Quality Inspector - Fabrication or Welding experience is a Plus! - skilled trades / artisan - job employment -...

Location

Austin, TX

Wage

$22 – $25/hr

Employment Type

Full-time

Apply for This Position

Posted on August 5, 2026

Job Description

Overview

Athena Manufacturing is seeking a detail-oriented Quality Control Inspector – Level I with experience or familiarity in fabrication and welding processes. This role offers an opportunity for experienced welders, fabricators, or manufacturing professionals to transition into Quality Control, with training provided in various inspection methods and quality standards.

Responsibilities

  • Inspect fabricated and welded parts for workmanship, dimensional accuracy, and conformance to applicable requirements.
  • Review blueprints and drawings to identify weld symbols, weld callouts, dimensions, and other specifications.
  • Visually inspect welds and fabricated assemblies for defects or potential nonconformances.
  • Perform basic inspections using non-programmable measuring instruments.
  • Learn to properly use a variety of precision inspection tools and equipment.
  • Conduct visual inspections of incoming parts, work in process, and finished products before shipment.
  • Identify, document, and communicate nonconforming conditions.
  • Prepare and distribute nonconformance documentation to support timely Material Review Board review and disposition.
  • Inspect reworked products to confirm that required corrections were completed and that parts conform to customer specifications.
  • Document inspection results by completing required reports and logs.
  • Communicate with Quality, Fabrication, Welding, Engineering, and work center leadership to resolve quality issues.
  • Follow established procedures to reduce errors, scrap, and rework.
  • Check inspection equipment for proper operation, safety, and maintenance needs.
  • Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work area.
  • Perform other duties assigned by the manager or supervisor.

Requirements

  • High school diploma or GED preferred.
  • One to three years of related welding, fabrication, manufacturing, inspection, or quality experience preferred.
  • Experience as a welder, fabricator, weld inspector, quality inspector, or in a related manufacturing position.
  • Knowledge of fabrication and welding processes.
  • Experience reading blueprints, including weld symbols and callouts.
  • The ability to recognize weld defects, workmanship concerns, or other nonconforming conditions.
  • A strong eye for detail and a commitment to accuracy.
  • An interest in transitioning from hands-on welding or fabrication into a Quality Control career.
  • A willingness to expand knowledge of inspection tools, blueprint interpretation, quality standards, and regulated manufacturing.
  • A coachable attitude and the ability to follow established procedures.
  • Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office and Adobe Reader.
  • Experience with ERP, warehouse, inventory, or manufacturing software is helpful.
  • Experience with Made2Manage, M2M, or SFM is a plus.

Additional Information

  • Location: Austin, Texas
  • Athena Manufacturing supports commercial, semiconductor, aerospace, and government customers.
  • Certain assignments may involve access to controlled information, systems, or programs governed by U.S. regulations.

How this job compares in Austin, TX

Pay in context

At roughly $24/hr, this posting comes in about 13% below the $27/hr median for welding jobs in Austin, TX, where the middle half runs $22–$32/hr across 14 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 29% 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 Austin, TX

We're tracking 19 other active welding openings in Austin, TX right now, from 15 different employers. 4 of them were added in the last week. Across Texas as a whole we're tracking 914 other active welding openings from 519 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Austin, or widen the search to Texas.

Welding Shop in Austin, TX currently has 9 other openings live in Texas, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in Texas at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Welding Shop in Houston, TX (21), Zachry Group (20), and Austin Industries (20). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Texas, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Pasadena at $82/hr, Dallas at $35/hr, and La Porte at $32/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Austin, TX

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Quality Inspector - Fabrication or Welding experience is a Plus! - skilled trades / artisan - job employment -... figures were last recalculated when this page was built.