Aircraft firm seeks to hire 25

Aircraft repair company Aerospace Precision will move distribution operations from Seattle to Hollywood and add 25 employees.

The company, with 40 employees, is looking for engineers, machine operators and other experienced staff, executives said on Tuesday during a visit by Gov. Rick Scott.

“What’s exciting is they’re adding jobs,” Scott said. “Already they’re adding 25 ... and hopefully more to come.”

CEO Pierre Pinsonnault moved from Washington state to South Florida last year to tap the area’s large pool of experienced aviation workers.

The company expects to pay starting salaries of about $50,000 per year for its new Hollywood employees, Pinsonnault said.

The expansion highlights the strength of the aviation industry in South Florida, a business targeted for

growth in Broward County, said Bob Swindell, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, the county’s economic development group.

During Tuesday’s tour, the governor handed out Aerospace Precision’s local Employee of the Year award to Abhishek Wakaskar, an engineer born in Mumbai, India. Wakaskar came to the U.S. in 2008 to work for the company.

“I’m so excited to be part of this growth,” Wakaskar said.

Based in Seattle, Aerospace Precision also has offices in Singapore and Jordan, according to its website.