Composite Technician
Also posted as Composite Fabrication Technician; Composite Repair Technician; Marine Laminator; Advanced Materials Technician
A composite technician performs composite layup and bonding, vacuum bagging and curing, and damage assessment and repair to keep ship structures, components, and production systems safe, reliable, compliant, and ready for operation. Most people start with a high school diploma plus employer or technical training rather than a four-year degree.
Below: what it pays, what you'd do, the skills you need, and how to become one.
The role profile
Everything you need to know about this role, the same details employers use to post openings and colleges use to build training.
How much does it pay?
Explore the core responsibilities of this role, from daily operations and equipment handling to safety, quality, and performance requirements.
Lay up and bond composites
Cut, place, and bond composite plies to drawing on ship structures and components.
Bag and cure parts
Run vacuum bagging, cure cycles, and consumables to hit specified material properties.
Assess and repair damage
Map defects, scarf out damage, and rebuild laminate to approved repair procedures.
Read ship drawings
Work from blueprints, ship drawings, and layup schedules to build parts right the first time.
What skills do you need?
Three core skills sit at the heart of this role. You can learn all of them through short, hands-on training.
Composite Layup
Placing and bonding plies, cores, and adhesives to laminate schedules.
Vacuum Bagging & Curing
Bagging, debulking, and curing parts under controlled pressure and heat.
Damage Repair
Assessing composite damage and restoring structure to approved specs.
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