Composite Technician

Composite Technician

Airbus Aerosystems Kinston is looking for a Composite Technician to join our Production department based in Kinston, NC.

Our team at Airbus Aerosystems Kinston manufactures crucial aircraft components. On the shop floor you'll be surrounded by individuals who are passionate about aviation and skilled in areas like electrical, structure and quality. Join our team and help build the next generation of aircraft.

Your Working Environment:

The Airbus Aerosystems Kinston facility sits at the forefront of aerospace manufacturing, specializing in the production of large, advanced composite aerostructures. Our team builds critical components for the state-of-the-art Airbus A350 XWB, including the composite center fuselage and wing spar.

How We Care for You:

• Financial Rewards: Competitive pay, incentive compensation which may include profit sharing schemes, retirement savings plan and the ability to participate in an Employee Stock Ownership Plan ("ESOP")
• Work/Life Balance: Paid time off including personal time, holidays and a paid parental leave program.
• Health & Welfare: Comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, prescription, dental, vision, life, disability, Employee Assistance Plan ("EAP") and other supplemental benefit coverages.
• Individual Development: Upskilling and development opportunities through our global Leadership University, including unlimited access to 10,000+ e-learning courses focusing on ways to develop your employability, certifications, career path; as well as the opportunity to participate in accelerated development programmes; and both national and international mobility.

Your Challenges:

Lays out, assembles, pre-fits, and bonds a variety of metal, composite or laminate fabrications, assemblies, parts, skins or equipment.

Follows engineering and manufacturing specifications and orders to determine parts to be bonded and the temperature and pressure required.

Cuts parts or materials to size.

Operates autoclave, hydraulic presses and ovens to complete the bonding cycle.

Sands, burrs and smoothes over areas.

Applies sealing resins to cut or exposed edges.

Process methods and sequences vary depending on compounds, contours and lay-up transitions. May perform complicated rework or repair. May monitor and verify quality in accordance with controlled procedures.

The Company will provide appropriate assistance in job training to enable employees to perform all necessary job functions including the following:

Utilize lay-up tools, which include both optical and hard tools, in the fabrication of composite and metal assemblies.

Obtain required information from prints, charts, sketches, work orders, documents, verbal and electronic information.

Use shop mathematics and precision measuring instruments to complete work assignments.

Must verify work performed is per work instruction and meets process and/or engineering specification.

Ensure equipment and tool certification occurs per procedure.

Use and control of solvents and cleaning solutions in the preparation of details, tools, and assemblies for bonding and paint per established procedures.

Perform routine minor machine maintenance as part of their daily work duties

Routinely move product within the immediate manufacturing work area, including across isle, using shop assigned equipment as required and complete transactions necessary to move product to the next operation.

On an exception basis, moves product to the next operation within a building.

Support the continuous flow of product within the manufacturing process by training and assisting employees at all classification levels.

Additional Responsibilities:

Other duties as assigned.

Your Boarding Pass:

• Must be willing and able to work any shift
• Workkeys Assessment completion OR High School Diploma/GED

Qualified Experience and Training:

Required

2 years' minimum experience in aviation production or equivalent

Previous experience with lay-ups, assembling, pre-fitting, and bonding a variety of metal, composite or laminate fabrications, assemblies, parts, skins or equipment

Must be able and willing to work any shift to include working overtime as needed

Preferred

5+ years minimum experience in aviation production

Education:

Required

High School Diploma/GED or WorkKeys Assessment completion

The ability to successfully complete the following training provided by Airbus after recruitment:

• Health & Safety
• General aircraft familiarization
• Quality Training

Preferred

Training from a vocational school or previous employer in the use of composite lay-ups and fabrication

Citizenship:

Authorized to work in the US

Clearance:

None

Knowledge, Skills, Demonstrated Capabilities:

Required

Strong attention to detail with excellent organizational skills.

Strong knowledge of aviation Quality Management Systems, Safety Management Systems, and FOD programs, preferably in manufacturing.

Strong written and verbal communication skills for interaction with internal teams through all levels of the organization and functions.

Demonstrated ability to work independently and in a collaborative team environment.

High degree of flexibility and initiative.

Communication Skills:

Required:

Effective verbal and written communication skills, specifically in English, which is required for operating in a multicultural and multifunctional environment.

Technical Systems Proficiency:

Required:

Proficient in Manufacturing tools (MES) and quality management systems (QMS) used in manufacturing environments.

Preferred:

Experience with aerospace-specific tools such as SAP and MES systems.

Complexity of the Role:

This role requires sound judgment in navigating complex regulatory requirements, quality standards, and operational constraints unique to the aerospace industry.

Physical Requirements:

Onsite: 100% On-site

Vision: Daily able to see and read computer screens and other electronic equipment with screens, able to read documents, reports and engineering drawings.

Hearing: Daily able to participate in conversations in person and via teleconference or phone and to hear sounds on the production floor including safety warnings or alarms.

Speaking: Daily able to speak in conversations and meetings, deliver information and participate in communications.

Equipment Operation (personal computer, telephone, copies, fax machine, and related office equipment and using electronic identification card to enter building floors and internal doors). Able to operate most office and personal electronic equipment and some tools including production tools such as hydraulic lifts.

Carrying: Daily able to carry documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30lbs/14kgs.

Lifting: Daily able to lift documents, tools, drawings, electronic equipment up to 30lbs/14kgs.

Pushing / Pulling: Daily able to push and pull small office furniture and some equipment and tools.

Sitting: Daily able to sit for long periods of time in meetings, working on the computer.

Squatting / Kneeling: Daily able to squat or kneel to perform inspections on lower portions of the product. Standing: Daily able to stand extended periods of time while performing inspections, for discussions on the production floor.

Travel: Once or twice a year, able to travel independently and at short notice.

Walking (including routine walking such as to a shared printer to retrieve documents): Daily able to walk through office and production areas including uneven surfaces.

PPE required: Required PPE includes, but is not limited to, Safety Shoes, Safety Glasses, Hearing Protection, Respirators/Masks, and/or Protective Gloves as required by site and/or customer site

Must not be afraid of heights and can work on elevated platforms as high as 40 feet in the air.

PPE required: Safety glasses, bump caps and safety-toed shoes must be worn on manufacturing floor