Welding Supervisor (Super Heavy Booster)

United States Digital Space LLC; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options / long-term incentives

401(k) retirement plan

Health, vision & dental coverage

Paid vacation (3 weeks) & holidays

Paid sick leave

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC seeks a Welding Supervisor for the Hawthorne facility to lead a team of welders and technicians in building a brand-new welding workcenter, drive safety and quality, and ensure steady production for high-rate Starship subassemblies.

The role focuses on scheduling, mentorship, and cross-functional collaboration with engineering to optimize processes and asset utilization in a fast-paced aerospace environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or associate degree or 5+ years in welding
• 2+ years in a leadership role

Responsibilities

• Manage hourly workforce of welders and technicians; deliver daily work assignments and provide feedback
• Create and maintain a tight production schedule with clear daily assignments
• Recruit and develop welders and technicians; provide technical mentorship
• Track shop floor metrics and partner with engineering to maximize delivery rate and yield
• Collaborate with management and engineering to streamline processes and resolve issues
• Lead by example; drive safety, quality, and rate improvements and 5S compliance

Skills

Welding

Leadership

Team Development

Education

Welding degree or relevant experience

Tools

AWS D1.1/D1.6/D1.2

Job description

the company was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today the company is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal ofenabling human life on Mars.

WELDING SUPERVISOR (SUPER HEAVY BOOSTER)

The Hawthorne Aft Thermal Protection System production team is responsible for building, assembling, and welding all thermal protection subassemblies for the world’s most powerful rocket, Starship. The supervisor of this team will guide a team of welders and technicians in building a brand-new welding workcenter, drive high-quality and safety standards, grow welding expertise, generate creative solutions to overcome issues, and spearhead a production schedule to keep downstream integration areas supplied at increasing launch rates.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manage an hourly workforce of welders and technicians. Deliver daily work assignments, oversee personnel development by providing constructive feedback, facilitate conflict resolution, and address repeat issues with corrective actions.
• Create and maintain a tight production schedule and provide clear daily assignments to the team.
• Responsible for recruiting and developing new welders and technicians in the shop. Provide technical mentorship and support to the team.
• Track shop floor metrics and partner with engineering to maximize delivery rate through high asset utilization, low cycle times, and high yield build processes.
• Collaborate with management and engineering teams to streamline work processes, resolve common build issues, and optimize the production line.
• Lead by setting an example; take feedback from all levels of the organization, and motivate your organization to achieve the highest level of results (in safety, quality, and rate).
• Drive shop floor culture of continuous improvement and maintain 5S protocols.
• Ensure employee safety through regular assessments of equipment/tooling health, training, PPE use, and implementation of engineering solutions to mitigate risks. Prioritize personnel safety above all else, halting production when necessary.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree or associate degree or 5+ years of experience in a welding role (GTAW, FCAW, GMAW, etc.)
• 2+ years of experience in a leadership role

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Knowledge of AWS D1.1, D1.6, and D1.2
• General welding, cutting, and fabrication equipment knowledge
• Experience building, leading and consistently maintaining cohesive teams
• Organized and self-driven, capable of working independently with little direction in a fast-paced/cross-functional environment
• Ability to read, interpret controlled documentation, and processes such as: mechanical drawings, GD&T, assembly procedures/work instructions, schematics, engineering drawings, parts lists, wiring diagrams, layout drawings, etc.
• Experience effectively communicating (verbal and written) with both production and engineering teams

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Shift times: 1st shift (Monday-Friday): 5:00AM - 2:30PM
• Willing to work overtime and weekends when necessary
• Must be able to lift a minimum of 25lbs unassisted
• Must be able to stoop, bend, crawl and maneuver in tight spaces. Must be able to stand for extended periods of time - 8 hours min

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range: Supervisor: $110,000.00 - $140,000.00/per year Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at the company. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

the company is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with the company 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.