Soft Materials Technician

Mach Industries•Huntington Beach, CA

About The Position

Mach Industries is a rapidly growing defense technology company founded in 2023, with approximately 350 employees, developing next-generation autonomous defense platforms. The company focuses on scalable, decentralized defense systems and aims to advance manufacturing and innovation in support of national security. The Soft Materials Technician fabricates, seams, assembles, and finishes soft-material structures for unmanned defense systems. The role works with polymers, films, laminates, and fabrics, using welding equipment to produce vehicles and subassemblies. The technician supports both experimental prototype builds and production builds requiring consistent, precise processes, collaborating with engineers and other technicians to turn designs into reliable, lightweight flight hardware.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
At least 1 year of hands-on experience welding or fabricating soft materials, polymers, or coated fabrics in aerospace, industrial textiles, inflatables, automotive, or a similar field.
Experience operating RF, hot air, impulse, or wedge welding equipment.
Proficiency with hand tools, cutting tools, and basic measuring equipment.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and work instructions.
Ability to wear full PPE and work around heat-based welding equipment.
Comfort working in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment where quality is mission-critical.
Ability to lift 25+ pounds, stand and/or sit for long periods, and manipulate large flexible assemblies.
Availability to work extended hours and weekends as needed.
Must meet U.S. export-control eligibility requirements or be eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations.

Nice To Haves

Miller Weldmaster equipment experience.
Experience fabricating large-area soft structures such as balloons, bladders, inflatables, or flexible tanks.
Background in prototype or R&D environments where processes are not fully defined.
Familiarity with seam testing, leak testing, or destructive or 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 produce consistent, high-quality welds across different materials and geometries.
Cut and trim welded assemblies to dimensional and quality requirements.
Inspect weld quality, seam strength, and dimensional accuracy during production; identify defects and rework as needed.
Support prototype builds by adapting welding methods, experimenting with parameters, iterating with engineers, and documenting lessons learned.
Support production builds by 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 or calibration issues and support continuous improvement.
Follow safety, quality, and documentation standards consistent with defense hardware requirements.