
Friction Stir Welding Technician I, First Shift
Relativity Space · Long Beach, CA
- Level
- Technician
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Industry
- Aerospace & defense
- Posted
- 7 days ago
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level manufacturing role at Relativity Space (aerospace & defense) in Long Beach, CA.
- Tools it names
- Robotics, Automation, CNC, Machining, Welding
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
How this role compares
Against 77 other live manufacturing postings in California.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- Not stated
Typical $85k–$123k, from 12 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ CNC 42%
- Tooling 41%
- ✓ Machining 38%
- Team leadership 37%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Welding, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Relativity Space
We found 9 people at this company and state: 7 on the team, 2 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Piunik → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Relativity Space in Long Beach
61 other open roles at this site · 9 people we found on the manufacturing team.
- Manufacturing Engineer I, Stage Forming · Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Engineer I, Stage Machining · Manufacturing
- Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Stage Forming · Manufacturing · Senior
- Senior Manufacturing Engineer, Stage Machining · Manufacturing · Senior
- Manufacturing Engineer II, Stage Forming · Manufacturing
- Manufacturing Engineer I, Turbomachinery · Manufacturing
Full description from Relativity SpaceAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
About the Role
- ◆Assisting in FSW operations which will include running the equipment, prepping welds for welding, and post weld blending
- ◆Responsible for completing standard lift operations or assisting in critical lift operation
- ◆Perform precision blending/deburring using a combination of standard power tools or hand tools
- ◆Perform in process inspections using hand tools such as micrometers, calipers, and pi tape
- ◆Uphold high Relativity Space standards regarding safety and shop cleanliness
- ◆Foster and inclusive environment for all members of the team
Nice to haves but not required
- ✓Experience with rigging and crane operations
- ✓Experience with machining equipment (mill, lathe, etc)
- ✓Experience with running CNC equipment or robotics
- ✓Familiarity with NDT operations
At Relativity Space, we are committed to transparency and fairness in our compensation practices. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
At Relativity Space, we’re building rockets to serve today’s needs and tomorrow’s breakthroughs. Our Terran R vehicle will deliver customer payloads to orbit, meeting the growing demand for launch capacity. But that’s just the start. Achieving commercial success with Terran R will unlock new opportunities to advance science, exploration, and innovation, pioneering progress that reaches beyond the known.
Joining Relativity means becoming part of something where autonomy, ownership, and impact exist at every level. Here, you're not just executing tasks; you're solving problems that haven’t been solved before, helping develop a rocket, a factory, and a business from the ground up. Whether you’re in propulsion, manufacturing, software, avionics, or a corporate function, you’ll collaborate across teams, shape decisions, and see your work come to life in record time. Relativity is a place where creativity and technical rigor go hand in hand, and your voice will help define the stories we’re writing together. Now is a unique moment in time where it’s early enough to leave your mark on the product, the process, and the culture, but far enough along that Terran R is tangible and picking up momentum. The most meaningful work of your career is waiting. Join us.
About the Team
The Stage Manufacturing team turns design into reality, owning the build of Terran R’s primary structures. This isn’t about turning the same bolt every day; it’s about building the systems to build the rocket. Engineers and technicians work side by side, with deep collaboration and real-time feedback, to shape how we build better and faster. With a manifest and a launch date, it’s up to the team to deliver on Terran R: solving challenges in real time, optimizing for scale, and constantly improving processes. As the vehicle evolves, so will the factory, with opportunities to apply automation, machine learning, and advanced technologies. What we build here sets the blueprint for the future of scaled launch.
This is a 1st shift position with a standard schedule of 5:00am-3:30pm PT, Monday through Friday. Please note that this position is structured around a baseline expectation of a 50-hour workweek, which may include occasional overtime as needed to meet operational goals.
About You
- •Experience with material joining processes (friction stir welding, arc welding, soldering, brazing, etc)
- •Experience with metal fabrication techniques (forming, bending, etc)
- •Proficient in the use of common hand tools and inspection tools
- •Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office or other team communication tools such as Slack (or equivalent)
Hiring Range
$22.80 — $31.35 USD
Please note: Relativity Space does not accept unsolicited resumes, candidate profiles, or referrals from recruitment agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited submission - via email, our website, social media, or directly to an employee - will be deemed the property of Relativity Space, and no fee will be owed absent a current, fully executed agreement with Talent Acquisition that specifically authorizes submissions for the applicable role.
