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Trades · Welder

Welder jobs in the space industry

TIG, orbital, pipe and robotic welders joining stainless tanks, engine plumbing and launch-pad structures. 99 open today.

99
Open welders roles
$30.00/hr
Median posted pay (33 ranges)
$25.00–$40.00
Middle half, per hour
SpaceX
Most openings (40)

Where the welders jobs are

LA South Bay · 26Space Coast · 22Huntsville · 16Starbase · 15McGregor · 5Bastrop · 3Seattle · 3Colorado · 2Houston · 1West Texas · 1

Open welders roles

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Sierra Space

Welder V

Louisville, COHourly
Trades & techniciansUS person
$37.90–$52.11/hr1 month ago
Live hereColoradoColorado guide →

Who's hiring welders

SpaceX · 40Blue Origin · 35Relativity Space · 4Rocket Lab · 4Vast · 4Firefly Aerospace · 3

How to qualify as a welder

Hands-on TIG experience and a passing weld test. A high-school diploma or GED plus a welding certificate is a common route in.

  1. Learn the basics. Take a welding certificate at a community or technical college. Programs range from about 10 weeks to under a year.
  2. Get good at TIG. Space hardware is mostly stainless steel, aluminum and nickel alloys. Extra practice on thin-wall TIG is what employers ask about.
  3. Learn to read drawings. Blueprint and weld-symbol reading shows up in almost every posting.
  4. Pass the weld test. Most employers qualify you with their own test, so a certification helps but the test decides.

Credentials employers mention

  • AWS Certified Welder. Performance-based certification from the American Welding Society.
  • NCCER Welding credentials. Industry-recognized credentials some community-college certificates include.
  • Aerospace weld qualification. Usually a test given by the employer, often to AWS D17.1 (fusion welding for aerospace).

Typical routes only. Requirements differ by employer and state, so read the posting and your state licensing board.

See training near every hub and major city →

Training near LA South Bay for welders

Schools near LA South Bay with programs that match these jobs. Checked on each school's own site Oct 18, 2026. Not sponsored: no school pays to be listed. Confirm cost, schedule and admission with the school.

El Camino CollegeTorrance, CA
  • Welding Technology (AS and Certificate of Achievement)
    Offers an Associate of Science and a Certificate of Achievement in Welding, with Certificates of Accomplishment in GTAW, Semi-Automatic Welding, SMAW Structural Steel and Structural Steel Fabrication; the page cites preparation for AWS D1.1 and D17.1 certification. The AS typically takes up to two years.
  • Welding Technology
    Offers an Associate in Science and Certificates of Achievement (including GTAW and SMAW) at the Trades, Technology, and Community Learning Campus; a certificate can take as little as one semester and the associate degree about two years.
Cerritos CollegeNorwalk, CA
  • Welding Technology
    Offers eight Certificates of Achievement (including Aerospace Welding, Pipe Welding, Process Pipe Welding, Structural Steel Fabricator and Welding Fabrication and Layout) plus associate degrees, with day, evening and weekend classes at the Norwalk campus. Check the college for length and schedule.

Training near Space Coast for welders

Schools near Space Coast with programs that match these jobs. Checked on each school's own site Oct 18, 2026. Not sponsored: no school pays to be listed. Confirm cost, schedule and admission with the school.

Training near Huntsville for welders

Schools near Huntsville with programs that match these jobs. Checked on each school's own site Oct 18, 2026. Not sponsored: no school pays to be listed. Confirm cost, schedule and admission with the school.

  • Welding Technology
    Offers an AAS and short-term certificates including Aerospace Welding; curriculum is designed to meet AWS minimum skill standards for entry-level welders and the program is an NC3 approved and Lincoln Electric Education Partner School.

Welder jobs: quick answers

How much do welders make in the space industry?

Across 33 space-industry welders postings that list pay, the middle half of posted ranges runs $25.00–$40.00 an hour, with a median of $30.00/hr (as of October 19, 2026). Posted ranges go from $22.80 to $64.02 an hour depending on level, shift and location. Many employers don't publish pay, so treat this as a guide.

Which space companies are hiring welders?

As of October 19, 2026, the most openings are at SpaceX (40), Blue Origin (35), Relativity Space (4), Rocket Lab (4), Vast (4), Firefly Aerospace (3).

Where are space-industry welders jobs located?

Most openings are around Los Angeles South Bay, CA (26), Space Coast, FL (22), Huntsville, AL (16), Starbase, TX (15), McGregor, TX (5). Each hub page lists where crews live and furnished places to stay.

Do you need a degree to work as a welder at a space company?

Generally no. Most postings ask for hands-on TIG experience on stainless steel or aluminum, the ability to read blueprints and weld symbols, and a passing weld test; aerospace or AWS certifications are a plus. 66 of today's postings explicitly mention a high-school diploma, GED, trade school or equivalent experience.

Figures come from live postings on SpaceJobs as of October 19, 2026. Pay is converted to hourly at 2,080 hours a year where employers post salaries.

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