Back to Jobs

Job Description

Overview

The Apprentice Fabricator supports the lead welder and machine shop operations by fabricating, joining, and repairing metal components and hardware. This entry-level position focuses on repairing subassemblies, components, and hardware during APU/LRU processing, with opportunities for growth through hands-on experience.

Responsibilities

  • Support the lead welder in fabrication, welding, fitting, and repair tasks.
  • Repair broken hardware and components during APU and LRU processing.
  • Interpret blueprints, specifications, diagrams, or work orders to determine proper fabrication and welding processes.
  • Fabricate, join, fit/tack, and repair equipment, fixtures, and metal structures using appropriate welding techniques.
  • Operate drill presses, power saws, grinders, welding equipment, and hand tools.
  • Perform GTAW welding in flat and vertical positions; materials include titanium, aluminum, Inconel, stainless – ranging from 0.020” to .065” in thickness.
  • Conduct pre-use maintenance checks on tools and equipment and report any faults.
  • Inspect completed work for accuracy, quality, and structural integrity.
  • Assist with disassembly, repair, and reassembly of components to restore them to serviceable condition.
  • Crosstrain and assist in other departments including paint, clean, thermal spray, and hand finishing as needed.
  • Follow all QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety, and Environmental) standards and company procedures.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

  • High school diploma or GED equivalent required.
  • Prior welding training or experience is required; comprehensive OJT will be provided.
  • Ability to read and interpret basic blueprints, diagrams, and technical drawings preferred.

Additional Information

  • Work is performed in a machine shop and industrial manufacturing environment.
  • Exposure to noise, fumes, welding arcs, heat, and varying temperatures may occur.
  • Required personal protective equipment (PPE) must be always worn.
Apply for This Position

How this job compares in Chandler, AZ

Pay in context

At roughly $16/hr, this posting comes in about 48% below the $30/hr median for welding jobs across Arizona, where the middle half runs $24–$35/hr across 96 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 0% 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 Chandler, AZ

We're tracking 32 other active welding openings in Chandler, AZ right now, from 18 different employers. 1 of them was added in the last week. Across Arizona as a whole we're tracking 285 other active welding openings from 174 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Chandler, or widen the search to Arizona.

The most active employers in Arizona at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Welding Shop in Phoenix, AZ (9), Sundt Construction (8), and Comfort Systems USA Southwest (7). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Arizona, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Mesa at $38/hr, El Mirage at $38/hr, and Phoenix at $30/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.

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

Similar openings near Chandler, AZ

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