Fitter Welder
Location
Lancaster, SC
Wage
$35,266/yr
Employment Type
Full-time
Required Skills & Certifications
TIG Welding
Apply for This Position
Posted on August 18, 2026
Job Description
Overview
The Fitter Welder position at Chief Industries involves performing GMAW tack welding, torch cutting, and layout operations to assemble steel components, ensuring structural accuracy and weld quality. Chief Industries, established in 1954, has grown into a diverse company known for manufacturing quality products and exceptional customer service.
Responsibilities
- Ensure compliance with quality control standards and maintain required AWS certifications.
- Assemble steel frames through precise layout, tack welding, and final welding.
- Operate assigned equipment with a thorough understanding of its capabilities and relevant welding codes.
- Accurately complete all job-related documentation and data entry.
- Work effectively in elevated temperatures while wearing layered personal protective equipment.
Requirements
- High School Diploma or GED preferred.
- Detail-oriented and skilled in blueprint reading.
- Commitment to working safely in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
Benefits
- PTO
- 401k
- Health Insurance
- Dental
- Vision
- Employee assistance program
- Education assistance
Additional Information
- 1st Shift: 6:00am - 4:30pm
- 2nd Shift: 7:30pm - 6:00am
Benefits
PTO
401k
Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
Employee assistance program
Education assistance
How this job compares in Lancaster, SC
Pay in context
At roughly $17/hr, this posting comes in about 37% below the $27/hr median for welding jobs across South Carolina, where the middle half runs $23–$35/hr across 54 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 2% 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 Lancaster, SC
Lancaster, SC currently has 3 other active welding openings besides this one, spread across 3 employers. 1 of them was added in the last week. Across South Carolina as a whole we're tracking 101 other active welding openings from 78 employers. That's enough local activity to be worth comparing two or three offers before committing. Browse every welding job in Lancaster, or widen the search to South Carolina.
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 TIG. 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 Lancaster, SC
- Welder I — WARN INDUSTRIES · Lancaster, SC · $63K–$63K/yr
- Welder 3rd Shift - Starting Salary $27 — Kloeckner · Lancaster, SC · $35K–$35K/yr
- Mig Welder — Express Employment Professionals Defunct · Lancaster, SC
- Pipe Fitter — FabLogix · Duncan, SC · $76K–$76K/yr
- Pipe Welder/fitter — Aerotek · Duncan, SC · $35–$37/hr
- Pipe Welder — Aerotek · Duncan, SC · $20–$30/hr
Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Fitter Welder figures were last recalculated when this page was built.