Sr. Welding Engineer

About the role

This position leads the manufacturing and development of Starship components, including regulators, butterfly valves, and actuators. You will manage welding processes for hardware designed to operate in extreme environments ranging from 80 to 800K and pressures exceeding 800 bar.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Qualify and optimize weld parameters for electron beam, laser beam, gas tungsten arc, orbital tube, resistance, gas metal arc, and plasma arc welding.
• Direct production staff on assembly techniques within a high-volume manufacturing setting.
• Collaborate with design, automation, and tooling engineers to refine welded designs.
• Conduct root cause analysis and manage qualification test campaigns.
• Interpret mechanical test data and NDE results to implement process improvements.
• Integrate automated welding solutions to increase consistency and efficiency.

Requirements

• Bachelor degree in an engineering field.
• Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience in manufacturing, fabrication, or testing of welded assemblies.
• Ability to work extended hours and weekends when necessary.
• Ability to travel up to 25 percent of the time.
• Must meet ITAR requirements as a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or asylee.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree in welding, materials science, mechanical, aerospace engineering, or physics.
• Expertise in stainless steel and nickel alloy welding.
• Experience with CNC or robot programming for automated welding.
• Background in tooling design to minimize part distortion.
• Knowledge of testing standards such as ASTM E8, E399, E740, ISO 15653, AWS D17.X, and AWS C7.X.
• Proficiency in SEM fractography, metallography, and chemical analysis.

Skills & tools

• Electron beam, laser beam, GTAW, GMAW, and orbital tube welding.
• Strain gages, thermocouples, and data acquisition systems.
• NDE techniques and interpretation.
• Root cause analysis methodologies.

Practical notes

Compensation includes base salary, potential long-term incentives in stock or cash, and discretionary bonuses. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k), life insurance, disability insurance, paid parental leave, 3 weeks of vacation, and 10 or more paid holidays. Applicants must be eligible under U.S. export regulations.