Job Description

Overview

Machina Labs is transforming manufacturing by creating intelligent, software-defined factories that produce complex metal structures from digital designs. The company is seeking an NDT Inspector to perform in-house nondestructive testing for high-precision, flight-critical components, contributing to the manufacturing infrastructure for defense, aerospace, and advanced mobility programs.

Responsibilities

  • Own and execute penetrant inspection of production, first article, and reworked hardware to ensure compliance with engineering drawings, specifications, and customer requirements.
  • Perform and record all required process control checks on the penetrant line.
  • Interpret and evaluate indications, classify them as relevant or non-relevant, and make accept or reject decisions against drawing acceptance criteria.
  • Maintain accurate, audit-ready inspection and process control records within Machina’s Manufacturing Execution System.
  • Identify, document, and support resolution of nonconformances, including MRB participation and corrective action follow-through.
  • Ensure equipment and measurement system integrity, including calibration tracking.
  • Support qualification and approval of the penetrant process, including capability demonstrations and readiness for Nadcap accreditation.
  • Act as a subject matter expert in nondestructive testing, supporting standardization and best practices.
  • Mentor and support trainee personnel, reinforcing quality standards and inspection discipline.

Requirements

  • High school diploma or equivalent.
  • Certified, or certifiable, to NAS 410 Level II in liquid penetrant testing (PT).
  • 2+ years of hands-on nondestructive testing experience in aerospace, defense, or precision manufacturing.
  • Documented formal training hours and on-the-job experience hours supporting Level II qualification.
  • Meets NAS 410 vision requirements, verified annually.
  • Working knowledge of ASTM E1417 and AMS 2644.
  • Strong ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and specifications.
  • Working knowledge of AS9100 and AS9102 (FAI requirements).
  • Experience with MES/ERP systems for inspection documentation and traceability.
  • Ability to read, write, and communicate in English, perform basic shop math, and use standard computer applications.
  • Must meet U.S. export control (ITAR) requirements.

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • PTO

Additional Information

  • Onsite role based in Chatsworth, CA.
  • Shop environment with exposure to active manufacturing conditions.
  • Ability to stand for extended periods and perform repetitive inspection tasks.
  • Ability to lift up to 50 lbs, and to move heavier parts using hoists, carts, or other handling equipment.
  • Flexibility to support extended hours or weekends as needed.

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO

How this job compares in Chatsworth, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $37/hr, this posting sits about 12% above the $33/hr median for welding jobs across California — toward the top of a $27–$41/hr middle band drawn from 483 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 64% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. Pay that far above local median usually comes attached to something: a harder cert requirement, travel, night shift, or overtime that isn't really optional. Worth establishing which before you accept.

The local market in Chatsworth, CA

Chatsworth, CA currently has 5 other active welding openings besides this one, spread across 5 employers. 2 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 627 other active welding openings from 306 employers. That's enough local activity to be worth comparing two or three offers before committing. Browse every welding job in Chatsworth, or widen the search to California.

Machina Labs currently has 1 other opening 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 (31), 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 $51/hr, Santa Ana at $48/hr, and Long Beach at $40/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Chatsworth, CA

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