Industries is committed to full compliance with applicable anti-discrimination laws. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We strive to create an inclusive work environment and will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.