Welder and Fabrication Technician III

Vast; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 40,184 - 57,046; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Generous paid time off

401(k) retirement plan

Meals provided on site

Job summary

Vast in Long Beach is seeking a Welder and Fabrication Technician III to support the development of systems required for artificial-gravity space stations. The ideal candidate will have over 4 years of Class A TIG welding experience and a strong background in metal fabrication.

This full-time position will involve welding and fabricating parts for human spaceflight, performing quality inspections, and collaborating closely with engineering. The work environment is fast-paced and focused on advancing human presence in space.

Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience with Class A TIG welding.
• 4+ years of experience with fabrication and forming.

Responsibilities

• Weld the Haven Structure for Human spaceflight.
• Operate mechanized and robotic welding equipment.
• Inspect fabricated parts for geometry acceptance and weld conformance.

Skills

Class A TIG welding

Metal fabrication

Robotic welding

Tools

Vertical bandsaw

Sanding equipment

Job description

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next‑generation space stations to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Using an incremental, hardware‑rich and low‑cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi‑module Haven Station. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven‑1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. Our team is all‑in, committed to executing our mission safely and on time. If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us.

Vast is looking for a Welder and Fabrication Technician III, reporting to the Production Manager of Structures Manufacturing, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial‑gravity human‑rated space stations.

This will be a full‑time, non‑exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

Responsibilities

• Weld the Haven Structure for Human spaceflight
• Operate mechanized and robotic welding equipment
• Ability to quickly fabricate, weld tooling to support Haven.
• Inspect fabricated parts for geometry acceptance and weld conformance
• Fit, form parts, and clean parts as required and setup welding equipment in preparation for welding
• Perform Class A quality Aluminum weld
• Diagnose weld defects and suggest corrective actions, both in repair and process optimization
• Work with Engineering to improve tools and problem solve
• Material handling of raw goods and finished weldments
• Experience with a wide variety of metal fabrication equipment such as vertical bandsaw, sanding equipment, capability to efficiently set up jig tables.

Minimum Qualifications

• 4+ years of experience with Class A TIG
• 4+ years of experience with fabrication, and forming experience

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Self‑starter, highly motivated working in a fast‑paced department
• Automated/robotic welding experience Preferred VPPAW
• 5+ or more years with Class A aerospace welding
• Ability to follow written and verbal instruction
• Familiar working with x‑ray technicians and other NDT techniques
• Experience reading engineering blueprints

Additional Requirements

• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time
• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs unassisted

Pay Range

• Welder and Fabrication Technician III: $29.17 - $41.41

Compensation and Benefits

Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents; generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash out unused vacation annually; paid parental leave; short- and long-term disability insurance; life insurance; access to a 401(k) retirement plan; ClassPass credits; personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health; and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee and onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Vast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast is governed on the basis of 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.