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Job Description

Overview

We are a San Diego based custom fabrication shop specializing in high-end architectural and ornamental metalwork, seeking an experienced, highly skilled welder/fabricator to join our team and contribute to work held to an exacting standard of craft and precision.

Responsibilities

  • Fabricate architectural and ornamental metalwork from shop drawings, including gates, railings, doors, screens, and custom entry features.
  • Execute precise layout, fit-up, and assembly to drawing specifications.
  • Perform quality control throughout fabrication — verifying dimensions, fit, and finish at every phase before work advances.
  • Identify and communicate drawing discrepancies or field conditions prior to fabrication.
  • Complete finish work to a high standard, including grinding, surface preparation, and finish readiness.
  • Lead and support installation of fabricated work on site.
  • Maintain a clean, organized, and safe work area.

Requirements

  • Demonstrated experience in architectural and ornamental metal fabrication.
  • Proficiency across all major welding processes — MIG, TIG, and stick — on steel, stainless steel, and aluminum.
  • Ability to read, interpret, and fabricate from shop drawings independently.
  • Strong finish and detail work; a clear understanding of the difference between structural soundness and finish-quality craftsmanship.
  • Field installation experience on custom gates, railings, and architectural pieces.
  • Reliable, accountable, and committed to producing work to a professional standard.
  • Valid driver's license and dependable transportation.
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How this job compares in San Diego, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $30/hr, this posting comes in about 17% below the $36/hr median for welding jobs in San Diego, CA, where the middle half runs $33–$39/hr across 21 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 19% 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 San Diego, CA

We're tracking 25 other active welding openings in San Diego, CA right now, from 19 different employers. 1 of them was added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 416 other active welding openings from 216 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in San Diego, or widen the search to California.

Welding Shop in San Diego, CA currently has 5 other openings live in California, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in California at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are SpaceX (20), Aerotek (17), and Volt (16). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within California, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Santa Ana at $48/hr, Los Angeles at $38/hr, and Hawthorne at $36/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for MIG, TIG, and Stick 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. 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 welder fabricator openings if you want to compare this against similar roles.

Similar openings near San Diego, CA

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