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Job Description

Req ID: 48454

Team: 09 Welders

Entity: Ingalls Shipbuilding

US Citizenship Required for this Position: Yes

Full-Time

Shift: Multiple

Relocation: No relocation assistance available

Virtual/Telework Opportunity: No - Not eligible for telework

Travel Requirement: No

We’re building tomorrow’s fleet today

With More Than 11,000 Employees, HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding Division Is The Largest Manufacturing Employer In Mississippi And a Major Contributor To The Economic Growth Of Alabama. For Nearly 85 Years, We’ve Designed, Built And Maintained Amphibious Ships, Destroyers, And Cutters For The U.S. Navy And The U.S. Coast Guard. The Largest Supplier Of U.S. Navy Surface Combatants, We’re Simultaneously Building Four Classes Of Ships And Have Pioneered The Development And Production Of Technologically Advanced, Highly Capable Ships For The Surface Navy Fleet For Decades. Think That’s Cool? Keep Reading

The Role

The Role

Build Strength. Build Legacy. Become a Structural Welder

As a Structural Welder at Ingalls Shipbuilding, you’ll be part of the elite team responsible for building the steel backbone of America’s most advanced naval vessels. Your welding expertise ensures the strength, durability, and safety of ships that will serve our nation around the world for decades.

If you’re ready to put your skills to work on a mission that matters, a rewarding career at Ingalls — “America’s Shipyard” and Mississippi’s largest private employer — is waiting for you.

What You Can Earn

Earn up to $39.04 per hour based on experience and qualifications. Additional opportunities for overtime and long‑term growth.

What You’ll Do

Perform high‑quality welding using:

– Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) — stick welding

– Flux‑Core Arc Welding (FCAW) — wire welding

Join, weld, and reinforce a variety of structural steel components. Work from drawings, instructions, and welding procedures to ensure accuracy and integrity. Operate in an active, 24/7 shipyard environment that may include:

– Working at heights

– Confined spaces

– Changing weather conditions

– Day or night shifts depending on production needs

Maintain and follow safety practices that meet — and often exceed — industry standards.

Why This Work Matters

Since 1938, Ingalls welders have helped construct nearly 70% of the U.S. Navy’s fleet. Your craftsmanship becomes part of ships that protect our nation and stand the test of time.

What You Bring

Proven experience with SMAW and FCAW welding processes Ability to work safely and effectively in demanding industrial environments Dependability, teamwork, and strong work ethic Commitment to producing high‑quality welds with precision and consistency

Must Have

Minimum 1 year Welding experience in FCAW and SWAW Ability to pass a military specification welding assessment in the vertical (3G), horizontal (2G) and overhead (4G) positions

Nice to Have

High School Diploma or Equivalent

Why HII

We build the world’s most powerful, survivable naval ships and defense technology solutions that safeguard our seas, sky, land, space and cyber. HII’s diverse workforce includes skilled tradespeople; artificial intelligence, machine learning (AI/ML) experts; engineers; technologists; scientists; logistics experts; and business administration professionals.

Recognized as one of America’s top large company employers, we are a values and ethics driven organization that puts people’s safety and well-being first. Regardless of your role or where you serve, at HII, you’ll find a supportive and welcoming environment, competitive benefits, and valuable educational and training programs for continual career growth at every stage of your career.

Working at HII is more than a job - it’s an opportunity to build a future. We offer comprehensive benefits including: medical, prescription drug, dental and vision plan choices, on-site health centers, tele-medicine, wellness resources, employee assistance programs, savings plan options (401K), financial education and planning tools, life insurance, tuition reimbursement, employee discounts, early childhood and post-secondary education scholarships, and more. Some benefits may vary depending on your specific division or work location.

Together we are working to ensure a future where everyone can be free and thrive.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, or veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law. U.S. Citizenship may be required for certain positions.

Do You Need Assistance?

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to buildyourcareer@hii-co .com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Reasonable accommodations are considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only those inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this e-mail address.

Additionally, you may also call 1-844-849-8463 for assistance. Press #1 for Ingalls Shipbuilding.

Apply for This Position

How this job compares in Pascagoula, MS

Pay in context

This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, welding jobs in Pascagoula, MS currently run a median of $39/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $31–$39/hr across 10 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 Pascagoula, MS

We're tracking 24 other active welding openings in Pascagoula, MS right now, from 14 different employers. 3 of them were added in the last week. Across Mississippi as a whole we're tracking 70 other active welding openings from 41 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Pascagoula, or widen the search to Mississippi.

Ingalls Shipbuilding, a Division of HII currently has 5 other openings live in Mississippi, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in Mississippi at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are TIC - The Industrial Company (14), Ingalls Shipbuilding, a Division of HII (5), and HII (4). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for Stick and Flux-Core work. 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. Flux-cored (FCAW) runs a hollow wire filled with flux, combining MIG-like deposition rates with the outdoor tolerance of stick. It is the workhorse on heavy structural steel and shipbuilding, where thick sections and long welds reward speed.

Certifications this posting mentions

  • 3G / 4G — plate position tests — 3G is welded vertically, 4G overhead. Together they demonstrate you can hold a puddle against gravity, and they are the common entry qualifications for structural and production shops.

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 Pascagoula, MS

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