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Colonna's Shipyard

2nd Class Welder (2nd Shift) - Steel America (Job ID: 1471)

Location

Norfolk, VA

Wage

$24.15 – $30.55/hr

Employment Type

Temporary

Required Skills & Certifications

Stick WeldingFlux-Core Welding
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Posted on August 23, 2026

Job Description

Overview

As a Welder at Steel America, a division of Colonna’s Shipyard, Inc., you will be responsible for performing high-quality welding tasks on various ship components and structures within the shipyard and heavy industrial environments. This role requires extensive experience in multiple welding techniques, adherence to safety standards, and the ability to read and interpret blueprints and technical drawings.

Responsibilities

  • Perform welding tasks using various techniques such as stick welding, flux core, and carbon arc welding on different metals, including steel and aluminum.
  • Prepare materials and surfaces for welding by cleaning, grinding, and pre-heating as necessary.
  • Ensure all welds meet industry standards and project specifications through visual inspections and non-destructive testing methods.
  • Repair damaged or defective welds and perform routine maintenance on welding equipment to ensure optimal performance and safety.
  • Identify and resolve welding-related issues on the job site, ensuring high-quality and effective solutions.
  • Assist in laying out workpieces based on measurements and technical drawings.
  • Perform post-weld finishing tasks, including grinding and smoothing weld seams.
  • Work effectively as part of a team, supporting senior technicians and coordinating with other trades to ensure timely project completion.

Requirements

  • Must have at least 3 years of experience welding, in a marine or shipyard environment, or have graduated from a registered apprenticeship program relevant to the trade.
  • Must be able to demonstrate proficiency in multiple welding techniques and a strong understanding of welding procedures and safety standards.
  • Must be proficient in metalworking, welding, and blueprint interpretation.
  • Must be able to lift heavy materials, work at heights, and operate in confined spaces.
  • Must be proficient in Stick Welding (SMAW) and Flux Core Welding (FCAW) techniques in the horizontal, vertical and overhead positions.
  • Previous technical training highly preferred.
  • Relevant certifications in welding, such as AWS (American Welding Society), or equivalent, are preferred.

Benefits

  • 401k
  • PTO

Additional Information

  • Position is located onsite in Norfolk VA.
  • Position may require limited travel.
  • Often requires hours beyond a standard work week with flexible schedule availability to support production/operations.

Benefits

401k
PTO
Apply for This Position

How this job compares in Norfolk, VA

Pay in context

At roughly $27/hr, this posting comes in about 15% below the $32/hr median for welding jobs in Norfolk, VA, where the middle half runs $29–$35/hr across 15 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 20% 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 Norfolk, VA

We're tracking 26 other active welding openings in Norfolk, VA right now, from 17 different employers. 5 of them were added in the last week. Across Virginia as a whole we're tracking 171 other active welding openings from 118 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Norfolk, or widen the search to Virginia.

Colonna's Shipyard currently has 5 other openings live in Virginia, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in Virginia at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are HII (6), Mission Technologies, a division of HII (5), and Aerotek (5). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Virginia, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Newport News at $41/hr, Portsmouth at $37/hr, and Norfolk at $32/hr. Norfolk is among them.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for Stick and Flux-Core work. Stick (SMAW) burns a flux-coated consumable rod and needs no shielding gas, so it works in wind, rain, and on dirty or rusted steel. That tolerance for bad conditions keeps it the default for field, structural, and repair 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.

Similar openings near Norfolk, VA

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. 2nd Class Welder (2nd Shift) - Steel America (Job ID: 1471) figures were last recalculated when this page was built.