Back to Jobs

Job Description

Overview

Optimized Process Designs, LLC (OPD) is seeking a Rig Welder for their jobsite in Stanton, TX. OPD is an engineering and construction company specializing in the natural gas, natural gas liquids, and petrochemical industries, known for its integrity and efficiency in project execution.

Responsibilities

  • Own portable welding rig including PPE.
  • Understand required weld procedure for designated area.
  • Weld pipes, tubes, fittings, and related equipment according to specifications.
  • Operate tools and equipment including angle grinders, beveling machines, and welding machines.
  • Possess skilled knowledge of pipe fittings, bolts, valves, and welding equipment.
  • Work with minimal supervision.
  • Actively participate in a strong safety culture.
  • Recognize safety hazards and risks.
  • Participate in onsite safety meetings.
  • Follow OPD and client safety policies and procedures.
  • Be aware of changing conditions on an active jobsite.
  • Be on time to the jobsite each day ready for work.
  • Display a positive attitude and work in a team environment.

Requirements

  • At least 2 years of general welding experience.
  • Pass code welding test: ASME Section IX 6G pipe test (SMAW & GTAW) and AWS D1.1 plate test.
  • Ability to produce welds that are 100% x-ray quality and visually acceptable.
  • Own rig and all required equipment.
  • Willingness to travel with extended periods away from home.
  • Ability to work shifts up to 12 hours per day and 7 days per week.
  • Meet basic physical demands with or without accommodations.
  • Willingness to attend mandatory safety meetings.

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • PTO

Additional Information

  • Jobsite located in Stanton, TX.
  • Capable of working in outdoor weather and environmental conditions.
  • Lifting and carrying awkward objects up to 60 lbs.
  • Standing for extended periods of time up to 12 hours per day.

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO
Apply for This Position

How this job compares in Midland, TX

Pay in context

This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, welding jobs across Texas currently run a median of $26/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $22–$34/hr across 341 postings with published pay. That median is a reasonable floor to anchor on when a recruiter asks what you're looking for.

The local market in Midland, TX

Midland, TX currently has 4 other active welding openings besides this one, spread across 4 employers. None of them were added in the last week, so this is a slower-moving market. Across Texas as a whole we're tracking 914 other active welding openings from 519 employers. That's enough local activity to be worth comparing two or three offers before committing. Browse every welding job in Midland, or widen the search to Texas.

Koch currently has 8 other openings live in Texas, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in Texas at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Welding Shop in Houston, TX (21), Zachry Group (20), and Austin Industries (20). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Texas, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Pasadena at $82/hr, Dallas at $35/hr, and La Porte at $32/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for TIG and Stick work. TIG (GTAW) uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode with filler added by hand, giving the operator the most control of any process. It is slow, demanding, and the standard for stainless, aluminum, and anything where the bead has to look as good as it holds. Stick (SMAW) burns a flux-coated consumable rod and needs no shielding gas, so it works in wind, rain, and on dirty or rusted steel. That tolerance for bad conditions keeps it the default for field, structural, and repair work.

See all oil and gas welder openings if you want to compare this against similar roles.

Certifications this posting mentions

  • 6G — a pipe test welded on a joint fixed at a 45-degree incline. Because the torch has to travel through flat, vertical, and overhead angles in a single pass, passing 6G qualifies you for every position on pipe — which is why it is the ticket that separates pipe welders from plate welders on pay.
  • AWS D1.1 — the American Welding Society's Structural Welding Code for steel. It governs almost all building and structural steel work in the US, so a D1.1 qualification is the baseline credential for construction and ironworking.
  • ASME Section IX — the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code qualification. It covers welding on pressure-retaining equipment — boilers, vessels, and process piping — where a failed weld is a safety incident rather than a rework ticket.

Read straight from this posting's text. Confirm the exact qualification the employer wants before you test — requirements vary by shop even under the same code.

Similar openings near Midland, TX

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Rig Welder figures were last recalculated when this page was built.