Job Description

Overview

The Machine Operator I position at Arktura LLC, a subsidiary of Armstrong World Industries, is an entry-level role focused on the safe setup and operation of production machines in a manufacturing environment. The company fosters a supportive culture and offers various benefits to its employees.

Responsibilities

  • Clock in and perform transactions in Shop-Trak.
  • Load, unload, receive, and store raw materials and supplies.
  • Prepare machines to start a production cycle, performing calibration and cleaning.
  • Use computer-aided manufacturing programs to monitor and adjust machine settings.
  • Perform periodic checks on machinery and troubleshoot issues.
  • Complete work to meet production and schedule requirements.
  • Perform minor repairs and routine preventative maintenance on machines.
  • Assist peers and cross-train on other machines as needed.
  • Identify product defects and report nonconformances.
  • Coordinate movement of parts and products to the next operation.
  • Follow safety protocols and wear personal protective equipment.
  • Maintain equipment and work areas.

Requirements

  • High school diploma or GED required.
  • Minimum of 1 year machine operating experience.
  • Mechanical aptitude to operate and maintain machinery.
  • Basic arithmetic and computer skills.
  • Comfortable using hand tools and basic measuring equipment.
  • Ability to understand oral and written instructions.
  • Strong communication and teamwork skills.
  • Ability to work in a manufacturing environment.
  • Must be able to work 2nd shift (1:30pm-10:00pm).
  • Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
  • Knowledge of G-Code may be required.

Benefits

  • 401k
  • Health Insurance
  • PTO

Additional Information

  • Location: Carson, California.
  • May travel for training less than 1%.

Benefits

401k
Health Insurance
PTO

How this job compares in Carson, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $23/hr, this posting comes in about 30% below the $33/hr median for welding jobs across California, where the middle half runs $27–$41/hr across 470 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 10% 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 Carson, CA

Carson, CA currently has 4 other active welding openings besides this one, spread across 3 employers. None of them were added in the last week, so this is a slower-moving market. Across California as a whole we're tracking 596 other active welding openings from 293 employers. That's enough local activity to be worth comparing two or three offers before committing. Browse every welding job in Carson, or widen the search to California.

The most active employers in California at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are SpaceX (34), Aerotek (16), 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 Redondo Beach at $65/hr, Long Beach at $49/hr, and Santa Ana at $48/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Carson, CA

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Machine Operator I (2nd Shift) Job figures were last recalculated when this page was built.