Aerospace Structure Technician

Job Title: Structure Technician

Job Description

The Structure Technician drills precision holes, assembles flight hardware, and performs high-accuracy mechanical assembly on aerospace structural components. This role uses specialized tooling, structural adhesives, and precision measurement tools to ensure all work meets strict aerospace tolerances and quality standards.

Responsibilities

• Drill precision holes in aerospace structural components and flight hardware, selecting appropriate drill motors, drill sizes, and drilling methods for each task.
• Set up and use appropriate tooling, jigs, fixtures, or egg cups to ensure accurate alignment and repeatability during drilling operations.
• Assemble structural hardware using structural adhesives, following correct bond preparation and cure processes.
• Install and properly torque fasteners, including hiloks, rivets, and other mechanical fastening systems, according to specifications and torque requirements.
• Install inserts such as helicoils or similar threaded inserts in structural components, ensuring proper fit and alignment.
• Perform in-process inspections using micrometers, calipers, pin gauges, and other precision hand tools to verify dimensions and tolerances, including working to precision tolerances of approximately ±0.001 inch and ±1 as specified.
• Carry out blending and deburring operations using appropriate hand and power tools to remove burrs, sharp edges, and surface imperfections from drilled or machined areas.
• Apply alodine, sealants, or other protective coatings to hardware after drilling, blending, or deburring to protect against corrosion and environmental damage.
• Follow aerospace assembly and structural bonding procedures, including bond prepping of surfaces and proper use of sealants and adhesives.
• Use torque wrenches and other torque tools to achieve and verify correct torque values on fasteners and structural joints.
• Work with aluminum and other aerospace materials, ensuring correct handling, preparation, and assembly techniques.
• Support mechanical assembly of mechanisms and structural subassemblies, ensuring proper function and alignment.
• Adhere to 5S practices by maintaining an organized, clean, and safe work area in the aerospace warehouse environment.
• Operate material handling equipment such as forklifts when required and when properly qualified, to move materials and hardware safely.
• Participate in technical discussions and demonstrate understanding of drilling processes, including explaining step-by-step how to drill specific hole sizes (for example, a half-inch hole) using correct tools, speeds, feeds, and inspection steps.
• Follow all aerospace quality, safety, and process documentation requirements while meeting production and schedule expectations.

Essential Skills

• Hands-on experience drilling precision holes in aerospace structural components and flight hardware.
• Proficiency with drilling equipment, including pneumatic drills and associated tooling, jigs, fixtures, and egg cups.
• Demonstrated ability to work with aluminum and other aerospace materials in structural applications.
• Experience using torque wrenches and torque tools to correctly torque fasteners and verify torque values.
• Knowledge of structural bonding processes, including structural adhesives and bond prepping of surfaces.
• Experience installing helicoils and other threaded inserts in structural components.
• Ability to work to tight precision tolerances, including approximately ±0.001 inch and specified tolerance levels such as ±1.
• Proficiency with hiloks, rivet installations, and other aerospace fastening systems.
• Mechanical assembly experience, including working with mechanisms and structural subassemblies.
• Skill in applying sealants and protective coatings such as alodine to aerospace hardware.
• Competence using precision measurement tools such as micrometers, calipers, and pin gauges for in-process inspections.
• Ability to perform blending and deburring operations using hand and power tools while maintaining part integrity.
• Familiarity with aerospace technician practices and standards.
• Ability to explain drilling processes clearly, including how to drill a specified hole size step-by-step.
• Commitment to safety, quality, and adherence to documented aerospace processes and procedures.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working as an aerospace technician or in a similar aerospace structural role.
• Exposure to 5S methodologies and continuous improvement practices in a production environment.
• Forklift experience or certification for safe material handling in a warehouse setting.
• Experience in mechanical assembly within an aerospace or high-precision manufacturing environment.
• Comfort working with a variety of mechanical fasteners, torque tools, and structural bonding materials.
• Ability to read and interpret technical instructions, work orders, and engineering requirements related to drilling and assembly.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to maintain consistent quality in repetitive precision tasks.

Why Work Here?

You join an innovative organization at the forefront of space-focused aerospace manufacturing, where you contribute directly to advanced flight hardware and long-term projects. The environment supports hands-on technical growth, encourages continuous improvement practices such as 5S, and offers the opportunity to develop specialized skills in precision drilling, structural bonding, and aerospace assembly. You work with a team that values craftsmanship, safety, and quality, while providing a stable setting to build a long-term career in aerospace.

Work Environment

The role is based in an aerospace warehouse environment focused on the production and assembly of flight hardware and structural components. You work around drilling stations, structural assembly areas, and inspection stations that use pneumatic drills, torque wrenches, precision measuring tools such as micrometers, calipers, and pin gauges, and equipment for applying sealants and protective coatings like alodine. The setting involves handling aluminum and other aerospace materials, using hand and power tools for drilling, blending, and deburring, and working with mechanical fasteners and structural bonding systems. Material handling equipment, including forklifts, may be in use, and adherence to shop-floor safety practices, organized work areas, and 5S standards is expected. The environment is typical of a production aerospace warehouse, with active shop-floor operations and a focus on precision, cleanliness, and safety.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Los Alamitos, CA.

The pay range for this position is $25.00 - $40.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a fully onsite position in Los Alamitos,CA.

This position is anticipated to close on Sep 8, 2026.

About Aerotek

Aerotek® Inc. provides staffing and services solutions in manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation, facilities and maintenance. We provide the expertise, solutions and people required to rise to the challenges of North American industry. Headquartered in Hanover, Md., Aerotek operates a unified network of over 200 offices across North America, supporting more than 18,000 clients each year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in workforce and business solutions. To learn more, visit: Aerotek.com | 1-888-AEROTEK.

Aerotek offers weekly pay, employee benefits including medical, dental & vision, life insurance, health advocacy and employee assistance programs, a 401(k) plan, and employee discounts.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.

We know that finding work is hard, and finding meaningful work is harder. Aerotek connects 180,000+ light industrial and skilled trades workers with 14,000+ employers each year, helping our workers navigate an evolving labor market and find jobs that meet their goals, skills, and interests. Since 1983, we have provided a variety of career opportunities across North American industry – from short-term assignments at Fortune 500 companies where you can build your skills, to long-term opportunities where you can play a vital role in solving companies’ construction, manufacturing, and maintenance challenges. Our 1,500+ experienced recruiters across 250+ offices work relentlessly to put our workforce in a position to thrive. Let us rise to meet your challenges and put our people-are-everything spirit to the test as your career continues to grow.