Cold Header Operator
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Wage
$35 – $45/hr
Employment Type
Full-time
Apply for This Position
Posted on September 6, 2026
Job Description
Overview
The Cold Header Operator position is with a well-established global manufacturer specializing in highly engineered components for the aerospace and defense industries. This role involves setting up and operating nut forming equipment to produce precision aerospace fasteners and components.
Responsibilities
- Set up, operate, and adjust nut forming machines to meet production and quality requirements.
- Perform complete machine changeovers, tooling installations, and setup verification.
- Monitor machine performance and make adjustments to maintain dimensional accuracy and process stability.
- Interpret blueprints, work orders, specifications, and process instructions.
- Utilize precision measuring equipment including calipers, micrometers, gauges, and comparators to inspect parts.
- Troubleshoot tooling, machine, and process issues to minimize downtime.
- Perform routine machine maintenance and maintain equipment in safe working condition.
- Ensure compliance with aerospace quality standards, safety procedures, and production requirements.
Requirements
- High school diploma or GED required.
- Minimum 3-5 years of experience operating and setting up nut formers, cold headers, or similar fastener manufacturing equipment.
- Strong understanding of cold forming and metal flow principles.
- Ability to read and interpret blueprints, engineering drawings, and specifications.
- Experience using precision measuring and inspection tools.
Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental
- Vision
- 401k
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- Pension Plan
Additional Information
- 1st shift (4AM-230PM) and 2nd shift (230PM-1AM) available.
- Will work 2 Saturdays per month.
- Days: Monday-Friday.
Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
401k
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Pension Plan
How this job compares in Los Angeles, CA
Pay in context
At roughly $40/hr, this posting lands within a few percent of the $42/hr median for welding jobs in Los Angeles, CA, whose middle half runs $30–$58/hr across 73 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 45% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. In other words it is a market-rate offer, so benefits, overtime, and shift schedule are where the real difference between this and the next posting on the list shows up.
The local market in Los Angeles, CA
We're tracking 103 other active welding openings in Los Angeles, CA right now, from 64 different employers. 58 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 650 other active welding openings from 315 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.
Jobot currently has 8 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 (34), Honeywell Aerospace (16), and Aerotek (13). 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 $53/hr, Redondo Beach at $51/hr, and Long Beach at $42/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.
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Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Cold Header Operator figures were last recalculated when this page was built.