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Job Description

Overview

K2 is a groundbreaking Series C space startup focused on building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, with significant backing and contracts. The Welder and Fabrication Technician will play a crucial role in setting up and optimizing the development shop for K2 Space's Mega Class satellite projects.

Responsibilities

  • Support the establishment of the K2 Space Development shop, including the selection and initial set up of equipment.
  • Perform Class A weld quality, including TIG, MIG, and other specialized welding processes.
  • Process sheet metal utilizing water jet cutting and various other machine tools.
  • Operate a wide variety of fabrication equipment including CNC press brake, shear roller, mill, lathe, and bandsaw.
  • Troubleshoot issues with equipment and perform preventative maintenance.
  • Identify and self-start projects that improve overall program success and progress.
  • Inspect finished products to ensure they meet the highest quality standards.
  • Communicate with engineering teams and leadership for general alignment and support prioritization.
  • Maintain a clean, organized, and safe working environment in compliance with EH&S standards.
  • Consistently provide process improvement ideas and design feedback to improve manufacturability.

Requirements

  • 5+ years of experience with Class A TIG/MIG welding and thin sheet metal.
  • 5+ years of experience with sheet metal fabrication and forming.
  • Strong proficiency in GD&T tolerances and technical drawing interpretation.

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • PTO

Additional Information

  • Must be able to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed.
  • Must be able to perform repetitive tasks such as bending, twisting, and lifting.
  • Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. unassisted.

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO
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How this job compares in Los Angeles, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $36/hr, this posting comes in about 10% below the $40/hr median for welding jobs in Los Angeles, CA, where the middle half runs $32–$58/hr across 26 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 35% 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 Los Angeles, CA

We're tracking 40 other active welding openings in Los Angeles, CA right now, from 30 different employers. 2 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 399 other active welding openings from 207 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Los Angeles, or widen the search to California.

The most active employers in California at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are SpaceX (20), Aerotek (17), and Volt (16). 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 Santa Ana at $48/hr, Los Angeles at $40/hr, and Hawthorne at $36/hr. Los Angeles is among them.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for MIG and TIG work. MIG (GMAW) feeds a continuous wire electrode through a shielding-gas nozzle. It lays down metal fast and is forgiving on clean material, which is why it dominates production and light fabrication work. 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.

See all welder fabricator openings if you want to compare this against similar roles.

Similar openings near Los Angeles, CA

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Welder and Fabrication Technician figures were last recalculated when this page was built.