Back to Jobs

Shipyard Military Vessels

SUBMARINE WELDER

Location

National City, CA

Wage

$40/hr

Employment Type

Full-time

Required Skills & Certifications

MIG WeldingTIG WeldingStick WeldingFlux-Core WeldingAWS ORAPI
Apply for This Position

Posted on October 13, 2026

Job Description

Overview

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Submarine Welder to join our dynamic fabrication team. In this vital role, you will be responsible for performing precision welding and metal fabrication tasks on submarine components and structures, ensuring the integrity, safety, and durability of submarine hulls, systems, and assemblies.

Responsibilities

  • Interpret mechanical blueprints, technical drawings, and fabrication shop drawings to guide welding and assembly processes.
  • Perform various welding techniques including SMAW, GMAW, MIG, TIG, and FCAW to meet project specifications.
  • Use precision measuring instruments to ensure accurate cuts and welds on sheet metal and metal materials.
  • Operate power tools, plasma cutters, and machining equipment for cutting, shaping, and assembling submarine components.
  • Fabricate metal structures by cutting, bending, fitting, and welding according to blueprints and technical specifications.
  • Adhere to safety protocols, OSHA standards, and AWS guidelines throughout all fabrication activities.
  • Conduct quality inspections using measuring instruments to verify weld integrity and dimensional accuracy.

Requirements

  • 5+ years of marine experience required.
  • Proven construction site experience with a focus on metal fabrication or shipbuilding environments.
  • Hands-on experience with welding techniques including SMAW, GMAW/MIG, TIG, FCAW, and plasma cutting.
  • Familiarity with interpreting mechanical blueprints and technical specifications related to submarine or marine structures.
  • Knowledge of shop math, machining processes, assembly procedures, and safety protocols specific to heavy fabrication projects.
  • Ability to operate hand tools, power tools, cranes, and measuring instruments efficiently.
  • Certification from AWS or equivalent welding certification programs is preferred but not mandatory.

Additional Information

  • Local Only (Mobile, Alabama)
  • Must be available for days or nights.
  • Prebadge deadlines for each class are 1 week prior to start.
  • Must have time to test, get results, and have BGC clear prior to the class.
  • 11/12 is the only start date available until the next class.
Apply for This Position

How this job compares in National City, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $40/hr, this posting sits about 14% above the $35/hr median for welding jobs across California — toward the top of a $28–$48/hr middle band drawn from 437 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 62% 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 National City, CA

National City, CA is a small market in our index: 2 other active welding openings alongside this one, from 2 employers. Across California as a whole we're tracking 559 other active welding openings from 267 employers. With this few local postings, most welders here end up either commuting or looking at travel work. Browse welding jobs across California.

Shipyard Military Vessels currently has 1 other opening 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 (36), Relativity Space (21), and Welding Shop in Los Angeles, CA (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 $65/hr, Pasadena at $61/hr, and Santa Ana at $48/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for MIG, TIG, Stick, and Flux-Core 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 shipyard welder openings if you want to compare this against similar roles.

Similar openings near National City, CA

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