Composites Technician-Bike Shop
About The Position
The Composites Technician supports the Bike Shop’s rapid prototyping, early demonstration, and product development work within the Hardware Engineering directorate. The role works with the composites team to plan, fabricate, and deliver composites projects on time, providing hands-on mechanical fabrication and related support across a fluid range of shop needs. The Bike Shop provides engineering and test support, procurement coordination, and electrical and mechanical fabrication to help engineering teams develop demonstrated solutions. The technician reads engineering drawings, models, and specifications; estimates project fabrication needs; sources materials and tools; performs composites and mechanical work; and completes final inspection and project closeout. This is an onsite position in Tucson, Arizona. An active and transferable U.S. government security clearance is required before the start date, with the ability to obtain an interim clearance also required. U.S. citizenship is required for eligibility for the clearance.
Requirements
- Typically, an AA/AS degree or other two-year post-high-school training, and at least eight years of experience in a manufacturing or composites shop environment.
- Relevant composites and woodworking experience.
- Relevant knowledge of adhesives and silicones.
- Experience reading fabrication drawings.
- Active and transferable U.S. government-issued security clearance required before the start date; ability to obtain an interim clearance is required.
- U.S. citizenship, as required for security-clearance eligibility.
Nice To Haves
- Experience using 3D CAD programs.
- Knowledge of materials, machining processes, plating, hardware, and inserts.
- Experience working with small engines.
Responsibilities
- Read and interpret engineering drawings, models, and specifications, including tolerances, ply schedules, fiber orientations, and surface-finish requirements.
- Estimate labor hours, material costs, lead times, and tooling needs; identify manufacturability issues and communicate or negotiate technical requirements.
- Initiate quotes and order raw materials, hardware, and machine tools for projects.
- Perform hands-on composites fabrication, including mold making, vacuum forming, woodworking, silicone work, part marking and stencil making, carbon-fiber layups, and fiberglass work.
- Perform trimming, sanding, bonding, insert installation such as Helicoils and Keenserts, and assembly operations.
- Carry out wet layup and prepreg layup, bagging, curing, demolding, trimming, drilling, bonding with adhesives or films, painting, stenciling, and final finishing.
- Perform mechanical and electromechanical integration.
- Complete final inspection of composite parts and close out projects.
- Perform varied hands-on mechanical fabrication tasks as project needs require.
Benefits
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Life insurance
- Short-term disability
- Long-term disability
- 401(k) match
- Flexible spending accounts
- Flexible work schedules
- Employee assistance program
- Employee Scholar Program
- Parental leave
- Paid time off
- Holidays
- Potential eligibility for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
Associate degree
