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Job Description

Description

Built on Experience. Built for Skill. Built for You.

Keel was formed by bringing together three industry leaders combining generations of hands-on expertise in steel fabrication, shipbuilding, aerospace, and defense manufacturing.

That means when you join Keel, you’re joining a team backed by decades of proven craftsmanship and real-world results.

We build ships, defense systems, aerospace components, and heavy steel structures that serve critical missions — and we do it with pride.

Your Mission

Welding of various pre-fitted assemblies for Columbia-class submarines, Virginia-class submarines, Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers, and associated fixtures. Work is performed in accordance with NAVSEA and/or AWS D1.1 specifications.

Explore The Depth Of The Role

Weld proficiently in all positions with minimal defects. Determine the correct equipment to use and method based on the requirements. Basic welding machine setup and troubleshooting. Ability to read and interpret welding symbols. Basic knowledge of grinding, gouging, and weld repair. Ability to always stay focused and on-task. Complete jobs within budget and timeline. Accept constructive criticism, apply lessons learned, and consistently show improvement in all areas. Familiar and complies with all safety requirements and protocols for working in an industrial environment. Performs other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

Mission Readiness:

High school diploma or GED preferred; or Successful completion of an accredited trade school welding program or equivalent; or 2-years demonstrated practical AWS D1.1 welding experience; or a comparable combination of education and experience. Successful completion of 7 weld tests: FCAW (2G, 3G, and 4G); GWAW-Pulsed (2G, 3G, and 4G); GMAW-Spray (2G). Successful completion of Pegasus Welder Workmanship Training (WWT).

Travel Requirements

None

Physical Requirements

May be required to stand, walk, sit, reach/pull/push with hands and arms, climb or balance, stoop or kneel regularly. May lift or carry 50lbs. Weights exceeding 50lbs will require mechanical means to maneuver.

Become a part of our Builders and you too can...

Uphold Safety and Quality Standards Embody Team Spirit Relentless Customer Focus Convey Integrity, Trust, and Professionalism Execute with Excellence and Velocity

What Keel Will Build For You

Comprehensive Benefit Package Competitive Pay 401(k) Match HSA/FSA Paid Holidays Paid Time Off Internal Referral Bonus Opportunities Shift Differentials Overtime Potential Paid on the Job Training Certification Sponsorship Opportunities Committed to Individual Career Growth We Do Fun Things, Plus More!

Need Assistance?

If you require a reasonable accommodation at any stage of the employment process, please email talent@keelusa.com with details about your request and your contact information. Accommodation requests are reviewed individually on a case-by-case basis. Please note that this email address is monitored only for inquiries related to reasonable accommodation requests.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans

Apply for This Position

How this job compares in Ladson, SC

Pay in context

This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, welding jobs across South Carolina currently run a median of $26/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $22–$34/hr across 54 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 Ladson, SC

Ladson, SC is a small market in our index: 2 other active welding openings alongside this one, from 2 employers. Across South Carolina as a whole we're tracking 102 other active welding openings from 78 employers. With this few local postings, most welders here end up either commuting or looking at travel work. Browse welding jobs across South Carolina.

Keel currently has 2 other openings live in South Carolina, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in South Carolina at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Aerotek (6), ORION (3), and Vertiv (3). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within South Carolina, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Aiken at $32/hr and Anderson at $27/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for MIG and Flux-Core 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. 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

  • 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.
  • NAVSEA — the Naval Sea Systems Command welding standards used on US Navy shipbuilding and repair. Qualification is yard-specific and typically comes with a background check.
  • 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.

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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.