Lead Composite Technician

Eleven Recruiting is searching for a Master Composite Technician (Level 4). This is a senior-level expert responsible for producing tight-tolerance, high-performance composite structures for aerospace, space systems, defense, missile systems, UAV platforms, or advanced industrial applications. This role requires mastery in pre-preg lamination, filament winding, structural bonding, vacuum processing, and autoclave curing. Level 4 technicians function as the primary technical authority on the production floor, resolving complex issues, mentoring technicians, and ensuring aerospace-grade quality and repeatability.
Responsibilities:

• Perform advanced composite lay-ups for structural components such as spars, tubes, pressure vessels, control-surface structures, bonded assemblies, and launch-vehicle hardware.
• Execute high-complexity fabrication processes including pre-preg lamination, filament winding operation and setup, vacuum bagging, vacuum infusion, VARTM, and structural adhesive bonding.
• Manage autoclave and oven cure cycles, ensuring proper material handling, out-time tracking, tack management, vacuum integrity, and adherence to cure profiles.
• Troubleshoot complex issues such as fiber misalignment, bridging, porosity, resin imbalance, cure variation, voids, delamination, and tooling deviations.
• Conduct ply verification, in-process checks, dimensional verification, and documentation aligned with AS9100 or equivalent industry standards.
• Maintain accurate documentation, batch control, serialized traceability, and material tracking from kit to final cure.
• Mentor Levels 1–3 on advanced composite fabrication techniques, composite tooling preparation, laminate quality, vacuum integrity, and safe operation of equipment.
• Support engineering with manufacturability feedback related to tooling improvements, ply transitions, winding setups, and composite process parameters.
• Prepare and maintain composite tooling including mandrels, bond fixtures, molds, cure tools, and winding equipment.
• Promote safe work practices involving resins, solvents, composite dust, high-temperature operations, pressurized systems, and PPE requirements.

Qualifications:

• 7–10+ years of advanced composite fabrication experience in aerospace, defense, space, or high-performance structural manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated experience producing flight-level or mission-critical composite structures.
• Strong proficiency in pre-preg lamination, multi-ply construction, tight-tolerance layup, and structural composite fabrication.
• Advanced knowledge of autoclave curing, vacuum bagging, vacuum-integrity inspection, out-of-autoclave processes, and adhesive bonding.
• Experience with filament winding setup, mandrel preparation, tension control, and winding-machine operation (strong preference for roles requiring winding).
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, laminate schedules, ply patterns, and manufacturing documentation.
• Working knowledge of AS9100 principles including documentation, traceability, and material control.
• Ability to perform FAI-level inspections, ply checks, and detailed in-process verification.
• Strong craftsmanship, independent problem-solving ability, and leadership experience mentoring other technicians.
• High attention to detail, excellent communication, and ability to collaborate with engineering and quality teams.
• High school diploma required; composite coursework or industry-recognized training preferred.

Salary: $125,000 - $130,000

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