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Job Description

Overview

Thompson Pipe Group is seeking a Machine Operator for their steel plant in Grand Prairie. The role involves operating various types of equipment, primarily as a crane operator, and producing resistance welded cages for concrete pipes.

Responsibilities

  • Operate any three of the main operator stations independently on the SWP mill.
  • Perform set-up and operate sub-arc welders on the SWP Mill.
  • Inspect completed welds to determine structural soundness.
  • Consistently operate successfully from the sub-arc control panel and the main operator's station.
  • Operate overhead crane to move plate, coil, and machinery.
  • Identify and correctly use different fillers and fluxes for various thicknesses of metal.
  • Measure pipe dimensions and material to the nearest 32nd of an inch and adjust machine settings to achieve the desired output.
  • Operate a variety of machinery and perform minor repairs and lubrication.
  • Perform Hot Works (welding, cutting & grinding) as needed for equipment maintenance or production requirements.
  • Responsible for the organization and housekeeping of designated station and performing pre-operations inspections.

Requirements

  • Must have a safety-first attitude.
  • Be respectful to all persons.
  • Be responsible, dependable, and trustworthy.
  • Complete sub-arc welding process certification within the steel plant under QA supervision, single and tandem.
  • Must be able to pass practical and written overhead crane training course.
  • Must be familiar with machinery and possess a basic mechanical aptitude.
  • Ability to understand and interpret drawings for basic dimensions.
  • 1-3 years minimum experience with arc welding machines.
  • Flexible for non-standard working hours.
  • Must have good organizational/housekeeping skills and problem resolution skills.
  • Required to lift and move objects up to 75lbs.

Benefits

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

Additional Information

  • Scheduled shift is Monday - Friday 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • Overtime and weekends may be required.
  • Position regularly requires weekend work and 2nd shift rotation.
  • Located at 1004 MacArthur Blvd. Grand Prairie, TX 75050.

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
401k
PTO
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How this job compares in Grand Prairie, TX

Pay in context

At roughly $19/hr, this posting comes in about 29% below the $26/hr median for welding jobs across Texas, where the middle half runs $22–$34/hr across 354 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 10% 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 Grand Prairie, TX

We're tracking 15 other active welding openings in Grand Prairie, TX right now, from 9 different employers. None of them were added in the last week, so this is a slower-moving market. Across Texas as a whole we're tracking 937 other active welding openings from 524 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Grand Prairie, or widen the search to Texas.

Thompson Pipe Group currently has 2 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 (26), Zachry Group (20), and Welding Shop in Austin, TX (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 Texas, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Pasadena at $82/hr, Midlothian at $38/hr, and Dallas at $35/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

Similar openings near Grand Prairie, TX

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