The research's primary goal is to identify the heat source and thermal material model parameters for the numerical simulation of the laser engineered net shaping (LENS). Inconel 718 was selected as a case study for the current investigation. The LENS process's numerical model was developed within commercial finite element software and was used as a direct problem model during the parameter identification stage. Experimental data were obtained based on a rectangular-shaped sample with thermocouples located under the based material surface. The recorded thermal profiles were used to establish a goal function for the parameter identification stage. As a result, parameters describing the melt pool geometry during the additive manufacturing, as well as thermal coefficients describing interactions between the sample material and surrounding/base material, were determined.