SpaceX welding in 2026: how to build rockets with your hands

Starship is the largest rocket ever built, and it is made of welded stainless steel. That makes SpaceX one of the biggest employers of skilled welders in the aerospace industry. If you can TIG weld 304L stainless to aerospace standards, SpaceX has a job for you, and the pay is better than most welding gigs.

SpaceX welding is not ordinary fabrication work. You are joining metal that will fly to space, carry humans, and survive reentry temperatures above 1,400 degrees Celsius. The quality requirements are extreme, the pace is fast, and the work is physically demanding. Around 200 to 300 welders work across SpaceX's facilities, with the largest concentration at Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, where Starship production happens.

Types of welding at SpaceX

SpaceX uses several welding processes across its programs. The specific technique depends on the material, the joint configuration, and the structural requirements.

TIG welding (GTAW)

TIG welding is the primary manual welding process at SpaceX. Welders use gas tungsten arc welding to join 304L stainless steel panels, fittings, and structural members on Starship. TIG is preferred because it produces clean, precise welds with excellent control over heat input, which matters when you are welding thin-wall pressure vessels.

At Starbase, TIG welders work on:

• Barrel section ring welds (joining large cylindrical sections)
• Dome-to-barrel welds (nosecone and tank end caps)
• Internal baffles and structural reinforcements
• Plumbing and manifold assemblies
• Repair and rework welds on production hardware

Friction stir welding (FSW)

SpaceX uses automated friction stir welding for some of the long longitudinal welds on Starship barrel sections. FSW is a solid-state process that produces high-strength joints without melting the base metal, which reduces distortion and improves consistency on long seams. The FSW machines are large, specialized equipment operated by trained technicians rather than manual welders.

Orbital welding

For propellant tubing, high-pressure lines, and smaller diameter pipe joints, SpaceX uses orbital welding. These automated machines rotate a TIG torch around a fixed pipe joint, producing repeatable welds on plumbing systems. Orbital welding operators set up the machine, program the parameters, and inspect the results.

Electron beam welding

Used selectively for high-value components like engine parts, electron beam welding happens in a vacuum chamber and produces extremely deep, narrow welds. This process is more common at Hawthorne for Merlin and Raptor engine subassemblies.

SpaceX welding positions and pay

SpaceX hires for several welding-related roles, ranging from production welders to engineers who develop welding processes and specifications.

Welder (production) roles are the most common. You will be TIG welding stainless steel on Starship hardware, following welding procedure specifications, and working to tight production schedules. Shifts are typically 10-12 hours during production pushes.

Welding engineers develop and qualify welding procedures, troubleshoot production welding issues, support R&D on new joining processes, and work with design engineers to ensure weld joints meet structural requirements. This is a salaried engineering role requiring a degree in welding engineering, materials science, or mechanical engineering.

Welding inspectors examine completed welds for defects using visual inspection and code criteria. They work alongside production welders, accept or reject welds, and document inspection results. A Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) credential from AWS is the standard qualification.

Certifications and qualifications

SpaceX does not strictly require specific certifications for all welder positions, but having them strengthens your application significantly.

Most valuable certifications:

• AWS D17.1 (Aerospace Fusion Welding) — the standard for aerospace welding. This is the most relevant certification for SpaceX work. If you have it, put it at the top of your resume
• AWS D1.1 (Structural Welding - Steel) or D1.6 (Stainless Steel) — common general certifications that demonstrate baseline competence
• CWI (Certified Welding Inspector) — required for inspector roles, helpful for anyone in quality
• ASNT Level II (Nondestructive Testing) — for NDE technicians. RT (radiographic), UT (ultrasonic), PT (penetrant), MT (magnetic particle) certifications are each separate
• AWS Certified Welder — a general certification that shows you have passed standardized weld tests

What matters more than certifications:

SpaceX cares about your actual welding ability. A welder with 5 years of TIG experience on stainless steel pipe in a petrochemical plant but no AWS certifications will be considered over someone with a drawer full of certificates who welds poorly. The hands-on test is the ultimate filter.

SpaceX trains welders on its specific procedures, materials, and quality standards after hiring. You do not need to walk in knowing how to weld Starship. You need to walk in knowing how to lay a clean TIG bead on stainless steel.

Locations and work environment

Starbase, TX (Boca Chica)

This is where the majority of SpaceX welding jobs are. Starship production happens here, and the sheer volume of stainless steel welding required to build Starship vehicles and boosters means Starbase has the largest welding workforce of any SpaceX site.

The work environment at Starbase is industrial. You are welding in a production facility that sometimes feels more like a shipyard than a traditional aerospace cleanroom. The weather in South Texas is hot and humid most of the year, and much of the work happens in partially enclosed structures or outdoors under shade structures.

Hawthorne, CA

The Hawthorne facility has welding operations for Falcon 9 production, Dragon capsule manufacturing, and engine assembly. The welding work here is more precision-focused (smaller components, tighter tolerances) compared to the large-scale structural welding at Starbase.

Work intensity and schedule

SpaceX welding is not a relaxed shop job. The production pace at Starbase is driven by Elon Musk's goal of building Starships faster and cheaper, which translates to pressure on the welding teams.

• Standard schedule: 5 days per week, 10-hour shifts. Many welders work 50 to 60 hours per week as standard
• Production surges: During pushes to complete a vehicle, mandatory overtime is common. Some welders report working 6-day weeks with 12-hour shifts during these periods
• Shift options: Starbase runs day and night shifts to maintain continuous production. New hires may be assigned to night shift initially
• Physical demands: You are on your feet, often in awkward positions, welding overhead or in confined spaces. The work is physically taxing

The upside: SpaceX pays overtime at 1.5x (and 2x for hours above a threshold in some cases). A welder earning $35/hr base who works 55 hours per week brings home significantly more than the base rate suggests.

Career path for welders at SpaceX

SpaceX promotes welders who demonstrate skill, reliability, and leadership potential. A typical career progression:

SpaceX also moves welders between sites. A welder who starts at Starbase might transfer to Hawthorne for a specific program, or vice versa. The company values flexibility and cross-training.

How to apply

All welding positions are posted on spacex.com/careers. Search for "weld" in the keyword field and filter by Starbase, TX or Hawthorne, CA.

Application tips for welders:

• Your resume should list specific processes (GTAW, FCAW, GMAW), materials (stainless steel, Inconel, aluminum, titanium), and certifications
• Include any aerospace or pressure vessel welding experience prominently
• Photos or a portfolio of your weld work can help, though there is no formal way to attach them during the online application. Some candidates include a link to an online portfolio
• Military welders (especially Navy nuclear-qualified) are highly valued
• If you are coming from oil and gas, petrochemical, or shipyard welding, your stainless steel TIG experience translates directly

Starship is built by welders. Not by robots, not by AI, but by people running TIG torches on stainless steel. It is some of the most consequential welding work happening anywhere in the world.

Explore welding and trades jobs in space

SpaceX is not the only company that needs skilled welders. Browse manufacturing and production jobs across the space industry, or check out positions at Blue Origin (New Glenn production in Huntsville, AL), Relativity Space (additive manufacturing), and ULA. You can also read our full guide to SpaceX jobs or see entry-level SpaceX roles on Zero G Talent.