Hybrid subtractive-additive production of a superconducting multi-layer transition-edge sensor includes: forming a superconductor layer; forming a patterning photoresist on the superconductor layer; forming a sensor pattern in the patterning photoresist; subtractively forming, from the superconductor layer, the superconductor sensor layer; removing the patterning photoresist from the superconductor sensor layer; forming a template photoresist on the superconductor sensor layer; forming an inverse normal metal layer pattern in the template photoresist and exposing a bilayer portion of the superconductor sensor layer for addition of a normal metal layer; and additively forming the normal metal layer on the superconductor sensor layer such that the sensor pattern is interposed between the normal metal layer and the substrate.