In this talk, I will present my lab's recent work on directing the assembly of nano- and micron- scale colloidal particles within composite materials. Through our approach, we are able to tailor the internal microstructure of composite materials and drive meaningful changes to extrinsic properties, ranging from mechanical to thermal. In the mechanical realm, fiber orientation is a dominate factor in anisotropic property outcomes. We leverage colloidal forces ranging from shear alignment to magnetic alignment to control particle orientation. We have determined routes for applying these colloidal forces in situ to advanced manufacturing processes, including 3D printing. In this way, we can construct objects that have control over complexity from the macroscale down to the micron scale. Within the thermal realm, we have investigated routes for controlling particle percolation pathways within thermal composites to program thermal conductivity pathways within manufactured materials. In addition to these more fundamental studies, our lab is focused on technology translation with several start-up companies and industry collaborations that I will discuss if there is interest.