Orbital tube welder

Firefly Aerospace; Briggs (TX); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental and vision plans

Parental leave

Educational reimbursement

Short term disability

Flexible PTO

Job summary

Firefly Aerospace in Briggs, TX is seeking an experienced Orbital Welder to join our rocket production facility. You will fabricate, assemble, and orbital-weld propulsion tubing systems in a collaborative environment, following precise aerospace standards.

You will read 2D/3D drawings, perform tight tolerances, conduct inspections, and coordinate with engineering and quality teams to ensure reliability for space flight hardware.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1 year of hands-on Orbital welding experience.
• Demonstrated ability to perform Orbital welding independently without supervision.
• Strong manual GTAW welding skills, including hand fitting and tack welding.
• Proven ability to hand-bend and face tubing lines to specification.
• Experience welding to AWS D17.1 or equivalent aerospace standards.
• Ability to read and interpret aerospace 2D and 3D drawings.
• Experience performing visual and borescope inspections.
• Proficiency with fabrication shop equipment (band saws, grinders, sanders, drills, etc.).
• Experience in using precision measurement tools (calipers, height gauges, scales, etc.).
• Strong attention to detail, workmanship, and cleanliness.
• 3+ years of hands-on Orbital welding experience.
• Experience with propulsion or high-pressure fluid systems.
• Prior experience supporting aerospace flight hardware or test systems.
• Familiarity with aerospace fittings such as AN and NPT.
• Experience cleaning tubing systems to aerospace or medical cleanliness standards.
• Experience inspecting tube assemblies using vector measuring machines.

Responsibilities

• Fabricate, bend, face, fit and weld propulsion tubing assemblies.
• Cut, prepare, and clean tubing and fittings prior to welding.
• Perform orbital welds that meet AWS D17.1 and internal aerospace standards.
• Independently set up, operate, and maintain orbital welding equipment.
• Execute qualified weld schedules for a range of materials and tube sizes.
• Perform visual and borescope inspections of welds and internal tube surfaces.
• Work from approved 2D/3D drawings, models, and engineering documentation.
• Coordinate with engineering and quality teams to resolve fabrication or inspection issues.
• Safely work with hazardous materials and high-pressure systems.
• Maintain a clean, organized, and controlled work environment.

Skills

Orbital welding

GTAW welding

Read drawings (2D/3D)

Visual inspections

Borescope inspections

Fabrication shop equipment

Precision measurement tools

Education

Orbital welding training certification

AWS D17.1 GTAW certification

Tools

Band saws

Grinders

Sanders

Drills

Job description

As an end-to-end responsive space company, Firefly Aerospace is on a mission to enable our world to launch, land, and operate in space – anywhere, anytime. Our small- to medium-lift launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles allow us to service the entire lifecycle of government and commercial missions from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. We utilize carbon composite structures, patented propulsion technologies, and common components across our vehicles to iterate quickly, improve reliability, and deliver payloads at a lower cost.

Summary

Our Orbital Welders work closely with fluid systems engineers in our Tube Fabrication Shop to ensure that the building process is being performed in accordance with written instructions. This work primarily includes the fabrication of complex fluid system assemblies. We are hiring for a range of experience levels from mid-level to highly experienced and we encourage all interested candidates to apply. This position is located at our rocket production facility in Briggs, TX.

Responsibilities

• Fabricate, bend, face, fit, tack and weld propulsion tubing assemblies
• Cut, prepare, and clean tubing and fittings prior to welding
• Perform orbital welds that meet AWS D17.1 and internal aerospace quality standards
• Independently set up, operate, and maintain orbital welding equipment in accordance with qualified procedures
• Execute qualified weld schedules for a range of materials and tube sizes
• Perform visual and borescope inspections of welds and internal tube surfaces
• Work from approved 2D/3D drawings, models, and engineering documentation
• Coordinate with engineering and quality teams to resolve fabrication or inspection issues
• Safely work with hazardous materials and high-pressure systems
• Maintain a clean, organized, and controlled work environment

Physical Requirements & Work Schedule

• Ability to work all shifts, including overtime and/or weekends as required
• 1st Shift: 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM - overtime as necessary to meet company needs
• Ability to lift to 25 lbs. unassisted
• Ability to stand for extended periods (minimum 8 hours)
• Ability to stoop, bend, crawl, and maneuver in confined or tight spaces

Qualifications

Required

• Minimum of 1 year of hands-on Orbital welding experience
• Demonstrated ability to perform Orbital welding independently without supervision
• Strong manual GTAW welding skills, including hand fitting and tack welding
• Proven ability to hand-bend and face tubing lines to specification
• Experience welding to AWS D17.1 or equivalent aerospace standards
• Ability to read and interpret aerospace 2D and 3D drawings
• Experience performing visual and borescope inspections
• Proficiency with fabrication shop equipment (band saws, grinders, sanders, drills, etc.)
• Experience in using precision measurement tools (calipers, height gauges, scales, etc.)
• Strong attention to detail, workmanship, and cleanliness
• 3+ year of hands-on Orbital welding experience
• Experience with propulsion or high-pressure fluid systems
• Prior experience supporting aerospace flight hardware or test systems
• Certification from an orbital welding training program
• AWS D17.1 GTAW welding certification
• Familiarity with aerospace fittings such as AN and NPT
• Experience cleaning tubing systems to aerospace or medical cleanliness standards
• Experience inspecting tube assemblies using vector measuring machines

Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status