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Job Description

Overview

Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company focused on building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems. The Orbital Tube Welder II/III will work on welding and fabricating fluid systems and components for rocket engines at the Long Beach headquarters.

Responsibilities

  • Develop weld schedules for tubing sizes ranging from 1/4" to 6".
  • Perform tube bending, flaring, fit up, and preparation to meet project specifications and industry standards.
  • Read and interpret blueprints, schematics, and technical drawings to execute tubing projects accurately.
  • Operate and maintain orbital tube welding equipment to ensure high-quality welds.

Requirements

  • For Orbital Tube Welder II: 2+ years of OTW experience in aviation, aerospace, or similar industry.
  • For Orbital Tube Welder II: Experience working with tubing sizes ranging from 1/4" to 6".
  • For Orbital Tube Welder II: High school diploma or GED.
  • For Orbital Tube Welder III: 5+ years of OTW experience in aviation, aerospace, or similar industry.
  • For Orbital Tube Welder III: Experience with OTW machines or automated fabrication equipment.
  • For Orbital Tube Welder III: Knowledge of NDE processes to inspect and verify the integrity of tubing and welds.

Benefits

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

Additional Information

  • Willing to work Monday - Thursday (3:15pm - 1:45am).
  • Stand and walk for entire shift (8+ hours) on various work surfaces.
  • Climb ladders and work at elevated heights and in tight areas as needed.
  • Perform repetitive motions including bending, twisting, reaching, and grasping.
  • Lift, carry, push, and pull materials and equipment up to 25 lbs.
  • Work in varied environments with exposure to noise, temperature variations, and moving machinery.
  • Flexibility to work extended hours, weekends, and varied shifts as operational needs require.

Benefits

401k
Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO
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How this job compares in Long Beach, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $30/hr, this posting comes in about 14% below the $35/hr median for welding jobs in Long Beach, CA, where the middle half runs $30–$54/hr across 12 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 17% 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 Long Beach, CA

We're tracking 17 other active welding openings in Long Beach, CA right now, from 8 different employers. 3 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 399 other active welding openings from 208 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Long Beach, or widen the search to California.

Rocket Lab currently has 2 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 (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 $38/hr, and Hawthorne at $36/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 Long Beach, CA

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Orbital Tube Welder II/III - B Shift figures were last recalculated when this page was built.