About the role
Here at The Exploration Company, we are building spacecrafts for humanity.
We are developing the technologies and capabilities needed to make space exploration more accessible. We are looking for a Welding Specialist Engineer to support the industrialization and production readiness of our next-generation thruster hardware, including EBW activities, orbital welding and laser-welded components for a high-thrust engine.
This is an intermediate-level engineering role, working closely with and under the technical guidance of our Senior Welding Specialist Engineer. You will support electron beam welding (EBW) for our new thruster, laser-welding activities for a high-thrust engine and participate on the manufacturing of the orbital welding for the our Nyx capsule propulsion.
You will bring practical knowledge and you will work with design, manufacturing, quality and production teams to turn robust welding requirements into repeatable, well-documented manufacturing processes.
What you will do
- Support the development, implementation and continuous improvement of EBW processes for the new thruster and laser-welding processes for our high-thrust engine.
- Support orbital welding activities (being a qualified welder and support non conformance management).
- Draft, review and maintain Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) and related welding documentation; support procedure qualification and qualification records in accordance with applicable NASA requirements and program flow-downs.
- Support the assessment of weldability, joint design and manufacturing risks, working with design and manufacturing engineering colleagues.
- Prepare and maintain clear welding documentation, including process records, qualification evidence and traceability information.
- Help investigate welding non-conformities and manufacturing issues, support root-cause analysis, and follow corrective actions through to closure.
- Coordinate with qualified welding operators and production teams to ensure that approved procedures are understood and followed; this role focuses on engineering support and does not replace operator qualification or authorization.
- Apply and develop your knowledge of TIG and plasma welding, including their process capabilities, limitations and quality considerations.
- Work under the direction of the Senior Welding Specialist Engineer, progressively taking ownership of defined work packages and contributing to technical reviews.
- Promote safe, disciplined and quality-focused manufacturing practices.
What you bring
- A degree or equivalent practical experience in welding engineering, materials or manufacturing engineering, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, or a related discipline.
- Professional experience in welding or manufacturing engineering, with the ability to contribute independently to defined tasks while seeking guidance on complex or novel issues.
- Practical knowledge of TIG and plasma welding, with experience or familiarity in laser welding or other precision joining processes.
- A strong interest in electron beam welding and the ability to support process development, qualification and production-readiness activities.
- Working knowledge of WPS preparation and control, welding procedure qualification, inspection and traceability; familiarity with NASA qualification requirements applicable to the program is an advantage.
- The ability to interpret technical drawings and specifications and to produce accurate, structured engineering documentation.
- A methodical, safety-conscious approach and strong collaboration skills across engineering, quality and production teams.
- Professional working proficiency in English.
Especially valuable
- Direct experience with EBW, including process development, qualification or production support.
- Experience with laser-welding process development, qualification or production support, especially for propulsion hardware; experience with automated TIG or other precision joining processes is also valuable.
- Experience supporting propulsion hardware, pressure-containing components or other demanding aerospace manufacturing applications.
- Familiarity with quality-management systems and configuration-controlled manufacturing documentation.
Why you should join us!
What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is:
- We’re Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind
- We’re Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them
- We have a lot of Fun - we refuel our energy knowing we are democratising space. It’s a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge?
We'd love to hear from you if you wish to be a part of our journey. Please submit your CV now for immediate consideration and we will be in touch shortly.
The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable.
All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, which will be subject to the country, role, and project you applied for. By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree that any offer of employment may be conditional upon successful condition of this check. The Exploration Company partners with Zinc Work Limited located in the UK (Zinc), a third-party provider, to ensure this process as efficient and transparent as possible.
If applicable, you will receive an email from Zinc upon acceptance of your offer with a link to a secure portal where you can provide the required information to Zinc.