Defense Welding Jobs in Riverside, CA (NOW HIRING)

Join a team where your impact reaches beyond the stars! At Terran Orbital, you’re not just part of the system – you’re a vital force propelling our mission forward. As trailblazers in satellite manufacturing and aerospace innovation, we shatter boundaries daily to deliver groundbreaking solutions that power our nation’s defense and commercial missions. We are a unique, fast growing, and trusted team dedicated to swiftly and efficiently designing, building, launching, and operating state of the art satellites for advanced mission constellations. If you’re driven by purpose, inspired by challenges, and ready to leave your mark on the universe, you’ll find a home and endless opportunities for growth here. Together, let’s redefine what is possible in orbit and beyond!

Terran Orbital is seeking an experienced Sr. Weld Engineer to join our dynamic team. Reporting to the IPT Lead – EPS, the Sr. Weld Engineer will drive the development, optimization, and qualification of welding processes critical to high‑reliability space hardware. This role will bring deep expertise in resistance spot welding and advanced battery manufacturing for spacecraft and satellite systems.

• Develop, optimize, and characterize resistance welding process windows using structured DOE methodologies, including analysis of expulsion limits, electrode wear behavior, and design improvements.
• Apply Design for Manufacturing (DFM) principles to enhance producibility, reliability, and robustness of welded assemblies for spaceflight hardware.
• Partner closely with manufacturing teams and technicians to implement welding process plans, operating procedures, and standardized work instructions.
• Interpret industry welding standards and tailor them to Terran Orbital applications to support WPS and PQR creation and maintenance.
• Develop, qualify, and maintain weld schedules for resistance welding equipment used in battery and power storage system production.
• Collaborate with Quality Engineering to establish pass/fail criteria across battery cell and module weld operations, and lead disposition, root cause analysis, and corrective actions for weld‑related nonconformances.
• Drive cross-functional initiatives to improve manufacturing reliability, implement poke‑yoke strategies, and reduce variation across production lines.
• Clearly communicate, justify, and defend engineering decisions using a data-driven, fact‑based approach suitable for flight‑critical hardware.
• Contribute to continuous improvement activities, including equipment capability studies, weld tool design enhancements, and advanced welding technique evaluations.
• Support the development of next‑generation welding processes and battery technologies for spacecraft power systems.

• BS in Welding Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience with welding materials and processes, including parallel gap resistance spot welding.
• Strong understanding of weld parameter development, metallurgy, and weld joint design; ability to assess tradeoffs between welding methods for aerospace applications.
• Experience with robotic welding systems and automated welding integration.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and qualify resistance weld profiles for battery cells and battery structural components.
• Proficiency with root cause analysis methodologies (e.g., 5 Whys, fishbone, fault‑tree analysis) and corrective action implementation.
• Familiarity with CAD tools and ability to interpret complex engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Background in materials science or metallurgical behavior of weld joints preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to operate outside comfort zones, innovate, and contribute to the advancement of space-based power storage technologies.
• U.S. Person or lawful permanent resident to comply with U.S. government space technology export regulations.

Your actual level and base salary will be determined case‑by‑case and may vary based on the job‑related qualification, knowledge, skills, education, and experience. In addition to base salary, we offer 100% covered medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) match, Flexible Time Off (FTO), covered life insurance, maternity and paternity leave, tuition reimbursement, employee referrals, and lots of swag!

$125,000 — $170,000 USD

Full‑time positions only:

• 100% Company‑paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents
• 401(k) Match
• Flexible Time Off (FTO)
• Education Reimbursement
• Competitive Paid Parental Leave

Terran Orbital is a leading manufacturer of satellite products primarily serving the aerospace and defense industries. Terran Orbital provides end‑to‑end satellite solutions by combining satellite design, production, launch planning, mission operations, and on‑orbit support to meet the needs of the most demanding military, civil, and commercial customers. Learn more at www.terranorbital.com

An employee must meet the physical demands described to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. In performing the duties of this job, the employee is routinely required to sit or stand for long durations of time, in addition to bending, reaching, and walking. This would require the ability to lift or move objects up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift or move objects up to 25 pounds. This position is generally sedentary, with substantial computer usage.

The job operates in a professional office environment but in a manufacturing company. This job routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and scanners.

To comply with U.S. Government space technology export regulations, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. In addition, please note that this position may require a current United States National Security clearance or eligibility for such a clearance.

Terran Orbital is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We consider applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or membership in any other group protected by federal, state, or local law.

If you need assistance or accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at hr@terranorbital.com.

Terran Orbital does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or staffing firms. To conduct business with Terran Orbital, a Master Services Agreement (MSA) must be executed and confirmed prior to submitting any information relating to a potential candidate. Without a signed MSA, Terran Orbital shall not be responsible to any individual or entity for any payment relating to any form of fee or compensation.

And, in the event that a resume or candidate is submitted by a recruiter, an employment agency, or a staffing firm without a fully executed MSA, Terran Orbital has the unrestricted right to pursue and hire any of those candidate(s) without any legal or financial responsibility to the recruiter, agency, and/or firm.