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Job Description

Overview

Rhoads Industries, a family-owned company since 1896, is seeking experienced Structural Steel Fabricators to join their team. The role involves fabricating, assembling, and installing structural components for ships and marine vessels, leveraging Rhoads' extensive capabilities and skilled workforce.

Responsibilities

  • Interpret and analyze technical drawings, blueprints, and specifications to determine project requirements.
  • Fabricate and assemble structural components, such as bulkheads, frames, and hull sections, using various metalworking techniques and equipment.
  • Measure, cut, and shape metal components to precise specifications.
  • Install and fit components and systems, including ventilation ducts and machinery supports, in accordance with project plans and specifications.
  • Perform repairs and modifications to existing ship structures as needed.
  • Inspect work pieces and finished products to ensure they meet quality standards and regulatory requirements.
  • Follow safety protocols and guidelines to maintain a safe working environment.
  • Collaborate with other tradespeople, engineers, and project managers to ensure efficient project execution.
  • Maintain accurate records of work performed and materials used.

Requirements

  • High school diploma or equivalent.
  • Must be a US citizen.
  • +5 years of proven experience as a ship fitter or similar metal working role within a maritime or shipbuilding environment.
  • Proficiency in reading and interpreting technical drawings, blueprints, and specifications.
  • Familiarity with shipbuilding materials, tools, and equipment.
  • Knowledge of shipbuilding principles and practices.
  • Attention to detail and precision in workmanship.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Good communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to work in a physically demanding environment and lift heavy objects.
  • Vocational training or certification in metalworking, welding, or ship fitting.
  • Previous experience in marine construction, ship repair, or shipbuilding.
  • Knowledge of marine regulations and classification society standards.
  • Familiarity with shipyard safety practices and procedures.

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • 401k
  • PTO

Additional Information

  • Work schedule includes 1st shift (M-TH, 6am-4:30pm) or 2nd shift (M-TH, 4pm – 2:30am) with flexibility for weekends and overtime as needed.
  • Location is The Navy Yard in Philadelphia.

Benefits

Health Insurance
401k
PTO
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How this job compares in Philadelphia, PA

Pay in context

At roughly $35/hr, this posting sits about 18% above the $30/hr median for welding jobs in Philadelphia, PA — toward the top of a $28–$37/hr middle band drawn from 17 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 65% 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 Philadelphia, PA

We're tracking 45 other active welding openings in Philadelphia, PA right now, from 33 different employers. 17 of them were added in the last week. Across Pennsylvania as a whole we're tracking 282 other active welding openings from 180 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Philadelphia, or widen the search to Pennsylvania.

Rhoads Industries currently has 3 other openings live in Pennsylvania, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in Pennsylvania at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Phillips Tank & Structure (8), United States Army Reserve (8), and Aerotek (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 Pennsylvania, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Braddock at $31/hr, Philadelphia at $30/hr, and York at $27/hr. Philadelphia is among them.

Similar openings near Philadelphia, PA

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