---
title: 'Composites Technician (COPV) at SpaceX'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/composites-technician-copv-spacex-westminster-gbdf13z434m7'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-13'
---

# Composites Technician (COPV) at SpaceX

- **Company:** SpaceX
- **Location:** Westminster, MD
- **Posted:** 2026-10-12
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-13
- **Apply:** https://boards.greenhouse.io/spacex/jobs/8876266002?gh_jid=8876266002

## Job description

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

## COMPOSITES TECHNICIAN (COPV)

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: preparing metallic liners, filament-winding the composite overwrap, curing, and trimming, finishing, and assembling COPV hardware to engineering drawings and process specifications.

This position is onsite at a SpaceX production facility supporting Starship COPV manufacturing. The successful candidate is detail-oriented, comfortable working from travelers and work instructions, and able to produce consistent, high-quality composite work in a fast-paced flight-hardware environment.

## 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 (wet winding and/or towpreg)
- 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

## BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

- High school diploma or equivalency certificate
- 1+ years of experience working with in a manufacturing environment

## PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

- 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 (drill motor, power screwdriver, C-squeeze, ratchet wrench, nut runner, rivet gun and bucking bar, etc.)
- 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 (standard operating procedures)
- Experience with oven or autoclave cure cycles and thermocouple placement
- Experience building flight hardware or other pressure-critical composite structures
- Attention to detail and accuracy while working in a fast-paced production environment

## ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

- Standing for long periods, climbing ladders, bending, grasping, sitting, pulling, pushing, stooping, and stretching are generally required to perform the functions of this position
- Must be able to lift and carry up to 25 lbs. unassisted
- Must be able to climb ladders and work in tight spaces around winding equipment, tooling, and vessel hardware
- Must be able to work shift hours (6:00am – 4:30pm Mon – Fri) including overtime, weekends, and holidays based on site operational needs
- Must be able to travel up to 10% of the time
- This role is onsite and is not eligible for remote or hybrid work

## COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:

Composites Technician/Level 1: $20.00 - $24.50/hour

Composites Technician/Level 2: $23.50 - $29.00/hour

Composites Technician/Level 3: $27.50 - $35.00/hour

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

## ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR [here](https://www.pmddtc.state.gov/?id=ddtc_kb_article_page&sys_id=24d528fddbfc930044f9ff621f961987).

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com.

## About SpaceX

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft while building a global satellite broadband network and AI infrastructure to enable interplanetary life.
- **Entity Type**: Public (Nasdaq: SPCX) – IPO priced at $135/share on June 12, 2026
- **Headquarters**: Starbase, Texas (primary); Hawthorne, California (historical headquarters)
- **Founded**: 2002
- **Founders**: Elon Musk

## Core Business
- **Industries**: Aerospace & Defense, Spaceflight, Satellite Telecommunications, Artificial Intelligence
- **Target Customers**: Government (NASA, U.S. Armed Forces, international agencies), Commercial satellite operators, Broadband consumers (Starlink), Defense/intelligence (Starshield)
- **Mission**: To make humanity multiplanetary by building the integrated hardware and software infrastructure of the future across space, connectivity, and AI.

## Products & Services
- **Falcon 9**: Reusable two-stage rocket – the world’s most launched orbital rocket, with over 630 successful first-stage reflights.
- **Falcon Heavy**: Heavy-lift launch vehicle composed of three Falcon 9 cores; capable of lifting nearly 64 metric tons to orbit.
- **Starship**: Fully reusable super-heavy launch vehicle and spacecraft (largest ever built) designed for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
- **Dragon 2**: Crew and cargo spacecraft used for NASA Commercial Crew and private missions to the ISS and beyond.
- **Starlink**: Low-Earth-orbit satellite constellation providing high-speed, low-latency broadband internet to over 10.3 million people globally.
- **Starshield**: Military-grade satellite services for national security and defense customers.
- **SpaceXAI**: Division focused on AI compute infrastructure, frontier models, and real-time data processing (including AI compute satellites).

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Conflicting reports – Internal share offer in 2025 valued SpaceX at **$800 billion**; IPO pricing (June 2026) implied a market capitalization of approximately **$75 billion** for the shares offered.
- **Key Metric**: Annual revenue of **$15.0 billion** (2025); total funding raised **$15.2 billion** across 56 rounds.
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Google (led $1B Series G), Intesa Sanpaolo, NASA, U.S. Space Force, and numerous institutional investors.
- **Growth Signals**: Employee headcount of **11,387** (monthly growth +2.5%); **1,671 active job postings**; Falcon 9 launch cadence of 1–3 per week; Starlink subscriber base covering ~10.3 million people; recent acquisition of xAI (February 2026).

## Competitive Advantages
- **Full reusability**: Only company with a fleet of reusable orbital rockets (Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy), dramatically lowering per-launch cost.
- **Vertical integration**: Designs, manufactures, and operates its own rockets, spacecraft, satellite constellation, and AI platform – enabling rapid iteration and cost control.
- **Scale and reliability**: More orbital launches per year than any other provider (public or private); proven track record with NASA and DoD.
- **First-mover in commercial spaceflight**: Established crew transport, satellite internet, and now AI compute in orbit.

## Strategic Focus
- **Starship development**: Complete testing and operational deployment of the fully reusable Starship system for lunar (Artemis) and Mars missions.
- **Starlink expansion**: Grow subscriber base, launch V3 satellites, and extend mobile and direct-to-cell services.
- **AI integration**: Leverage SpaceXAI for on-orbit compute and real-time data analytics; build AI compute satellites.
- **Interplanetary infrastructure**: Develop technologies for sustained human presence on the Moon and Mars.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven culture**: Employees directly contribute to making life multiplanetary – “hard work and innovative solutions result in big gains.”
- **Impactful projects**: Work on reusable rockets, crewed spacecraft, global broadband, and AI systems that are actively changing the space industry.
- **Compensation**: Competitive salaries, comprehensive health benefits, and equity packages.
- **Work locations**: Primary campuses in Hawthorne, CA and Starbase, TX (with additional sites in Cape Canaveral, FL and Vandenberg, CA). Roles span engineering, software, manufacturing, and support.
- **Engineering culture**: Merit-based, fast-paced, with high ownership; top talent sourced from Tesla, Boeing, NASA JPL, and other aerospace leaders.
- **Open roles**: Over 1,600 active positions across software, AI, avionics, propulsion, supply chain, and more – including internships.

## Sources
1. [SpaceX Careers Page](https://www.spacex.com/careers)
2. [LinkedIn – SpaceX Company Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/company/spacex)
3. [SpaceX IPO Factsheet (PDF)](https://content.spacex.com/cms-assets/FINAL_Documents%20and%20Updates/SpaceX%20IPO_Factsheet.pdf)
4. [SpaceX IPO Pricing Press Release](https://ir.spacex.com/updates/releases-details/2026/Space-Exploration-Technologies-Corp--Announces-Pricing-of-Initial-Public-Offering/default.aspx)
5. [SpaceX Jobs Board (Greenhouse)](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/spacex)

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