Job Description

JOB INFORMATION

Welder positions use acetylene, electric, and semi-automatic welding equipment in the manufacture and maintenance of metal structures in buildings and the repair of vehicles, plant machinery, storm drains, piping systems, and sports equipment; fabricate and fit out vehicles; operate a variety of hand and power tools; prepare cost estimations; and perform related work.

Notes:

Employees in job classifications represented by AFSME Local 127 are scheduled to receive the following general wage increases: 3.5% effective 7/1/27 2% effective 7/1/28 2% effective 1/1/29 Eligible benefited employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS). Depending upon assignment, Welders may/must: Work overtime, including weekends, and holidays. Work on an on-call basis for which they may receive 5% additional pay. Work in high places on scaffolding and/or ladders. Be clean shaven and able to pass a respirator fit-test for entry into confined spaces. Be required to obtain confined space certification within six months from date of hire. Welder employees who operate commercial vehicles are required by California State Law, as a condition of employment, to submit to drug and alcohol testing. Prior to hire, a background check will be completed in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse and with former employers regarding drug and alcohol testing results.

EXPERIENCE/TRAINING: You must meet ONE of the following options:

Four years of full-time journey-level experience in all phases of work as a Welder/Fabricator. Qualifying experience MUST include combination welding (electric and acetylene) and the complete operation of all phases of Metal Inert Gas (MIG), Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG), and Oxy-Acetylene welding processes, including fabrication of parts. Successful completion of a state-accredited four-year Welder Apprenticeship Program in combination welding (electric and acetylene). An equivalent combination of experience and training as specified above equaling four years.

Note:

City of San Diego employees using Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA) experience to qualify must submit written documentation signed by their appointing authority or payroll specialist, detailing the work performed, dates, and total number of qualifying OCA hours. OCA experience without the required documentation will NOT be considered.

LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License is required at the time of hire.

Note:

A valid California Class B Driver License may be required within one year from date of hire.

HIGHLY DESIRABLE

Experience with a maintenance management system, Microsoft Word, and/or Excel. Experience in welding and fabrication on vehicles and/or heavy equipment. Experience in field welding piping systems, transmission pipelines, and/or distribution pipelines. A valid California Class B Driver License.

How this job compares in San Diego County, CA

Pay in context

This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, welding jobs across California currently run a median of $32/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $27–$38/hr across 314 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 San Diego County, CA

This is the only active welding job we're currently tracking in San Diego County, CA, which makes it worth moving on quickly — there is no local competing offer to weigh it against. Across California as a whole we're tracking 399 other active welding openings from 207 employers. Browse welding jobs across California.

The most active employers in California at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are SpaceX (20), Aerotek (17), and Volt (16). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within California, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Santa Ana at $48/hr, Los Angeles at $38/hr, and Hawthorne 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.

Similar openings near San Diego County, CA

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