Back to Jobs

Job Description

Overview

Kelso Industries, with over 4,000 employees across more than 40 companies, is seeking a Welder specializing in MIG and Stick welding in Eastern TN. The company emphasizes partnership, innovation, excellence, and safety in delivering HVAC, mechanical, plumbing, refrigeration, and electrical solutions nationwide.

Responsibilities

  • Read blueprints and technical drawings to plan work.
  • Travel to job sites as assigned by the company.
  • Set up machines by adjusting voltage, wire feed speed, and gas flow.
  • Cut and clean metal surfaces using grinders or torches.
  • Join metal parts securely in flat, vertical, or overhead positions.
  • Inspect finished welds for cracks, flaws, or weak spots.
  • Maintain tools and keep mobile work vehicles organized.

Requirements

  • High school diploma or equivalent GED.
  • Valid driver's license and a clean driving record.
  • Willingness to travel occasionally.
  • Welding certification or completed technical training program.
  • Hands-on experience using MIG equipment and metal fabrication tools.
  • Physical strength to lift heavy materials and stand for long periods.
  • Safety compliance with protective gear and workplace rules.

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • PTO
  • 401k

Additional Information

  • Location: Eastern TN
  • Schedule: 1st Shift 7am - 3:30pm
  • Employment Type: Full Time

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO
401k
Apply for This Position

How this job compares in Knoxville, TN

Pay in context

This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, welding jobs across Tennessee currently run a median of $24/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $21–$31/hr across 55 postings with published pay. That median is a reasonable floor to anchor on when a recruiter asks what you're looking for.

The local market in Knoxville, TN

Knoxville, TN currently has 8 other active welding openings besides this one, spread across 7 employers. None of them were added in the last week, so this is a slower-moving market. Across Tennessee as a whole we're tracking 92 other active welding openings from 66 employers. That's enough local activity to be worth comparing two or three offers before committing. Browse every welding job in Knoxville, or widen the search to Tennessee.

The most active employers in Tennessee at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Oshkosh Corporation (5), AtWork! (3), and Honey Creek Staffing (3). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for MIG 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. 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.

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

Similar openings near Knoxville, TN

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