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Antares

R&D Welding & Fabrication Technician III

Location

Los Angeles, CA

Wage

$41.4 – $50.6/hr

Employment Type

Full-time

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Posted on October 9, 2026

Job Description

Overview

Antares is on a mission to make clean energy abundant from Earth to the Asteroid Belt by developing mass-producible, inherently safe microreactors. The R&D Welding & Fabrication Technician III will play a critical role in prototyping, machining, assembly, testing, and fabrication operations in a fast-paced, innovative environment.

Responsibilities

  • Work closely with engineering to fabricate prototypes and build test systems.
  • Collaborate with engineering to improve designs and refine manufacturing techniques.
  • Participate in design reviews providing input on manufacturability and design improvements.
  • Spec, source, and commission equipment while coordinating resources and reporting project status.
  • Build, lead, and mentor a team of technicians, fostering a culture of excellence and accountability.
  • Develop and document best practices for machining, fabrication, assembly, and quality inspection.
  • Identify and resolve technical challenges, implementing corrective actions and improvements.
  • Support system testing and validation efforts, with some off-site travel required.
  • Train technicians on new processes, tools, and industry best practices.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

  • 5+ years in a high-performance manufacturing or R&D environment.
  • Experience in fabrication, machining, welding, pneumatic/hydraulic systems, and test processes.
  • Understanding of aerospace-grade production and quality standards.
  • Experience interpreting engineering drawings and technical specifications.

Additional Information

  • Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary.
  • Job may require frequently lifting up to 50 lbs and performing physically demanding tasks.
  • Location: Torrance, CA in a new facility with easy access to major freeways.
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How this job compares in Los Angeles, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $46/hr, this posting lands within a few percent of the $43/hr median for welding jobs in Los Angeles, CA, whose middle half runs $36–$60/hr across 64 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 58% 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 99 other active welding openings in Los Angeles, CA right now, from 59 different employers. 47 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 594 other active welding openings from 272 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.

Antares currently has 3 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 (37), Welding Shop in Los Angeles, CA (17), and Honeywell Aerospace (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 Pasadena at $51/hr, Santa Ana at $48/hr, and El Segundo at $48/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

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. R&D Welding & Fabrication Technician III figures were last recalculated when this page was built.