3D Printing Engineer (FDM Hardware & Process)

At Drucks, we're building the future of footwear.Every pair we make is designed for one person, printed on demand, and manufactured through our in-house 3D printing technology stack. We don't buy machines and run them. We build them, modify them, improve them, and push them beyond what they're designed to do.If you've ever looked at a printer and thought "I can make this better", you'll feel at home here.This isn't an operations role. This is for someone who loves hardware, understands FDM printing inside out, and enjoys solving problems that don't have documentation or YouTube tutorials.What You'll DoYou'll own our print farm and help make it faster, more reliable, and more capable every single week.Your work will include:Operating & Optimising the Print FarmRun and monitor multiple FDM printers across productionMaximise machine uptime and minimise print failuresCalibrate, maintain and continuously improve printer performanceDevelop robust print profiles for productionProcess & Material DevelopmentTune parameters for TPU, PVA and multi-material printingOptimise temperature, flow, speed, cooling, retraction and adhesionHandle moisture-sensitive materials and establish reliable material workflowsConduct experiments and convert learnings into production-ready SOPsHardware, Firmware & ElectronicsAssemble, rebuild and upgrade custom FDM printersDiagnose mechanical, electrical and thermal issues down to root causeWork on Klipper firmware, macros and printer configurationsTroubleshoot motion systems, extruders, toolchangers, heated beds, drivers, thermistors, control boards and related electronicsCommission new machines and validate hardware upgradesQuality & DocumentationDefine print quality standardsCreate and maintain SOPs, parameter libraries and troubleshooting documentationBuild systems that reduce recurring failures and improve repeatabilityTrack defects, identify patterns and drive corrective actionsCollaborate Across TeamsWork closely with design, modelling and hardware engineersBridge the gap between digital design and production realityHelp scale our manufacturing platform as new products and materials are introducedWhat We're Looking ForRequired2-6 years of hands-on experience with FDM 3D printingStrong understanding of printer mechanics, electronics and firmwareExperience assembling, modifying or repairing FDM printersHands-on experience with Klipper (preferred) or similar open firmwareAbility to diagnose hardware issues rather than simply re-running printsComfortable working with flexible and hygroscopic materials like TPU and PVAStrong understanding of process optimisation and print qualityMechanical aptitude with printer assembly, maintenance and troubleshootingElectronics fundamentals including soldering, schematics and low-voltage systemsExperience creating SOPs and production processesBachelor's degree (or equivalent experience) in Mechanical, Mechatronics or Manufacturing EngineeringBonus Points If You HaveExperience with toolchanger or multi-material printersBuilt your own printers (Voron, RepRap, RatRig or custom machines)CAD experience (Fusion 360 / SolidWorks)Python scripting for printer automationLean Manufacturing / Six Sigma / ISO exposureExperience in footwear or other precision consumer productsSurface finishing, post-processing or material development experienceThis Role Isn't For You IfYour experience is limited to SLA or resin printingYou've only operated commercial "plug-and-play" printersHardware troubleshooting has always been someone else's responsibilityYou prefer structured processes over figuring things out from first principlesWhy Join Drucks?You'll work on one of the world's few end-to-end 3D printed footwear platforms.Our team designs the hardware, develops the materials, writes the firmware, builds the manufacturing workflow and ships products that people wear every day.You'll have real ownership, work directly with the founding team, and solve problems that don't exist in traditional manufacturing.If you enjoy building machines as much as building products, we'd love to hear from you.