Composite Technician

Composite Manufacturing Technician - Advanced Composites Production

El Segundo, CA | On-site

Opportunity Summary

Join an early-stage advanced manufacturing company scaling a new approach to producing high-performance composite hardware for aerospace, defense, and other demanding applications. As a Composite Manufacturing Technician, you will work directly on the production floor preparing tooling and materials, supporting molding operations, monitoring manufacturing processes, and inspecting completed parts. This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys working with physical hardware and wants to build deeper expertise in composite manufacturing as production scales.

About Us

We are a venture-backed advanced manufacturing startup developing faster, more scalable methods for producing complex composite structures. The team is moving from process development into higher-volume production, creating opportunities for manufacturing technicians to work closely with engineers, contribute to process improvements, and take on increasing ownership as the operation grows.

Job Duties

• Prepare molds, tooling, materials, and equipment for composite manufacturing operations
• Build composite layups, preforms, and other material configurations according to production requirements
• Load and operate molding equipment, hydraulic presses, ovens, and related manufacturing systems
• Monitor molding cycles, temperatures, pressures, timing, and other process parameters
• Handle composite materials safely and consistently throughout the manufacturing process
• Perform visual inspections, dimensional checks, and basic quality verification on completed hardware
• Document production results, process conditions, defects, and manufacturing observations
• Escalate equipment, tooling, material, or process issues when additional engineering support is required
• Support equipment troubleshooting, tooling upkeep, and preventive maintenance activities
• Follow manufacturing procedures, safety requirements, and standard operating practices
• Work closely with manufacturing and engineering teams to improve repeatability, quality, and production efficiency

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in composites, molding, plastics manufacturing, or a relevant technical trade environment
• Hands-on experience operating compression molding, resin transfer molding, or comparable manufacturing equipment
• Experience producing composite layups, preforms, or molded composite components
• Comfortable preparing, loading, and handling molds, tooling, and composite materials
• Ability to accurately monitor and document manufacturing process parameters
• Experience performing basic inspection and quality checks on manufactured components
• Comfortable working around hydraulic presses, industrial ovens, molds, and other heavy production equipment
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to safe, repeatable manufacturing practices
• Clear written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to lift up to 40 pounds
• Must meet U.S. Person requirements under applicable export control regulations

Preferred Experience

• Aerospace or defense manufacturing experience
• Exposure to composite process development or production scale-up
• Experience troubleshooting manufacturing equipment or supporting preventive maintenance
• Machine shop or general fabrication experience
• Familiarity with manufacturing travelers, work instructions, standard operating procedures, or similar documentation
• Forklift certification or previous forklift operating experience
• Interest in developing broader skills across tooling, mold maintenance, materials, manufacturing processes, and production operations
• Experience mentoring technicians or taking informal leadership responsibility on the production floor

Why Join Us

• Work directly on advanced composite hardware used in demanding aerospace and defense applications
• Join an early-stage manufacturing organization where technicians can have a visible impact on production processes
• Opportunity to grow into greater technical ownership or manufacturing leadership responsibilities
• Collaborate directly with engineers on process development and manufacturing improvements
• Stock options
• Paid vacation and sick time
• Paid company holidays and additional company days off
• Daily company-provided lunches
• 401(k) with employer matching
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance

Compensation Details

$30 - $50/hr

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