Where the jobs are: Civilian Navy

CHINA LAKE, Calif. (KABC) -- It's a tough time for job hunters out there, but despite the economy, there are some employers looking to fill positions. That's why ABC7 is on your side, showing you where the jobs are. A Naval facility is offering hundreds of jobs, and you don't have to be in the military.

A roadside billboard sporting giant missiles offers jobs. Can it be that the Mojave Desert is home to explosive job growth?

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"We do all of the Navy's weapons-related work, both from research through development," said Scott O'Neil, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division.

And creating those weapons takes scientists -- a lot of scientists.

"We're looking to bring on about a thousand people here at the China Lake site," said O'Neil.

That's a thousand civilian jobs. You don't have to join the Navy.

Scott O'Neil is the executive director of the Weapons Division. He says he is looking for people with experience in engineering, physics, chemistry, pretty much anything related to the sciences.

"Where do you find people who are experienced in explosives and things like that? You don't. You train them," said O'Neil.

There is a definite "gee-whiz" factor with some of the jobs there. Some of the positions require hands-on work with F-18 jets. Pretty cool work, and the pay's not bad either.

"Let's say you're fresh out of college -- the average salary is somewhere around $50,000 a year," said division commander Captain Mark Storch. "Very experienced people that might be looking for a job too, we need them as well, and those jobs would be more like $100,000."

But it's not just rocket scientists who are needed there. The center is also looking for a wide range of skilled trades, like machinists and clerical workers.

But keep in mind, a job at China Lake means you'll most likely be living in Ridgecrest, a small desert town of 27,000.

And if you wanted to commute from Los Angeles?

"It would be hard," said Capt. Storch. "About a three-hour drive." Each way.

But in today's tough times, that's a trade-off you may want to make to live in a quiet little town -- with a "booming" economy.

Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division job opportunities

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