Back to Jobs

Job Description

Overview

SpaceX is actively developing technologies to enable human life on Mars, and is seeking an Electron Beam Welder for the Raptor Combustion Devices team to contribute to this mission.

Responsibilities

  • EB weld, assemble, and fabricate all combustion device hardware (Raptor V3 Fuel Stack)
  • Assist engineering in development of new weld schedules and optimization of existing tooling
  • Complete machine preventative maintenance and provide subject matter expertise to troubleshoot issues
  • Use precision calibrated tools – torque wrenches, micrometers and calipers
  • Perform work according to procedures, specifications and test instructions
  • Read and interpret technical drawings, and follow detailed work instructions
  • Use various mechanical tools without instruction
  • Perform other related duties for the purpose of ensuring an efficient and effective work environment
  • Operate forklifts, cranes and heavy equipment

Requirements

  • High school diploma or equivalency certificate
  • 2+ years of experience in EB welding, TIG Welding, CNC machine operation, and/or mechanical assembly
  • 5+ years of experience in welding with stainless steel, inconel, aluminum or titanium (preferred)
  • Experience with aerospace electron beam welding (preferred)
  • Experience with aerospace TIG welding (preferred)
  • Knowledge of weld assembly tolerances and pre-weld cleanliness requirements (preferred)
  • Proficient in blue print reading and layout (preferred)
  • Knowledge and experience completing welds that pass visual before being X-rayed or dye penned (preferred)
  • AWS D17.1 and D1.2 certification (preferred)
  • Experience with overhead cranes and forklifts (preferred)

Benefits

  • 401k
  • Health Insurance
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • PTO

Additional Information

  • Must be willing to work all shifts, overtime, and/or weekends as needed. Start time: 1st shift (~5:00 AM)
  • Able to lift a min. of 25 lbs. unassisted
  • Able to stand for extended periods – 8 hours min
  • Able to stoop, bend, crawl, and maneuver in tight spaces

Benefits

401k
Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO
Apply for This Position

How this job compares in Hawthorne, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $31/hr, this posting comes in about 13% below the $35/hr median for welding jobs in Hawthorne, CA, where the middle half runs $31–$58/hr across 38 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 5% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. That gap is worth raising directly — in a market this size there is normally room to negotiate toward the median, particularly if you already hold the certifications the posting asks for.

The local market in Hawthorne, CA

We're tracking 38 other active welding openings in Hawthorne, CA right now, from 4 different employers. 8 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 562 other active welding openings from 261 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Hawthorne, or widen the search to California.

SpaceX currently has 33 other openings live in California, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in California at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are SpaceX (33), Vast (22), and Relativity Space (20). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within California, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Redondo Beach at $71/hr, Santa Ana at $53/hr, and Long Beach at $51/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for TIG. TIG (GTAW) uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode with filler added by hand, giving the operator the most control of any process. It is slow, demanding, and the standard for stainless, aluminum, and anything where the bead has to look as good as it holds.

Similar openings near Hawthorne, CA

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Electron Beam Welder (Raptor Combustion Devices) figures were last recalculated when this page was built.