Lead Fabricator

We are a small, fast-moving team building next-generation gas turbine engines to power the future of aerospace, defense, and energy. Backed by leading investors and led by proven founders, we're assembling a high-performance team to reinvent propulsion and power from the ground up. This is a rare chance to create genuinely new technology and to watch it go from a sketch on your screen to hardware coming off the line and into service. We design it, analyze it, build it, and test it, often in the same week.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We're hiring a Lead Fabricator to take ownership of how our engines get built. This is a senior, hands-on role for a master of the craft, someone who can weld, machine, and fabricate intricate parts and assemblies, then turn around and lead a test campaign to validate them. You'll set the bar for fabrication quality on the floor, mentor technicians, and be the person engineers trust to make hardware real and make it right. If you've spent a decade-plus building difficult things, can diagnose a problem and fix it on the spot, and want to anchor the build team at a company developing engines that fly, this role is for you.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Weld, brazing, machine, and fabricate intricate parts, assemblies, and tooling to engineering drawings, work instructions, and build travelers
• Bend and route tubing to spec. Perform leak checks and verify integrity across fluid, fuel, and pneumatic systems
• Lead engine and sub-assembly builds including precision assembly operations such as torquing, safety-wiring, thread insert installation, and component fitting
• Direct test stand setup, engine integration, and hardware preparation
• Oversee test article readiness and execution for test campaigns
• Leverage deep turbo-machinery expertise to identify and resolve mechanical malfunctions, diagnosing root causes often invisible to standard technical analysis, and drive immediate, hands-on repairs.
• Set the standard for fabrication and assembly quality on the floor, and mentor technicians on technique, rigor, and craftsmanship
• Maintain accurate as-built documentation, redlines, and non-conformance records, and partner with engineering to close out discrepancies fast
• Keep the shop clean, organized, and FOD-controlled, and hold the team to the same

QUALIFICATIONS

• 7-10+ years of hands-on experience in aerospace manufacturing, precision fabrication, or comparable high-reliability hardware production
• Expert-level welding (TIG strongly preferred), machining, and fabrication of intricate, tight-tolerance parts and assemblies
• Proven skill in tube bending, leak checking, and validating fluid/fuel/pneumatic systems
• Demonstrated experience leading or running test campaigns and troubleshooting hardware under time pressure
• Fluent in reading and building to engineering drawings and work instructions, and skilled with precision measuring tools
• Deep command of precision assembly fundamentals: torque practices, thread inserts, safety-wiring
• Experience with turbine engines, gas turbines, or propulsion hardware strongly preferred
• A&P license a plus
• Self-directed, quality-obsessed, and able to lead by doing in a fast-moving shop

Estimated Pay Range: $40 to $53/hour. Offers Equity. This is a non-exempt, overtime eligible position.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Compensation for this role is based on a range of factors including experience, education, critical skills, and business considerations. Actual offers may vary. Where a salary range is displayed, it reflects an estimate only. Highly competitive equity grants are included in most full-time offers.

We offer comprehensive benefits for full-time employees, including:

• Premium Healthcare Coverage: 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your eligible dependents
• Complete Protection: Full company-paid life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage
• Flexible Time Off: Open PTO policy plus 13 paid company holidays
• Family Support: 8 weeks of paid parental leave and comprehensive leave options
• Wellness Resources: Access to mental health services, Employee Assistance Program, and financial coaching
• Pre-Tax Benefits: Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Health Savings Accounts (HSA), and commuter benefits
• Professional Growth: Development opportunities including mentorship and skill development
• Retirement Planning: 401(k) plan with company matching

The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.

YOU'LL THRIVE HERE IF YOU

• Own problems the moment you see them and drive them to resolution regardless of whose area they touch
• Lead by example at every level, and check your ego at the door. The best idea wins, full stop
• Can prioritize ruthlessly when the list is longer than the day
• Believe that discipline and rigor are what create the freedom to move fast — not obstacles to it

Joining a company this early is not for everyone. And the people who do their best work here tend to know exactly why they want it.

What makes it exceptional: you won't be maintaining someone else's legacy. You'll help define the architecture from first principles, follow your work all the way to fielded hardware. You will operate with almost no layers between an idea and a decision. Real breadth, real ownership, real stakes.

What's genuinely hard: ambiguity is the default, the intensity is real, and it carries startup risk. You'll often build the process before you can build the thing. Priorities shift as we learn. If that tradeoff sounds like exactly what you've been looking for, we want to hear from you.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We foster a culture of ownership, initiative, inclusion, and mutual respect. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, veterans, and those with disabilities to apply. If you're passionate about revolutionizing aerospace propulsion, we'd love to hear from you.

SECURITY & EXPORT CONTROL

This position may require access to information protected under U.S. export control laws and regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Please note that any offer for employment may be conditioned on authorization to receive software or technology controlled under these U.S. export control laws and regulations without sponsorship for an export license.

We will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.