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Job Description

Overview

The A Class Pipe Welder position at Austal involves working within a team to achieve production goals while adhering to quality standards and maintaining a positive work environment. The role requires strong mechanical aptitude, experience in welding, and the ability to interpret job specifications on marine vessels.

Responsibilities

  • Read and interpret basic drawings and weld symbols.
  • Pass weld test for all Austal USA weld procedures in the 6GR position.
  • Pass Austal USA TIG weld test procedure for aluminum pipe.
  • Perform P1 welds and maintain associated documentation.
  • Work to Austal TIG Welding standards.
  • Follow Austal housekeeping procedures.
  • Inspect work, identify potential problems, and initiate corrective actions.
  • Increase awareness of Quality procedures within the department.
  • Perform as a productive team member that meets daily goals set by the supervisor.
  • Continuously improve communications and flexibility within the team.
  • Help build the team environment.
  • Build pride of workmanship and quality through on-the-job training.
  • Contribute towards innovation and productivity improvements.
  • Assist in the control of waste elimination.
  • Assist supervisor in maintaining control of department equipment and its maintenance.
  • Have a full set of personal tools.
  • Work towards the team goal of delivering the vessel on time.
  • Start shift on time and follow Austal guidelines.
  • Ensure work area is clean and tools are stowed safely.
  • Perform work in compliance with NAVSEA STD Items.
  • Travel to off-site work locations as required.

Requirements

  • 1 year minimum work experience as a B-class pipe welder at Austal or 2 years in a similar role.
  • Ability to pass 'A Class' skills validation test for restricted open root welds.
  • Ability to successfully complete onboarding procedures to pass 6GR weld qualification test requirements.
  • Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions and correspondence.
  • Ability to write simple correspondence.
  • Ability to perform basic mathematical operations using the metric system.
  • Ability to carry out instructions in written, oral, or diagram form.
  • Ability to deal with problems that may arise in certain situations.

Additional Information

  • Must comply with employment eligibility guidelines including age and background checks.
  • Must be able to tour all vessels and work sites.
  • Must utilize personal protective equipment as per OSHA standards.
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How this job compares in San Diego, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $43/hr, this posting sits about 19% above the $36/hr median for welding jobs in San Diego, CA — toward the top of a $33–$39/hr middle band drawn from 22 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 91% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. Pay that far above local median usually comes attached to something: a harder cert requirement, travel, night shift, or overtime that isn't really optional. Worth establishing which before you accept.

The local market in San Diego, CA

We're tracking 25 other active welding openings in San Diego, CA right now, from 18 different employers. 1 of them was added in the last week. Across California as a whole we're tracking 627 other active welding openings from 306 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.

Austal USA currently has 8 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 (31), Aerotek (16), 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 Redondo Beach at $51/hr, Santa Ana at $48/hr, and Long Beach at $40/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for TIG. 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

  • NAVSEA — the Naval Sea Systems Command welding standards used on US Navy shipbuilding and repair. Qualification is yard-specific and typically comes with a background check.

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 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. A Class Pipe Welder - SDCA figures were last recalculated when this page was built.