Job Description

Overview

SpaceX is seeking a motivated Raptor Manufacturing Specialist to support preventive maintenance and troubleshooting on production equipment in a dynamic manufacturing environment, contributing to the goal of enabling human life on Mars.

Responsibilities

  • Assume full ownership of asset recovery processes from fault diagnosis to return-to-production release.
  • Execute scheduled preventive maintenance and perform corrective repairs on manufacturing and test equipment.
  • Collaborate with engineers, managers, and customers to maintain systems in peak operating condition.
  • Diagnose and troubleshoot complex mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic, and electromechanical systems.
  • Collaborate with asset owners to develop and maintain detailed work instructions for equipment preventative maintenance.
  • Maintain, calibrate, and inspect critical production assets including welding systems and vacuum chambers.
  • Demonstrate strong attention to detail and a proactive approach to continuous learning.
  • Interpret and apply mechanical, electrical, pneumatic, and hydraulic schematics to support diagnostics and repair.
  • Safely operate power tools, hand tools, and heavy equipment in accordance with established procedures.
  • Coordinate and manage on-site vendor support including scope definition and oversight of external service activities.
  • Strictly adhere to safety protocols while maintaining a clean and compliant work environment.
  • Utilize internal systems for work order tracking, maintenance documentation, and parts inventory management.

Requirements

  • High school diploma or equivalency certificate.
  • 3+ years of hands-on experience in a manufacturing, production, or technical environment.
  • Experience with maintenance on industrial equipment such as welding tools and ovens.
  • Familiarity with reading blueprints, schematics, or technical drawings.
  • 3+ years’ experience as a maintenance specialist in a production environment is preferred.
  • Ability to perform basic fabrication.
  • Understanding safety standards and Lean principles.

Benefits

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

Additional Information

  • 1st shift: Monday - Friday, 5:00am - 3:30pm.
  • Capable of lifting 50 lbs. unassisted and comfortable with standing, climbing, bending, and working at heights.
  • Willing to obtain certifications for forklifts, boom lifts, or other equipment as required.
  • Ability to pass background checks for secure facilities.
  • Up to 5% travel may be required for training or support.

Benefits

401k
Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO

How this job compares in Hawthorne, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $42/hr, this posting sits about 34% above the $31/hr median for welding jobs in Hawthorne, CA — toward the top of a $31–$60/hr middle band drawn from 37 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 65% 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 Hawthorne, CA

We're tracking 37 other active welding openings in Hawthorne, CA right now, from 4 different employers. 8 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 486 other active welding openings from 234 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Hawthorne, or widen the search to California.

SpaceX currently has 34 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), Welding Shop in Los Angeles, CA (17), and Relativity Space (14). 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 Long Beach at $49/hr, El Segundo at $48/hr, and Los Angeles at $44/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Hawthorne, CA

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