Job Description

Overview

The Grinder position involves operating various types of grinding and cutting equipment to remove excess metal from sand castings. G&W Electric, a global leader in engineered electrical power grid solutions, offers a supportive work environment focused on employee success and innovation.

Responsibilities

  • Set up and operate band saw, abrasive saw, sand grinder, belt grinder, and portable pneumatic grinding tools.
  • Use a variety of hand tools including hammers, cold chisels, and files.
  • Operate and/or load the blast cleaning machine as required.
  • Report production quantities and items for each work order.
  • Maintain a safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules, and regulations.
  • Conserve resources by using equipment and supplies as needed.
  • Train others in performance of machine operator tasks as needed.
  • Inspect all work for defects prior to passing it on to the next operation.
  • Document actions by completing production and quality forms.

Requirements

  • Must be able to safely use small hand and power tools.
  • Experience using a grinder, saw, or other similar equipment.
  • Willingness to wear safety gear including a grinding jacket, safety sleeves, hearing protection, safety glasses, and steel toe shoes.
  • Ability to read and interpret work instructions and communicate effectively with supervisors.
  • Ability to operate a variety of machinery.
  • Must understand and follow verbal and written instructions in English.
  • Holds a High School diploma, GED, or combination of work experience and skill development.
  • Ideally has 6+ months of experience working in a manufacturing environment, preferably in a foundry.

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Short and Long-Term Disability
  • Life Insurance
  • 401k
  • PTO
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Annual Profit Sharing

Additional Information

  • Work schedule is from 1:30pm to 10:00pm.
  • The work is classified as Medium – Heavy Physical Demand Level.

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
Short and Long-Term Disability
Life Insurance
401k
PTO
Tuition Reimbursement
Annual Profit Sharing

How this job compares in Blue Island, IL

Pay in context

At roughly $20/hr, this posting comes in about 37% below the $32/hr median for welding jobs across Illinois, where the middle half runs $27–$39/hr across 265 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 4% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. That gap is worth raising directly — in a market this size there is normally room to negotiate toward the median, particularly if you already hold the certifications the posting asks for.

The local market in Blue Island, IL

Blue Island, IL currently has 5 other active welding openings besides this one, spread across 3 employers. 1 of them was added in the last week. Across Illinois as a whole we're tracking 371 other active welding openings from 241 employers. That's enough local activity to be worth comparing two or three offers before committing. Browse every welding job in Blue Island, or widen the search to Illinois.

G&W Electric Co. currently has 2 other openings live in Illinois, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in Illinois at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Staff on Site (13), S&C Electric Company (12), and Gerber Collision & Glass (11). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Illinois, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Chicago at $38/hr, Itasca at $36/hr, and Downers Grove at $36/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Blue Island, IL

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Grinder (1:30pm to 10:00pm) figures were last recalculated when this page was built.