Employers

Major employers of 3-D printing specialists include Stratasys, Xerox, Siemens, Panasonic, 3M, Therics, GE, IBM, BMW, Ford, L’Oreal, MakerBot, Hewlett-Packard, and 3D Systems. Small and medium-sized startups also employ 3-D printing specialists. Some specialists launch their own businesses.

The United States is the world leader in the development of 3-D printing technology, but there are also good opportunities in Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Canada, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.   

Starting Out

Many people land their first jobs in 3-D printing as a result of contacts made during internships or cooperative education programs. Additionally, many job-seekers learn about job openings by visiting the Web sites of 3-D manufacturing companies or large corporations with 3-D printing divisions. Others visit job sites such as CareerBuilder.com and LinkedIn. Creating a profile on LinkedIn will also help you to get noticed by recruiters. Additionally, be sure to follow 3-D printing companies to learn about industry developments and job openings and join LinkedIn groups such as 3D Printing, 3D Printing Entrepreneurs, and Medical Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing. A complete list of groups is available at https://additivemanufacturingtoday.com/additive-manufacturing-linkedin-groups. 

Advancement in the 3-D printing industry depends on the occupational level that the worker begins at. For example, a technician can complete additional education and training to advance to the position of engineer. A highly qualified and experienced engineer can move up to the position of managing engineer or even plant manager. Some engineers choose to use their technical expertise and knowledge of production processes to transition to careers in sales. With experience, highly skilled 3-D printing specialists with business management, leadership ability, and sales and marketing acumen can launch their own 3-D manufacturing or consulting businesses.   

Visit https://jobs.3dprintingindustry.com for job listings.

A strong background in math and computer science is helpful in this field; take classes in this area.

Talk to 3-D printing specialists to learn about in-demand skills and training and hot industry sectors.

Visit https://additivemanufacturingtoday.com to learn more about the field and access job-search resources.

Check out 3-D– and manufacturing-related publications at https://additivemanufacturingtoday.com/publications/?cat_id=79&view=listcats.