Lead Composite Technician

Career Guide

A Lead Composite Technician builds, repairs, and finishes parts made from composite materials such as carbon fiber and fiberglass. They lead day to day shop work, set quality standards, and ensure safe, repeatable processes for high performance parts used in aerospace, automotive, marine, wind energy, and sporting goods.

Browse All Roles

Key Responsibilities

Lead daily work assignments and provide hands on technical guidance to composite technicians
Lay up composite materials using approved work instructions and drawings
Perform vacuum bagging and curing setups to meet part specifications
Run and monitor curing equipment and maintain process records
Trim, drill, sand, and finish composite parts to final tolerances
Inspect parts for defects and confirm compliance with quality requirements
Troubleshoot manufacturing issues and implement corrective actions
Maintain tooling, fixtures, and consumables to support production readiness
Train new team members and standardize best practices across shifts
Coordinate with engineering and quality teams on process changes and nonconformance reviews
Ensure shop safety practices, chemical handling, and clean work area standards are followed
Track output, rework, scrap, and cycle time to support continuous improvement

Top Skills for Success

Composite Layup

Vacuum Bagging

Curing Process Control

Resin Handling

Tooling Preparation

Trim and Finish Work

Blueprint Reading

Quality Inspection

Defect Identification

Root Cause Analysis

Team Leadership

Safety Compliance

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Senior Composite Technician

Composite Manufacturing Supervisor

Composite Shop Lead

Quality Lead

Production Lead

Transition Opportunities

Composite Manufacturing Engineer

Process Engineer

Quality Engineer

Tooling Engineer

Maintenance Planner

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Process DocumentationStatistical Process ControlNonconformance ManagementCoaching and FeedbackProduction SchedulingERP SystemsLean Manufacturing

Development SuggestionsBuild strength in documentation and quality workflows, practice structured problem solving, and learn basic production planning. Ask to own a small area of the line, track quality and throughput weekly, and partner with quality to close nonconformance reports from start to finish.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 45,000 to 60,000

Mid LevelUSD 60,000 to 85,000

Senior LevelUSD 85,000 to 115,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand, with stronger hiring in aerospace manufacturing, defense programs, and advanced mobility. Demand also rises near major production ramps and during fleet maintenance cycles.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

BoeingAirbusLockheed MartinNorthrop GrummanSpirit AeroSystemsGulfstream AerospaceRTXGE AerospaceBlue OriginSpaceXGeneral AtomicsTeslaLucid MotorsRivianVestasSiemens Gamesa

Industry Sectors

AerospaceDefenseSpaceAutomotiveWind EnergyMarineSporting GoodsIndustrial Manufacturing

Recommended Next Steps

Create a skills matrix for the team and identify two priority training topics for the next 60 days

Collect a portfolio of completed work including photos, inspection results, and process notes where allowed

Request cross training on curing equipment setup, process recording, and defect repair methods

Earn or refresh relevant certifications such as composites training, quality inspection, or safety handling

Lead a small improvement project focused on reducing rework, improving first pass yield, or shortening cycle time

Update your resume with measurable outcomes such as scrap reduction, throughput increases, and training hours delivered