Soft Goods Technician

Mach Industries•Huntington Beach, CA

About The Position

As a Soft Materials Technician, you’ll fabricate, seam, assemble, and finish soft material structures that make up our unmanned defense systems. You’ll work with polymers, films, and fabrics, using welding equipment to create vehicles and subassemblies. You’ll support both rapid prototypes (where experimentation and iteration are essential) and production builds (where repeatability and precision drive mission success). You’ll work closely with engineers and fellow technicians to translate designs into reliable, lightweight, high-performance flight hardware.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
1+ years of hands-on experience welding or fabricating soft materials, polymers, or coated fabrics (aerospace, industrial textiles, inflatables, automotive, or similar fields).
Experience operating RF, hot air, impulse, or wedge welding equipment (Miller Weldmaster experience strongly preferred).
Proficiency with hand tools, cutting tools, and basic measuring equipment.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and work instructions.
Comfortable wearing full PPE and working around heat-based welding equipment.
Accustomed to working in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment where quality is mission-critical.
Physical capability to lift 25+ lbs, stand and/or sit for long periods, and manipulate large flexible assemblies.

Nice To Haves

Experience fabricating large-area soft structures such as balloons, bladders, inflatables, or flexible tanks.
Experience with Miller Weldmaster equipment.
Background in prototype or R&D environments where processes are not fully defined.
Familiarity with seam testing, leak testing, or destructive/non-destructive evaluation of welded joints.
Knowledge of aerospace or defense quality standards and documentation practices.
Cross-training in related areas such as composites, coatings, textiles, or mechanical assembly.
Experience supporting both development and production manufacturing environments.

Responsibilities

Seam, assemble, and finish soft material components using RF, hot air, impulse, and wedge welding processes.
Fabricate vehicles and substructures from polymers, films, laminates, and coated fabrics.
Set up, operate, and tune welding equipment to achieve consistent, high-quality welds across varying materials and geometries.
Cut and trim welded assemblies to tight dimensional and quality requirements.
Conduct in-process inspections of weld quality, seam strength, and dimensional accuracy; identify defects and rework as needed.
Support prototype builds: adapting welding methods, experimenting with parameters, iterating with engineers, and documenting lessons learned.
Assist with production builds: following controlled work instructions, ensuring repeatability, and meeting takt time.
Handle sensitive materials and maintain clean work environments to prevent contamination.
Maintain welding equipment, tooling, and fixtures; report wear, calibration issues, and support continuous improvement.
Uphold safety, quality, and documentation standards consistent with defense hardware requirements.