Head of IT

HEAD OF IT

Freeform builds AI-native manufacturing systems that unify software, hardware, and physics to produce industrial-scale parts at the speed of human ideation. By treating manufacturing as a single integrated system, we unlock a new era of innovation where complex hardware is designed, built, and scaled without limits. 

In this role, you will report directly to the CEO and own the technology infrastructure behind Freeform: the data centers and cloud platforms that run our factories, the networks and security that protect them, and the corporate IT that keeps our people productive. You will set the IT strategy and be accountable to the executive team for uptime, security, and compliance. Your most immediate priority is the infrastructure and dedicated data center for our new manufacturing facility, which becomes the blueprint as we deploy factories around the world. The many petabytes of data our factories generate are a core advantage, and the systems that capture, store, and protect it are part of the product. 

All leadership roles at Freeform are technical in nature. You will spend a significant portion of your time hands-on, making architecture calls, reviewing designs, and building alongside the team while you run

Responsibilities: 

• Set the IT and infrastructure strategy and roadmap, tied to Freeform’s factory expansion, and present it to the executive team 
• Architect, build, and commission the infrastructure and dedicated data center for our new facility, including power, cooling, compute, storage, network, and edge-compute on the factory floor, as a repeatable blueprint for future factories 
• Own storage and compute for petabyte-scale physics and process data, including high-bandwidth interconnects 
• Own the Kubernetes and virtualization platforms, on-prem and in the cloud 
• Own network architecture across all sites, including segmentation between corporate, server, OT, and guest zones 
• Build and run the security program: controls, monitoring, incident response, audits, and vulnerability management 
• Own compliance with NIST 800-171, CMMC, and ITAR, and serve as the point of accountability for IT-related audits and customer security reviews 
• Ensure high availability, disaster recovery, and business continuity for systems that drive production 
• Run corporate IT alongside engineering infrastructure, including identity and access, endpoints, and collaboration tools 
• Own the IT budget and make the build-vs-buy and on-prem-vs-cloud calls that keep infrastructure cost-efficient as we scale 
• Select and manage vendors, hardware suppliers, and cloud providers, and set IT policies, standards, and change management 
• Report on availability, risk, and security posture to executive leadership 
• Stay hands-on: review designs, make architecture calls, and build and troubleshoot alongside the team 
• Lead and mentor the IT team, and plan, hire, and build the organization as Freeform scales, setting its priorities and a culture of ownership and continuous improvement 

Basic Qualifications: 

• 12+ years of enterprise IT and infrastructure experience, including 2+ years leading IT or infrastructure teams, with current hands-on technical skills 
• Data center infrastructure experience across compute, storage, and networking 
• Strong knowledge of both on-premises and cloud infrastructure 
• Hands-on experience with Kubernetes, on-prem and in the cloud 
• Deep expertise in Linux-based infrastructure 
• A track record of owning an IT budget, setting strategy, and managing vendors, with experience reporting to senior executives 

Nice to Have: 

• Experience as the first IT leader at a startup or high-growth company, building the function from a small team 
• Experience building or commissioning a data center, including edge compute for hardware-centric or manufacturing operations 
• Experience with OT/ICS environments and securing factory networks 
• Experience with high-speed data and high-bandwidth interconnects such as InfiniBand 
• Experience leading an organization through NIST 800-171, CMMC, or ITAR compliance 
• Knowledge of both corporate and engineering IT, including Microsoft and Linux-based technologies 
• Degree in computer science or computer engineering 

Location: 

• Based in Hawthorne, our vertically integrated facility brings technology development, R&D, and production together under one roof. We operate at the center of LA's deep tech ecosystem, surrounded by some of the most ambitious hardware innovation happening anywhere in the country.  
• Our fast-paced, cross-functional environment is built on close collaboration, and as such, this role requires full-time onsite presence (five days a week), with very limited exceptions. 

Why Freeform? 

• We have an inclusive and diverse culture that values collaboration, learning, and making deliberate data-driven decisions
• We offer a unique opportunity to be an early and integral member of a rapidly growing company that is scaling a world-changing technology
• Benefits 
  • Significant stock option packages 
  • 100% employer-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance (premium PPO and HMO options) 
  • Life insurance 
  • Traditional and Roth 401(k) 
  • Paid vacation, sick leave, and company holidays 
  • Generous Paid Parental Leave and extended transition back to work for the birthing parent 
  • Free daily catered lunch and dinner, and fully stocked kitchenette 
  • Casual dress, flexible work hours, and regular catered team building events 
• Compensation   
  • As a growing company, the salary range is intentionally wide as we determine the most appropriate package for each individual taking into consideration years of experience, educational background, and unique skills and abilities as demonstrated throughout the interview process. Our intent is to offer a salary that is commensurate for the company’s current stage of development and allows the employee to grow and develop within a role. 
  • The salary range for this role is not determined at this time as it is a new position without existing internal benchmarks. We are more interested in finding the right, exceptional candidate and working together to craft a fair and compelling compensation package. 
• Freeform is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values diversity; employment with Freeform is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability sttus, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.