KARMAN INDUSTRIES
Karman Industries is a Torrance-based thermal technology company building the backbone for giga-scale AI infrastructure. Founded by a team from SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and GE, Karman is moving beyond legacy cooling with the launch of the HPU (Heat Processing Unit) - a new category of thermal architecture designed for the 100kW+ rack era.
The HPU shrinks the exterior mechanical yard by up to 80% while reducing peak energy consumption by 10%+. Unlike traditional systems, the Karman HPU provides zero-water (WUE 0) cooling that ensures high-TDP GPUs and HBM4 memory stay at optimal thermal setpoints without throttling.
Founded in 2024, we’re a fast-growing team of passionate professionals dedicated to making a tangible impact on the future of humanity. We design, build, and test real hardware, and we lead with ownership: you’ll own your work from concept to hardware and help shape how we scale. Our values are Ownership, Performance Excellence, Radical Transparency, and Customer-Centricity.
Join us in our mission to transform the industry and contribute to a more sustainable world.
Technician, Mechanical
Karman is hiring a Mechanical Technician to build and test our hardware. You will assemble supercritical CO₂ rotating machinery, cryogenic heat exchangers and compressor systems, working from drawings and build travelers alongside manufacturing engineers, machinists and welders. You will help turn first builds into a repeatable process as we stand up our factory. This role is on-site and reports into Manufacturing.
Responsibilities
- Assemble, align and disassemble mechanical components, subassemblies and complete machines to drawings, specifications and build travelers.
- Set up and use hand tools, torque tools, lifting equipment, fixtures and precision measurement tools (micrometers, indicators, calipers, height gauges).
- Support leak, pressure and functional testing, and help prepare hardware for test.
- Inspect parts on receipt and during assembly, and flag nonconformances to engineering and quality.
- Record build data accurately: serial numbers, torque values, measurements and traceability records.
- Give feedback to engineers on design, tooling and process improvements, and help write and improve work instructions.
- Keep your work area clean, organized and safe, and follow all EHS procedures.
- Support facility and equipment bring-up as we expand assembly and test capacity.
Required Qualifications
- High school diploma or equivalent, plus a trade certificate or technical training in a related field, or equivalent experience.
- 3+ years of mechanical assembly experience in aerospace, turbomachinery, energy, automotive or similar precision manufacturing.
- Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, schematics and basic GD&T.
- Skilled with hand tools, torque tools and precision measurement tools.
- Careful, detail-oriented and committed to documentation and quality.
- Able to lift up to 50 lbs and work on the shop floor for extended periods.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience assembling rotating machinery, bearings, seals, pumps, compressors or turbines.
- Experience with cryogenic, high-pressure or vacuum systems, and leak testing.
- Experience with cranes, hoists and rigging.
- Familiarity with ERP or MES systems and electronic build records.
- Experience in a startup or early-stage manufacturing environment.
Role level to be determined during interview process
Karman Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Karman Industries is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Direct applicants only - we are not working with outside recruiters or agencies for this role.