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Job Description

Overview

Pipe Welders are responsible for assembling, maintaining, and installing structural units and piping systems, requiring skills in various welding operations and a strong understanding of piping practices.

Responsibilities

  • Read and understand drawings, sketches, welding symbols, specifications, and instructions.
  • Set up and operate metal arc welding equipment for GMAW, GTAW, and SMAW welding operations.
  • Set current, gas pressures, and regulate pressure controls.
  • Select rod, wire, tips, and electrodes for specific operations.
  • Fit and position parts according to drawing specifications and secure holding devices.
  • Obtain proper penetration and fusion, avoiding burning or distortion of metal.
  • Detect defective material and report unusual conditions to the supervisor.
  • Assist other employees in fitting and positioning parts.
  • Perform associated duties or related work as assigned.
  • Assemble threaded piping systems from ½" up to 2" in carbon steel or stainless steel.
  • Bend stainless tubing and assemble compression fittings for projects.
  • Fabricate moderately complicated small structures from carbon steel or stainless steel.
  • Perform general piping duties beyond pipe fabrication.
  • Generate material lists to meet project requirements.
  • Maintain equipment and work area in a clean and orderly condition.
  • Contribute to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed.
  • Responsible for all other duties as assigned.

Requirements

  • Must have 6G Welding Certification.
  • Minimum of four (4) years welding experience required.
  • Knowledge of good piping practices.
  • Must be self-motivated and able to manage time effectively.
  • Ability to communicate professionally at all levels of the organization.
  • Must be able to work nights and weekends.
  • Good driving record preferred.
  • OSHA 10 Certification required.
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How this job compares in Hampton, VA

Pay in context

This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, pipe welder jobs across Virginia currently run a median of $32/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $29–$41/hr across 11 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 Hampton, VA

Hampton, VA currently has 4 other active welding openings besides this one, spread across 4 employers. 1 of them was added in the last week. Across Virginia as a whole we're tracking 180 other active welding openings from 114 employers. That's enough local activity to be worth comparing two or three offers before committing. Browse every welding job in Hampton, or widen the search to Virginia.

CST-Mechanical currently has 1 other opening 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 Colonna's Shipyard (8), HII (7), and Mission Technologies, a division of HII (6). 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 $41/hr, and Norfolk at $32/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 pipe welder openings if you want to compare this against similar roles.

Certifications this posting mentions

  • 6G — a pipe test welded on a joint fixed at a 45-degree incline. Because the torch has to travel through flat, vertical, and overhead angles in a single pass, passing 6G qualifies you for every position on pipe — which is why it is the ticket that separates pipe welders from plate welders on pay.

Read straight from this posting's text. Confirm the exact qualification the employer wants before you test — requirements vary by shop even under the same code.

Similar openings near Hampton, VA

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