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Job Description

Overview

Continental Tide Defense Systems, Inc. is seeking an experienced and skilled Welder II for their Norfolk, VA office. The successful candidate will join the Fleet Services Group performing various ship repair, modernization, and Alteration Installation Team (AIT) projects.

Responsibilities

  • Join, fabricate, and repair metal and other weldable material using appropriate welding techniques.
  • Perform various welding processes to repair, modify and install pipes, structures, foundations, and fittings associated with shipboard systems.
  • Fabricate and install fixtures and jigs required for welding process alignments.
  • Interpret blueprints, specifications, diagrams, or schematics to determine the appropriate welding process.
  • Select required welding filler materials, joint design, and heat ranges to ensure quality welding operations.
  • Inspect completed welds for structural soundness and adherence to NAVSEA, ABS & AWS standards.
  • Install or repair equipment, such as pipes, valves, floors, and tank linings.
  • Utilize SMAW, GMAW & GTAW, Ship Fitting, and OXY ACC & Propane GAS Cutting torch.
  • Weld multiple types, thicknesses & sizes of pipe, plate & bar material in various positions.
  • Mentor & provide guidance to less-experienced welders.
  • Participate in daily safety meetings and maintain a clean, organized work environment.
  • Perform additional duties outside of standard responsibilities as needed.

Requirements

  • Must possess a REAL ID or U.S. Passport.
  • Must possess a high school, trade or vocational school degree.
  • 5-10 years of direct experience in ship repair and installation of HM&E systems and equipment.
  • Ability to read and interpret ship installation drawings and specifications is preferred.
  • Must have or have the ability to obtain a SECRET clearance.
  • Must have the ability to obtain base access and security credentials.
  • Travel may be required up to 75% of the time.
  • Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
  • Demonstrated reliability and punctuality.
  • Possess basic and some advanced specialized welder's tools.
  • Must be able to pass an Audiogram, Respirator Fit Test, & physical.

Benefits

  • 401k

Additional Information

  • Location: Norfolk, VA
  • Veteran and retired candidates welcome.
  • Exposure to extreme weather conditions.
  • Must be able to lift and carry 30 lbs. or more.
  • Site visits may involve standing on various surfaces and angles.

Benefits

401k
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How this job compares in Norfolk, VA

Pay in context

At roughly $27/hr, this posting comes in about 14% below the $32/hr median for welding jobs in Norfolk, VA, where the middle half runs $29–$35/hr across 17 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 24% 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 Norfolk, VA

We're tracking 28 other active welding openings in Norfolk, VA right now, from 17 different employers. 1 of them was added in the last week. Across Virginia as a whole we're tracking 185 other active welding openings from 109 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Norfolk, or widen the search to Virginia.

The most active employers in Virginia at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are HII (10), Colonna's Shipyard (8), and Mission Technologies, a division of HII (7). 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 $34/hr, Verona at $33/hr, and Norfolk at $32/hr. Norfolk is among them.

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.

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 Norfolk, VA

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