Welding Engineer (Raptor/Starship)

SpaceX

Quick summary

Work type: On-site
Location: Hawthorne, CA
Salary: $100,000–$115,000 / yr
Posted: today

Market check

Salary context

Below market

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $142k

This role $108k

$91k most similar roles pay here $180k

This role pays less than 85% of similar roles. Most pay $114,000–$170,000 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $108k versus about $142k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft with the mission of enabling humans to become a multi-planetary species. It operates the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship launch vehicles, as well as the Starlink satellite internet constellation.

SpaceX currently has 604 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $130,000–$155,000 across 440 roles with salary data.

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View all roles at SpaceX

At a glance

TL;DR · Welding Engineer (Raptor/Starship)

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The Welding Engineer position at SpaceX in Hawthorne, CA is a senior role within the Raptor and Starship teams, focusing on developing, qualifying, and optimizing welding processes for spacecraft components. Daily responsibilities include working with design and manufacturing engineers to improve welding techniques and enforce standardized practices across multiple assemblies. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with various welding methods such as electron beam, laser beam, and gas tungsten arc welding, along with expertise in metallography and root cause analysis. Proficiency in robot programming for automated solutions and tooling design is essential. This role requires a Master’s degree in welding engineering or a related field, extensive knowledge of welding processes, and the ability to work in fast-paced manufacturing environments with occasional travel to other SpaceX facilities.

Skills

Robot programming Welding processes Tooling design NDE techniques Data acquisition systems Fractography/metallography Mechanical testing AWS D17.X ASTM E8 Automated welding solutions Process control Root cause analysis Metallographic interpretation Resistance welding Gas tungsten arc welding Laser beam welding Electron beam welding Plasma arc welding

What you'll do

Develop and optimize welding processes for various materials in fast-paced manufacturing.
Qualify weld processes using electron beam, laser beam, and other advanced techniques.
Provide technical direction to manufacturing engineers on correct welding techniques.
Improve welded designs for better manufacturability with design and tooling teams.
Set up and interpret results from welding qualification test campaigns and NDE.
Implement process control improvements based on testing and NDE feedback loops.

What we're looking for

Master’s degree in welding engineering or related technical program
Extensive hands-on experience with various welding processes and materials
Experience in robot programming for automated welding solutions
Understanding of weld strength testing methodologies and data acquisition systems
Ability to develop, qualify, and optimize welding designs and processes
Strong background in root cause analysis and corrective actions for welded assemblies

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