Model Maker I

Job title: Model Maker I  

Department / Division: Rapid Prototyping / Research & Development (4001) 

Salary Range: $30.42/hr - $37.58/hr plus bonus  

Location:  Ada, MI (Onsite) 

What we're looking for: 

Are you ready to get your hands dirty (in the best way possible) and bring groundbreaking designs to life?  Our rapid prototyping team is on the lookout for an exceptional model maker to join our passionate group of innovators.  If you’re a wizard with materials, a perfectionist with precision and excited by seeing ideas come to life, then this is your chance to make a real impact and help us build the next generation of products one meticulously crafted model at a time.

This is a highly collaborative role where your work will change daily. You will manage our state-of-the-art 3D printing equipment, ensuring it's ready from both a material and mechanical perspective. You’ll partner with engineers and designers, using your free-hand sketching skills to visualize solutions and develop plans to rapidly deliver finely crafted prototypes.

A typical day may include:

• Mixing a blend of SLS powder to prepare for future print jobs.


• Removing a completed 3D print and setting up the equipment for the next request.


• Finishing a prototype, including surface preparation and painting to a high-quality class “A” finish.


• Performing preventative maintenance on a printer or scheduling a vendor for service.


• Using our well-stocked model studio to machine parts for a functional test.

This is a full-time, on-site role at our Ada, Michigan campus. Travel is minimal, estimated at less than 10%.

Required Qualifications:

• Associate's degree in Prototype and Design (or a related field) with 0-2 years of experience; OR a relevant technical certification with 2-4 years of professional model-making experience.


• Expertise with 3D printing, either professionally or as a hobby.


• Ability to read and understand technical drawings and plans.


• Experience using a wide range of hand tools, power tools, and machine tools to build prototypes.


• Proven ability to produce parts with high precision, including to tolerances of .001 of an inch.


• Experience building prototypes using a variety of materials (e.g., metals, wood, plastics, clay, resin, fiberglass, silicone, urethanes).

Skills to Be Successful in the Role:

• A collaborative spirit with strong communication and teamwork skills.


• Excellent 3D visualization ability and mechanical aptitude.


• Strong problem-solving skills to help visualize and build new prototypes.


• A meticulous approach with high attention to detail.


• Adaptability to changing project requirements and timelines.


• Demonstrated ability to operate safely in a machine tool environment.


• (Preferred) Skill in painting to a "Class A" automotive-quality finish.

What's Special About this Team: 

If you chased a career, to invent, improve, and drive product innovation, this team of creative engineers lives and breathes this every day.  We are a work hard, play hard team, that bridges the gap between vision and reality by transforming ideas into tangible solutions with speed, precision and purpose.  We partner with our Nutrition, Beauty and Healthy Home counterparts to deliver prototypes to enable them to test ideas, drive alignment and build go to market assets.