Job Description

Overview

Industrial Services is a trusted expert in precision machine work and process equipment repair located in Baytown, Texas. The Fabrication Shop Foreman oversees daily operations in a fast-paced job shop specializing in both new fabrication and repair work, ensuring custom jobs are completed safely, efficiently, and to specification.

Responsibilities

  • Supervise and lead shop personnel including welders, fabricators, and helpers.
  • Plan, schedule, and prioritize work for both new fabrication projects and repair/maintenance jobs.
  • Evaluate incoming repair work, assess scope, and determine labor, materials, and turnaround time.
  • Interpret blueprints, drawings, and reverse-engineer parts when needed for repairs or replacements.
  • Coordinate workflow to handle urgent repair jobs without disrupting scheduled fabrication.
  • Monitor production progress and adjust schedules to meet deadlines and customer needs.
  • Ensure all work meets quality standards, including fit-up, weld integrity, and dimensional accuracy.
  • Enforce safety policies and maintain compliance with OSHA and company standards.
  • Collaborate with engineering, project management, and customers on custom and repair solutions.
  • Train, mentor, and evaluate shop employees; promote skill development across fabrication and repair work.
  • Troubleshoot fabrication and repair issues, including worn or damaged components.
  • Maintain inventory of materials, repair parts, and consumables.
  • Ensure proper maintenance and safe operation of shop equipment.
  • Track labor hours and provide input for job costing, especially for variable-scope repair work.
  • Assist estimating department with quotes involving welding and/or fabrication.

Requirements

  • High school diploma or GED required; technical or trade school preferred.
  • 5+ years of experience in metal fabrication, welding, machining, and/or industrial repair.
  • 2+ years of supervisory experience in a job shop or similar environment.
  • Strong ability to read blueprints and analyze/repair worn or damaged components.
  • Experience with welding processes (MIG, TIG, Stick) and fabrication techniques.
  • Familiarity with shop equipment (press brakes, shears, saws, CNC machines, etc.).
  • Experience estimating or scoping repair jobs with limited initial information is a plus.
  • Strong problem-solving skills, especially in diagnosing and resolving repair issues.

Additional Information

  • Location: Baytown, Texas.

How this job compares in Baytown, TX

Pay in context

This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, lead welder jobs across Texas currently run a median of $33/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $29–$37/hr across 16 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 Baytown, TX

We're tracking 58 other active welding openings in Baytown, TX right now, from 22 different employers. 4 of them were added in the last week. Across Texas as a whole we're tracking 1,229 other active welding openings from 582 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Baytown, or widen the search to Texas.

The most active employers in Texas at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Austin Industries (30), Welding Shop in Austin, TX (25), and Zachry Group (21). 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 San Angelo at $39/hr, La Porte at $38/hr, and Pasadena at $36/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for MIG and TIG work. MIG (GMAW) feeds a continuous wire electrode through a shielding-gas nozzle. It lays down metal fast and is forgiving on clean material, which is why it dominates production and light fabrication 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.

See all lead welder openings if you want to compare this against similar roles.

Similar openings near Baytown, TX

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