Composite Technician

Advanced Composite Products & Technology; Huntington Beach (CA); On-site; USD 34,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Advanced Composite Products & Technology in Huntington Beach, CA is seeking a Composite Technician - Finishing to perform finishing, bonding, and curing operations on aerospace-grade parts. This full-time role focuses on surface prep, adhesive application, and post-cure finishing to meet engineering and customer requirements.

Responsibilities include reading work instructions and drawings, maintaining quality records, and ensuring compliance with AS9100 standards while working with carbon fiber

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Ability to read engineering drawings and process specifications.
• Experience with composite finishing and surface prep preferred.
• English reading comprehension required.

Responsibilities

• Read and follow work instructions, drawings, and specifications.
• Perform surface preparation, sanding, bonding, and curing operations.
• Apply adhesives and manage cure cycles per procedures.
• Conduct post-cure finishing, inspection, and rework as needed.
• Maintain safety, quality, and AS9100 compliance.

Skills

Read drawings

Attention to detail

Hand dexterity

Organization

Safety-minded

Written comprehension (English)

Education

High school diploma

Job description

Job Details: Level: Entry, Job Location: Huntington Beach, CA 92649, Position Type: Full Time, Education Level: High School, Salary Range: $25.00 - $28.00 Hourly, Job Shift: Day, Job Category: Manufacturing

The Composite Technician - Finishing

The Composite Technician - Finishing performs a variety of composite finishing, surface preparation, bonding, adhesive application, and curing operations to support aerospace, defense, and commercial manufacturing. This position focuses primarily on preparing and finishing composite parts to meet engineering, quality, and customer requirements.

Responsibilities include sanding, trimming, grinding, cleaning, etching, surface preparation, application of paste and film adhesives, bonding and assembly, and preparing parts for oven curing. The technician will also perform post-cure finishing, rework, repair, and inspection activities while following established work instructions, engineering drawings, safety requirements, and AS9100 quality standards.

POSITION DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

Work Instructions and Documentation

• Read, interpret, and follow work instructions, engineering drawings, process specifications, and customer requirements.
• Record work performed, material lot numbers, and operation sign-offs in the shop traveler and ERP system in accordance with ACPT's AS9100 quality management system.
• Escalate discrepancies, material damage, and conditions not addressed by the work instruction before proceeding.

Surface Preparation

• Perform composite part finishing, preparation, bonding, and assembly operations in accordance with engineering drawings, work instructions, and customer specifications.
• Perform sanding, grit-blasting, grinding, trimming, and surface preparation of composite parts to achieve required dimensions, tolerances, and surface conditions.
• Prepare composite and metallic surfaces for bonding by performing cleaning, sanding, abrading, and etching procedures to process specifications.
• Verify surface condition and cleanliness meet the bonding specification before adhesive application, and observe the specified time limit between surface preparation and bonding.

Adhesive Application and Bonding

• Apply paste adhesives according to specified mix ratios, application procedures, bond-line requirements, and cure schedules.
• Apply film adhesives to metallic parts, composite parts, and bonding surfaces while maintaining proper handling, orientation, and placement requirements.
• Track adhesive out-time, shelf life, and freezer storage requirements against specification limits.
• Perform bonding and assembly operations, including positioning, alignment, fit-up verification, and bond-line control.

Oven Cure

• Prepare parts for oven curing.
• Load and unload composite parts from curing ovens and verify that the correct cure cycle, temperature, and time requirements are followed.
• Monitor and document oven cure cycles and process information as required by work instructions and quality procedures.

Post-Cure Finishing, Rework, and Repair

• Perform post-cure operations, including deburring, sanding, trimming, cleaning, and final surface preparation.
• Apply fillers, sealants, and other approved materials as required to achieve the specified surface finish.
• Perform cosmetic and structural rework and repairs in accordance with approved procedures and engineering disposition.

Quality and Special Processes

• Perform all work to the released, current-revision work instruction and process specification. Do not deviate from a specified process without documented authorization.
• Perform special process operations, including surface preparation, adhesive bonding, and oven cure, in accordance with approved process specifications, holding the parameters, sequence, and documentation each specification requires.
• Obtain and maintain the individual process certifications required to perform special process operations. Do not perform an operation for which certification is not current.
• Perform in-process and final visual inspection, identifying surface defects, contamination, voids, disbonds, inadequate adhesive fillet or squeeze-out, and other nonconforming conditions.
• Identify nonconformances and support Material Review Board disposition as directed.
• Follow all applicable AS9100, quality, safety, and environmental requirements.

Safety, Material Handling, and Housekeeping

• Properly handle, store, and dispose of composite materials, adhesives, solvents, chemicals, and other production materials in accordance with safety data sheets and company procedures.
• Wear required personal protective equipment, including respiratory, eye, hearing, and hand protection as specified for sanding, grit-blasting, etching, and solvent operations.
• Maintain foreign object debris (FOD) control and cleanliness standards at all work stations and in controlled bonding areas.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized work area consistent with company and industry safety standards.

Qualifications

Eligibility

Must be a U.S. Person as defined in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, 22 CFR 120.62 (a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, or other protected individual), as this position requires access to export-controlled technical data.

Technical Qualifications

• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, work instructions, and process documentation.
• Experience working with carbon fiber, fiberglass, epoxy systems, film adhesives, paste adhesives, and metallic parts.
• Experience with surface preparation, chemical etching, bonding, and oven curing.
• Experience using hand tools, power tools, measuring equipment, and composite manufacturing equipment.

Skills and Attributes

• High attention to detail: Bond quality depends on surface condition, adhesive placement, and fit-up at every step. Must be able to quickly spot and address surface defects, contamination, and material flaws.
• Workmanship: Able to produce high-quality structural and cosmetic finishes to drawing and customer requirements.
• Hand dexterity and coordination: The position requires sustained fine motor control and controlled hand pressure during sanding, finishing, and adhesive application.
• Organization: Must be able to keep track of various parts and assemblies through sequential process steps.
• Cleanliness: Parts and bondlines are sensitive to foreign material and contamination. Must be able to maintain a clean workspace and comply with FOD control requirements.
• Safety-minded: Must put safety first and work safely around ovens, grit-blast and sanding equipment, solvents, chemicals, and forklifts.
• Written comprehension: Must be able to read, comprehend, and follow written work instructions, job orders, and process specifications in English.
• Independence and teamwork: Able to work independently and as part of a production team.
• Computer literacy: Team members use several computer interfaces to record and manage production.

Education

High school diploma or equivalent.