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Advanced Composites Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Company Overview Hybron is an advanced manufacturing company that is building lightweight composites at mass production scale. At Hybron, we have pioneered a new composites manufacturing process that ...

Company Overview Hybron is an advanced manufacturing company that is building lightweight composites at mass production scale. At Hybron, we have pioneered a new composites manufacturing process that ...

Helicon's mission is to accelerate the world's transition to advanced materials. We combine AI ... Experience with high volume composites processes and hydraulic presses Nice to have * Experience ...

Manufacturing Engineer - Composites

Los Angeles, CA ยท On-site

$78K - $101K/yr

Helicon's mission is to accelerate the world's transition to advanced materials. We combine AI ... Experience with high volume composites processes and hydraulic presses Nice to have: * Experience ...

We are seeking a highly skilled Composites Technician to join our prototyping operations and support the growing demand for advanced composite structures. This role plays a key part in planning ...

We are seeking a highly skilled Composites Technician to join our prototyping operations and support the growing demand for advanced composite structures. This role plays a key part in planning ...

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Advanced Composites information

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How much do advanced composites jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 30, 2026, the average hourly pay for advanced composites in California is $23.25, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $18.99 and $27.07 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is an advanced composites job?

An Advanced Composites job involves working with high-performance materials made from fibers and resins to create lightweight, durable components for industries like aerospace, automotive, and sports equipment. Professionals in this field may focus on design, manufacturing, testing, or quality control of composite structures. Typical roles include composite technicians, engineers, and material scientists who develop and refine fabrication techniques. Skills in materials science, fabrication methods, and computer-aided design (CAD) are often required.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of someone working in advanced composites?

Professionals in Advanced Composites typically spend their days designing, fabricating, and testing composite materials and components for industries such as aerospace, automotive, or marine engineering. Responsibilities may include creating detailed manufacturing plans, performing hands-on work with raw materials, monitoring the curing process, and conducting quality assurance tests. You may also collaborate closely with design engineers, R&D teams, and production staff to optimize product performance and innovate new materials. Staying current with industry advancements and continually improving processes are important aspects of the role.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in advanced composites, and why are they important?

To thrive in Advanced Composites, you need a strong background in materials science, mechanical engineering, and experience with composite fabrication techniques such as layup, curing, and molding. Familiarity with CAD/CAM software, non-destructive testing methods, and industry certifications like those from the American Composites Manufacturers Association are highly valued. Strong attention to detail, problem-solving ability, and effective team communication are important soft skills. These skills and qualities are critical for ensuring the development, quality, and performance of high-tech composite materials used in demanding industries.

What are popular job titles related to Advanced Composites jobs in California?

For Advanced Composites jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Advanced Composites jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Advanced Composites jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Advanced Composites jobs?

Cities in California with the most Advanced Composites job openings:

Infographic showing various Advanced Composites job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 84% Full Time, 13% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $48,352 per year, or $23.2 per hour.

Senior Stress Engineer - Advanced Composites

Hawthorne, CA โ€ข On-site

$175K - $215K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 17 days ago


Job description

Senior Composites Stress Engineer - Advanced Aerospace Structures
Hawthorne, California | On-site
Opportunity Summary
Join a well-funded advanced manufacturing startup developing high-performance composite structures for aerospace and defense applications. The company is scaling a new manufacturing approach designed to produce complex fiber-reinforced components significantly faster and more efficiently than traditional composite processes. As the Senior Composites Stress Engineer, you will become the primary owner of structural analysis for a new class of composite materials and components. You will build the company's FEA capability from the ground up, develop and validate material models, guide structural design decisions, and connect simulation results with physical testing and manufacturing data. This is a hands-on technical ownership role with significant influence over how composite structures are analyzed, designed, tested, and ultimately brought into production.
About Us
We are an early-stage advanced manufacturing company developing lightweight composite hardware for demanding aerospace and defense applications. Following a significant seed financing, the company is expanding engineering and manufacturing capabilities as it moves from technology development toward larger-scale production. The team works across materials, design, analysis, testing, manufacturing, and production to develop composite components capable of meeting demanding structural and environmental requirements.
Job Duties
  • Own structural and stress analysis for fiber-reinforced composite components and assemblies
  • Establish the company's FEA methodology, including software selection, model architecture, material parameters, validation methods, and engineering standards
  • Develop and refine nonlinear and composite FEA models for novel material systems
  • Use structural analysis to optimize composite geometry, weight, strength, stiffness, and overall performance
  • Develop analysis methods for both continuous and discontinuous fiber-reinforced structures
  • Translate material properties, manufacturing constraints, load cases, and system requirements into accurate simulation models
  • Correlate analytical predictions with coupon, subcomponent, and full-scale hardware testing
  • Design mechanical test methods and fixtures to validate material behavior and structural performance
  • Support hands-on execution of structural testing and analyze resulting test data
  • Perform failure analysis and root cause investigations on development and production hardware
  • Work closely with design and manufacturing engineers to incorporate analysis results into product development
  • Support CAD development, drawing creation, and GD&T where required to move designs into hardware
  • Define structural requirements and provide technical direction throughout product development
  • Support customer-facing technical discussions involving structural performance and analysis
  • Document analysis methodologies, assumptions, results, and validation data
  • Help establish scalable structural analysis processes as the engineering organization grows

Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science, Composites Engineering, or a related technical discipline
  • 3+ years of professional experience performing structural or stress analysis of composite materials and structures
  • Strong experience developing and refining finite element models for composite materials
  • Demonstrated ability to develop analysis approaches for new materials, architectures, or applications without relying solely on established models
  • Experience defining material properties, boundary conditions, load cases, failure criteria, and other FEA inputs
  • Experience using FEA to optimize composite structures for weight and mechanical performance
  • Strong understanding of composite material behavior and structural failure modes
  • Experience developing mechanical test methods for coupons, representative structures, or full-scale components
  • Experience correlating analytical models with physical test results
  • Experience performing failure analysis and root cause investigations
  • Strong CAD proficiency with experience creating parts, assemblies, and engineering drawings
  • Working knowledge of GD&T
  • Strong technical communication and cross-functional collaboration skills
  • Ability to work on-site in El Segundo, California
  • U.S. Person status required due to export control regulations

Preferred Experience
  • Experience analyzing both continuous-fiber laminates and chopped or discontinuous fiber composites
  • Abaqus experience
  • Nonlinear structural analysis experience
  • Thermal or coupled thermal-structural analysis experience
  • Composite manufacturing experience
  • Aerospace or defense structural analysis experience
  • Experience analyzing structures subjected to extreme acceleration, impact, dynamic loading, or other demanding environments
  • Experience developing custom material models, failure criteria, or novel analysis methodologies
  • Experience working directly with composite testing and characterization
  • Experience presenting structural analysis and technical recommendations to customers or senior leadership
  • Experience working within an early-stage company or small multidisciplinary engineering team

Why Join Us
  • Significant stock option opportunity
  • Potential additional compensation
  • 10+ vacation days annually
  • 5 paid sick days annually
  • Paid holidays and additional company days off
  • Daily company-provided lunch
  • 401(k) with employer matching up to 4%
  • Medical insurance with employer contribution
  • Dental and vision insurance with employer contribution
  • Company-paid life, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance
  • Opportunity to establish and own the company's structural analysis capability
  • Clear growth potential as the structural engineering organization expands
  • Opportunity to build and eventually lead a team of structural and stress engineers

Compensation Details
$175,000 - $215,000
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