3D Printing Nerd Wanted – Production Manager/Engineer (Kent)

Title: 3D Printing Nerd Wanted – Production Manager/Engineer for Custom Fit Shoe Startup Location: Kent, WA Compensation: Competitive salary + growth potential (startup environment) About Us We’re Prevolve Footwear, a startup making the world’s first fully custom-fit, 3D printed cleats and athletic shoes. Every pair is built from scratch based on foot scans, using a farm of FDM printers and custom design algorithms. We’re scaling up from a garage operation to a light-industrial print farm and need someone obsessed with 3D printing to take the reins. If the idea of tuning extrusion multipliers, optimizing print queues, and running a wall of machines to pump out shoes that actually fit people’s feet gets you excited… this job is for you. The Role We’re looking for a Production Manager/Engineer who is equal parts maker, problem solver, and process nerd. You’ll be in charge of keeping dozens of printers humming, improving reliability, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with flexible materials (TPU, PEBA, foams, composites). Key Responsibilities: Run and maintain a farm of 3D printers (Elegoo, Bambu Lab, custom rigs). Manage daily production of custom-fit shoes—target output 5+ pairs/day. Troubleshoot and optimize print quality, speed, and consistency. Calibrate printers, repair hardware, and manage filament drying/storage. Collaborate with founder/engineer to refine print processes and shoe designs. Track throughput, failures, and develop SOPs for scaling. Oversee production assistants, ensuring training and quality control. What We’re Looking For Hands-on experience with 3D printers (FDM required, bonus if you’ve wrangled flexible filaments). Comfort with slicer settings, G-code tweaks, firmware (Klipper/Marlin). Engineering mindset: methodical problem solving, documenting processes, optimizing workflows. Excitement for startup life: resourceful, adaptable, willing to experiment. Bonus: experience with CAD (Rhino, Grasshopper), scripting, or materials science. Why Join Us? Be the nerd-in-chief of a rapidly growing 3D printing farm. Direct impact—your work literally ends up on athletes’ feet. Creative, experimental environment where your ideas matter. We’re building a new category in sports footwear—be part of history. How to Apply: Email us with: A short intro about yourself. Your favorite 3D printing hack/tweak you’ve discovered. A resume or portfolio of relevant experience. 👉 Subject line your email: “3D Printing Nerd – I’m In”