Back to Jobs

Job Description

Overview

Venturi Astrolab, Inc. is pioneering new ways to explore and operate on distant planetary bodies by designing, building, and operating a fleet of multi-purpose commercial planetary rovers. They are seeking an experienced Sr. Harness Technician with expertise in wire harness fabrication, integration, and testing.

Responsibilities

  • Fabricate, route, and terminate complex wire harnesses and cable assemblies based on engineering drawings and IPC-620 standards
  • Read and interpret detailed blueprints, schematics, wiring diagrams, and build documentation with minimal supervision
  • Perform advanced crimping, soldering, splicing, and potting techniques; apply shielding, braiding, and overmolding when required
  • Conduct detailed inspections and functional tests, ensuring compliance with IPC/WHMA-A-620 Class 3 workmanship standards
  • Troubleshoot electrical issues, continuity faults, and connector mismatches across prototype and flight hardware
  • Lead or assist with harness integration on testbeds, vehicles, and electromechanical assemblies
  • Collaborate with engineers and production teams on design feedback and continuous process improvements
  • Create or review work instructions, inspection criteria, and harness routing documentation
  • Mentor junior technicians on best practices, tool usage, and quality standards
  • Maintain strict adherence to ESD protocols, safety procedures, and cleanliness requirements in a fast-paced R&D environment

Requirements

  • 3+ years of experience in wire harness/cable assembly in aerospace, defense, or other high-reliability manufacturing environments
  • High school diploma or equivalent
  • Experience working with MIL-SPEC components and aerospace wiring practices
  • Experience with crimping, soldering, and wire termination
  • Experience using continuity testing equipment
  • Experience reading and interpreting wiring diagrams, engineering drawings, and work instructions
  • Experience using automated crimping equipment and hipot testers
  • Experience with high-reliability termination techniques
  • Experience working in prototype or low-volume production environments
  • Experience troubleshooting complex electrical assemblies with minimal supervision
  • Certification in IPC/WHMA-A-620
  • Experience collaborating with engineering and quality teams to resolve manufacturing issues
  • Experience with redlined drawings, engineering change orders (ECOs), and controlled documentation
  • Technical trade school certificate or associates degree in a STEM or related field
  • J-STD-001 certification
  • Experience with NASA-STD-8739.x

Benefits

  • Equity ownership in the company
  • Health Insurance
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • PTO
  • 401k

Additional Information

  • Location: Hawthorne, California

Benefits

Equity ownership in the company
Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO
401k
Apply for This Position

How this job compares in Hawthorne, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $45/hr, this posting sits about 45% above the $31/hr median for welding jobs in Hawthorne, CA — toward the top of a $31–$60/hr middle band drawn from 42 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 67% 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 46 other active welding openings in Hawthorne, CA right now, from 5 different employers. 13 of them were added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 505 other active welding openings from 240 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.

Astrolab 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), Relativity Space (18), and Welding Shop in Los Angeles, CA (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 El Segundo at $53/hr, Los Angeles at $51/hr, and Pasadena at $50/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. Sr. Harness Technician figures were last recalculated when this page was built.