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Furnace Technician, Ceramic Matrix Composites

Torrance, California, United States
Full Time On-site

Castelion is seeking a hands-on Technician to support operation of our Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) manufacturing processes. This role will be responsible for operating high-temperature furnaces used in the production of advanced aerospace components, monitoring critical process parameters, supporting equipment troubleshooting, and ensuring successful execution of production runs.

The ideal candidate is mechanically inclined, comfortable operating complex manufacturing equipment, and enjoys working in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This position plays a critical role in scaling Castelion's advanced materials manufacturing capabilities and supporting continuous production operations.

Responsibilities

  • Operate and monitor high-temperature CMC processing furnaces and associated manufacturing equipment.
  • Load and unload production hardware, tooling, and fixtures according to established work instructions.
  • Monitor process parameters including temperature, pressure, vacuum, gas flow, and cycle progression.
  • Respond to equipment alarms, process deviations, and abnormal operating conditions.
  • Perform routine equipment inspections and support preventative maintenance activities.
  • Execute startup, shutdown, and changeover procedures.
  • Support troubleshooting efforts and provide detailed documentation of equipment and process performance.
  • Maintain accurate production records, process documentation, and shift handoff communications.
  • Work closely with Manufacturing Engineers and Facilities personnel to improve equipment reliability and process performance.
  • Maintain cleanliness and organization of manufacturing areas and equipment.
  • Follow all safety procedures associated with high-temperature equipment, inert gases, vacuum systems, and industrial manufacturing operations.

Basic Qualifications

  • High school diploma or equivalent.
  • 2+ years of experience operating industrial manufacturing equipment.
  • Mechanical aptitude and strong troubleshooting skills.
  • Ability to read and follow detailed work instructions and procedures.
  • Ability to work flexible schedules, including night shifts, weekends, and overtime as required to support production needs.
  • Ability to lift up to 50 lbs and work around industrial equipment.
  • Ability to wear required PPE and work in a manufacturing environment.

Preferred Skills and Experience

  • Experience operating furnaces, ovens, kilns, vacuum systems, or thermal processing equipment.
  • Experience in aerospace, composites, ceramics, heat treatment, semiconductor, or other advanced manufacturing environments.
  • Familiarity with process control systems, PLC interfaces, or industrial automation equipment.
  • Experience performing basic equipment troubleshooting and maintenance activities.
  • Forklift, crane, or rigging experience.

Benefits And Perks

  • Employee Equity: Meaningful equity for all full-time employees - share value has increased 150x in three years
  • Personal Time Off: Four (4) weeks of paid time off to unplug, reset, and come back sharp—velocity matters, burnout doesn't
  • Company Paid Holidays: Ten (10) company paid holidays
  • Medical: We offer plans at 100% employee covered and 80% of dependent coverage
  • Dental & Vision: We cover 90% employees and 80% for dependents to ensure you and your family have access to quality preventive and ongoing care
  • FSA/HSA: To support long-term health and financial resilience, we offer FSA and HSA options that allow employees to set aside pre-tax dollars for eligible medical and dependent care expenses
  • Retirement: 401k plan offered to support long term financial growth along side high-impact, high-velocity work
  • Paid Parental Leave: We support growing families with meaningful time to bond and recover. Birthing parents are eligible for up to 10 weeks of paid leave, while non-birthing parents may take up to 4 weeks of paid leave. This time can be used for pre-natal care, pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical needs—ensuring every parent has the support they need during this important life moment.8-weeks of paid parental leave for all parents. Additional paid pregnancy leave for CA employees
  • Meals & Catering: Frequently catered lunches and team meals, plus company-covered meals when extra time or effort is required
  • Snacks & Beverages: Fully stocked kitchen with unlimited snacks and drinks to keep you fueled throughout the day
  • Performance & Fitness: $100 monthly fitness stipend to support peak performance and health, both inside and outside of work
  • EV Charging: Onsite electric vehicle charging available for employees

Physical Demands

  • Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed
  • Must be able to travel up to 30%
  • Must be able to lift more than 50lbs

This position may require access to classified information or restricted U.S. Government sites, systems, or information, as determined by the Company and/or applicable U.S. Government requirements. If the position is so designated, your employment in the role may be contingent upon your ability to obtain and maintain the required U.S. Government security clearance or other government authorization, and to satisfy any citizenship or other eligibility requirements imposed by applicable law, regulation, executive order, or government contract requirements. You will be notified if and when such requirements apply. Failure to obtain or maintain any required clearance or authorization may result in reassignment, leave, or separation from employment, consistent with business needs and applicable law.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

About Castelion

Castelion

Castelion is one of the fastest-rising defense technology companies focused on building affordable, rapidly deployable hypersonic strike systems for the U.S. military. Founded by former SpaceX leaders, the company is working to modernize how advanced weapons are developed and manufactured—using rapid iteration, vertical integration, and scalable production to deliver next-generation deterrence capabilities faster than traditional defense programs. Castelion’s mission centers on restoring America’s ability to field advanced military technology at speed and scale.

For job seekers, Castelion offers the opportunity to work directly on some of the most advanced technologies in national defense, including propulsion systems, avionics, flight software, guidance and navigation, missile systems, and advanced manufacturing. The company hires across aerospace engineering, embedded software, manufacturing, test engineering, avionics, cybersecurity, and operations—making it especially attractive to engineers, builders, veterans, and mission-driven professionals who want hands-on ownership of real hardware.

Unlike traditional defense contractors, Castelion operates with a startup-style engineering culture modeled after rapid aerospace development environments. Employees work closely with flight hardware, testing, and production systems in a fast-paced setting where speed, accountability, and execution are prioritized. The company openly emphasizes a builder mentality—giving team members the chance to own major projects and contribute directly to systems with national security impact.

As the U.S. military increases investment in hypersonic weapons, missile modernization, and scalable deterrence capabilities, Castelion continues to grow rapidly through major government contracts and manufacturing expansion. For professionals seeking a high-growth aerospace and defense company where they can help shape the future of national security technology, Castelion is quickly becoming one of the most exciting employers in the defense innovation ecosystem.

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