At a glance
- Experience
- 1+ years experience
- Workplace
- Hybrid
- Location
- Westminster
About the role
- The Starship COPV Composites Technician manufactures flight-critical composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) used to store high-pressure gases on Starship and Super Heavy.
- This is a hands-on production role involving preparing metallic liners, filament-winding the composite overwrap, curing, trimming, finishing, and assembling COPV hardware.
Responsibilities
- Prepare metallic COPV liners and bond interfaces for overwrap, including grit blast, hand abrasion, and power abrasion.
- Manufacture COPVs by filament winding composite fiber onto liners, including hoop and helical winding patterns, fiber tension, and resin application.
- Set up, operate, and tend filament winding equipment; load liners, verify winding programs, and monitor fiber path, bandwidth, and resin wet-out during the wrap.
- Mix, handle, and apply resins and adhesives per process specification, including pot life, mix ratio, and material traceability.
- Cure COPV overwraps and bonded assemblies in ovens or autoclaves, including thermocouple placement and process monitoring.
- Trim and finish composite and composite-metallic COPV assemblies to drawing requirements.
- Assemble COPV hardware, including setup, bonding, and fastener installation at bosses, fittings, and related structure.
- Complete basic layouts on parts and assemblies to establish reference points and verify dimensions using calipers, micrometers, precision scales, and torque wrenches.
- Follow travelers, work instructions, and standard operating procedures; record work and nonconformances as required.
- Maintain FOD control, material traceability, and a clean, organized work area in a high-rate production environment.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalency certificate
- 1+ years of experience working with in a manufacturing environment
Preferred qualifications
- Experience manufacturing composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) or other filament-wound pressure-critical hardware
- Experience operating CNC or programmable filament winding machines
- Experience controlling hoop and helical wind patterns, fiber tension, bandwidth, and resin content
- Experience drilling, reaming, honing, and/or countersinking close-tolerance holes, and installing fasteners with the correct tool for the job
- Experience reading and interpreting engineering drawings, including drawing symbols, flag notes, and general notes
- Ability to follow written and verbal instructions and to work from travelers and SOPs
- Experience with oven or autoclave cure cycles and thermocouple placement
- Experience building flight hardware or other pressure-critical composite structures
Benefits
- Long-term incentives in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards
- Potential discretionary bonuses
- Ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan
- Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
- Access to a 401(k) retirement plan
- Short and long-term disability insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid parental leave
- 3 weeks of paid vacation
- 10 or more paid holidays per year
Workplace
- Must be able to travel up to 10% of the time
- This role is onsite and is not eligible for remote or hybrid work
Skills
- CNC
- Filament Winding Equipment
- Calipers
- Micrometers
- Torque Wrenches
- Drill Motor
- Power Screwdriver
- C-squeeze
- Ratchet Wrench
- Nut Runner
- Rivet Gun
- Bucking Bar
