Boeing New Orleans Michoud in 2026
Boeing's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans East is where the core stage of NASA's Space Launch System gets built — the largest rocket stage manufactured in the United States since the Saturn V. The 832-acre facility along the Industrial Canal has been building rockets since the 1960s, and in 2026 it remains Boeing's primary site for human-rated launch vehicle production.
What Boeing builds at Michoud
The Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) is a government-owned, contractor-operated site managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. Boeing holds the prime contract for SLS core stage production and assembly. The core stage stands 212 feet tall and 27.6 feet in diameter, making Michoud one of the few facilities in the country with manufacturing bays large enough to handle it.
Current programs at the Boeing Michoud operation include:
- SLS Core Stage: Liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks, intertank structure, engine section, forward skirt. Each core stage uses over 100,000 pounds of friction stir welded aluminum-lithium alloy panels.
- SLS Exploration Upper Stage (EUS): The planned upgrade from the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion Stage, which will increase SLS payload capacity from 27 metric tons to 46 metric tons to trans-lunar injection.
- Structural test articles: Full-scale test hardware used for qualification and proof testing at Marshall Space Flight Center.
Michoud also houses operations from Lockheed Martin (Orion spacecraft components) and other NASA contractors, but Boeing is the largest employer on site.
Michoud's location on the Industrial Canal gives it direct barge access to the Gulf of Mexico. Completed SLS core stages are loaded onto the Pegasus barge and shipped to Stennis Space Center in Mississippi for engine hot-fire testing, then on to Kennedy Space Center in Florida for launch. No other Boeing facility has this kind of waterway access for oversized cargo — the core stage is too large to move by road or rail.
Roles available at Boeing Michoud
Boeing Michoud hires across manufacturing, engineering, and program management. The workforce skews toward hands-on production roles because this is a build site, not a design office.
| Role Category | Typical Titles | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing/Production | Structural Mechanic, Welder, Composite Technician | $42K–$72K |
| Manufacturing Engineering | Manufacturing Engineer, Process Engineer, Tooling Engineer | $68K–$100K |
| Design Engineering | Structural Engineer, Thermal Engineer, Systems Engineer | $78K–$130K |
| Quality | Quality Engineer, Inspector, NDE Technician | $55K–$95K |
| Program Management | Program Manager, IPT Lead, Scheduler | $85K–$140K |
| Facilities/Support | Facility Engineer, Safety Specialist, IT Support | $50K–$85K |
The most in-demand roles at Michoud are skilled trade positions: welders certified in friction stir welding, composite layup technicians, and structural mechanics with aerospace experience. Boeing has had difficulty filling these positions because the specialized welding certifications required for SLS tanks take months to complete.
Salary and cost of living in New Orleans
Boeing Michoud salaries are adjusted for the New Orleans metro area, which has a cost of living roughly 5-8% below the national average. This means your dollar stretches further here than at Boeing's Puget Sound, Southern California, or D.C.-area locations.
| Role | Michoud Salary | Equivalent in Seattle | Equivalent in LA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing Engineer | $75K | $92K | $90K |
| Structural Engineer | $90K | $108K | $105K |
| Structural Mechanic | $52K | $64K | $62K |
| Quality Engineer | $72K | $86K | $84K |
| Program Manager | $105K | $128K | $125K |
New Orleans housing is significantly cheaper than Boeing's other major sites. Median home prices in the New Orleans East area near Michoud run $180K-$250K. Slidell and the North Shore communities across Lake Pontchartrain are popular with Michoud employees and offer median prices of $220K-$300K with better school ratings.
Most Michoud employees live in Slidell, Metairie, Kenner, or the Lakeview area. The commute from Slidell via I-10 to the facility is around 25-35 minutes. Avoid living west of downtown New Orleans — the commute through the city to eastern New Orleans adds significant time. The facility is gated and requires badged access. There are no restaurants or services within walking distance, so most employees bring lunch or use the on-site cafeteria.
How Boeing Michoud compares to other New Orleans aerospace employers
Michoud is not the only aerospace employer in the New Orleans area. NASA has a direct presence, Lockheed Martin operates there, and Stennis Space Center is about an hour east along I-10.
| Employer | Location | Primary Work | Headcount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing | Michoud (New Orleans East) | SLS core stage manufacturing | ~2,500 |
| Lockheed Martin | Michoud (New Orleans East) | Orion capsule components | ~400 |
| NASA MAF | Michoud (New Orleans East) | Facility management, oversight | ~300 |
| NASA Stennis | Hancock County, MS | Rocket engine testing | ~3,200 |
| Relativity Space | Stennis, MS | 3D-printed rocket testing | ~150 |
If Boeing Michoud does not work out or if you want to broaden your search, Stennis Space Center has a growing cluster of commercial space tenants and NASA positions.
Working conditions and culture at Michoud
Michoud is a manufacturing facility, not a corporate office. The environment is factory-floor heavy. Engineers split time between office areas and the production floor. The building itself — a massive 43-acre manufacturing hall — can feel industrial, especially during Louisiana summers when sections of the facility get warm despite climate control.
Shifts vary by role. Production workers and mechanics typically work one of three shifts:
- Day shift: 6:00 AM to 2:30 PM
- Swing shift: 2:00 PM to 10:30 PM
- Night shift: 10:00 PM to 6:30 AM
Engineering and management roles are standard business hours, roughly 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Overtime is common during production pushes, especially as core stage delivery deadlines approach. Boeing's SLS contract is cost-plus, so overtime hours are billable and generally approved.
The workforce at Michoud is tight-knit compared to Boeing's larger sites. Many employees have been at the facility for decades, dating back to the Shuttle external tank program. Newer hires from out of state may find the culture more relaxed and less corporate than Boeing's Seattle or St. Louis offices.
How to apply for Boeing Michoud positions
All Boeing positions at Michoud are posted on Boeing's careers portal at boeing.com/careers. Filter by location "New Orleans, LA" to see current openings. Positions requiring security clearance will note "US Citizenship Required" and the clearance level.
Key requirements for Michoud roles:
- U.S. citizenship: Required for all SLS program positions due to ITAR restrictions
- Security clearance: Some roles require Secret clearance, though many production roles only need a basic background check
- Welding certifications: For mechanic/technician roles, Boeing-specific welding certs are trained on-site but prior welding experience is expected
- Drug testing: Boeing conducts pre-employment and random drug testing at all facilities
Boeing Michoud hires through both direct applications and local workforce pipelines. Delgado Community College in New Orleans has an aerospace manufacturing technology program that feeds directly into Michoud technician roles. The University of New Orleans and Louisiana State University are the primary engineering feeder schools. If you are a welder or composite technician with prior aerospace experience (especially from Textron, Spirit AeroSystems, or any NASA facility), your application gets flagged for priority review.
Skills and certifications that Michoud values
Boeing Michoud prioritizes specific technical skills that relate directly to rocket manufacturing:
- Friction stir welding (FSW): The SLS core stage tanks are joined using FSW, a solid-state process that produces stronger welds than traditional arc welding in aluminum-lithium alloys. Certified FSW operators are rare and highly sought after. Boeing trains on-site, but prior welding experience (TIG, MIG, or friction stir) accelerates certification.
- Non-destructive evaluation (NDE): X-ray, ultrasonic, and eddy current inspection of welds and composite structures. ASNT Level II or III certification is valued for quality and inspection roles.
- Composite fabrication: Some SLS structures use carbon fiber and composite materials. Experience with autoclave curing, hand layup, and automated fiber placement (AFP) applies directly.
- Cleanroom assembly: Propulsion system components require assembly in controlled environments. Experience working in ISO Class 7 or better cleanrooms is a differentiator for technician roles.
- ERP and MES systems: Boeing uses SAP and manufacturing execution systems to track production. Experience with these platforms, or with aerospace production planning tools like Solumina or Teamcenter, helps in manufacturing engineering and planning roles.
For engineering positions, Boeing Michoud looks for proficiency in structural analysis tools (NASTRAN, ABAQUS), CAD (CATIA V5/V6), and experience with NASA standards (NASA-STD-5001 for structural design, NASA-STD-6016 for materials). Familiarity with the NASA Technical Standards system signals that you understand government aerospace requirements.
Boeing invests heavily in on-site training because the specialized skills needed for SLS production cannot be learned elsewhere. New manufacturing hires go through 4-8 weeks of initial training covering Boeing safety standards, tool certification, quality documentation, and the specific build procedures for their assigned work area. Welders then enter a multi-month certification program on friction stir welding equipment. Engineers receive program-specific onboarding covering SLS requirements, NASA processes, and Boeing's engineering tools. The investment in training means Boeing is willing to hire promising candidates with transferable skills and train them on the specifics — you do not need prior rocket manufacturing experience, though it helps.
Future of Boeing at Michoud
The long-term outlook for Boeing Michoud depends on the SLS program's continuation and potential follow-on contracts. NASA has ordered core stages through Artemis IV, with plans extending to Artemis IX. The Exploration Upper Stage development adds work through the late 2020s. If SLS production ramps to one core stage per year (the current target), staffing at Michoud should remain stable through at least 2030.
There is some risk. If NASA pivots away from SLS toward commercial heavy-lift alternatives, Michoud's Boeing workforce could shrink. But the facility itself has value beyond SLS — its size, tooling, and barge access make it suitable for any large-scale aerospace manufacturing program.
Frequently asked questions
What does Boeing build at Michoud Assembly Facility?
Boeing manufactures the core stage of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) at Michoud. This includes the liquid hydrogen tank, liquid oxygen tank, intertank, engine section, and forward skirt. The core stage is the backbone of the rocket that will carry astronauts on Artemis missions to the Moon. Each core stage is 212 feet tall and requires extensive friction stir welding of aluminum-lithium alloy panels.
How much do Boeing Michoud employees make?
Salaries range from $42K for entry production workers to $140K for senior program managers and engineers. Manufacturing engineers earn $68K-$100K. Structural engineers earn $78K-$130K. Skilled trade positions like welders and composite technicians earn $48K-$72K. New Orleans cost of living is 5-8% below the national average, which increases purchasing power.
Is Boeing hiring in New Orleans in 2026?
Boeing maintains active hiring at Michoud, particularly for skilled production workers, manufacturing engineers, and quality inspectors. The ramp toward Artemis III and IV core stages keeps headcount relatively stable. Check Boeing's careers page filtered by New Orleans, LA for current openings.
What is it like to work at Michoud?
Michoud is a large manufacturing facility, not a typical corporate office. The work environment is industrial with some climate-controlled engineering offices. The culture is more blue-collar and close-knit than Boeing's other sites. Many employees live in Slidell or Metairie and commute 25-35 minutes. The facility has on-site cafeteria services but limited nearby amenities.
Browse Boeing careers on Zero G Talent, or search for aerospace engineering jobs and manufacturing jobs in space. For other Boeing locations, see our guides on Boeing Long Beach and Boeing Huntsville. NASA roles near Michoud are listed in our Stennis Space Center jobs guide.
