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Job Description

Overview

Vermeer equips customers doing important work around the world, driven by innovation and a caring culture. As a Welder I, you will play a vital role in producing high-quality equipment while developing foundational welding expertise in a collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

  • Complete weldments in various positions according to blueprints and welding procedure specifications.
  • Prepare, position, and align components using fixtures; bolt, clamp, and tack weld parts.
  • Safely and efficiently operate an oxyfuel cutting torch for preheating and perform routine maintenance on welding equipment.
  • Read and interpret blueprints, welding symbols, and work instructions; apply decimal-based measurements.
  • Access digital drawings and work instructions via computer systems.
  • Identify welding defects, assist in root cause analysis, and support corrective actions.
  • Support 5S and workplace organization goals by maintaining a clean and efficient work area.

Requirements

  • Entry-level welding experience or formal training preferred.
  • Ability to successfully complete Vermer's Weld Training Program and obtain AWS GMAW-P certification.
  • Ability to read blueprints, interpret welding symbols, and apply decimal-based measurements.
  • Ability to access and interpret digital work instructions and drawings using computer systems.
  • Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to recommend corrective actions.
  • Ability to adapt, assess situations quickly, and maintain safety, quality, and productivity.
  • Strong communication skills to collaborate with team members and supervisors.

Additional Information

  • Work Shift: 1 - First Shift
  • Work Location: ONSITE at a Vermeer campus.
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How this job compares in Freeman, SD

Pay in context

At roughly $27/hr, this posting lands within a few percent of the $27/hr median for welding jobs across South Dakota, whose middle half runs $23–$29/hr across 37 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 54% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. In other words it is a market-rate offer, so benefits, overtime, and shift schedule are where the real difference between this and the next posting on the list shows up.

The local market in Freeman, SD

Freeman, SD currently has 4 other active welding openings besides this one, spread across 2 employers. None of them were added in the last week, so this is a slower-moving market. Across South Dakota as a whole we're tracking 57 other active welding openings from 41 employers. That's enough local activity to be worth comparing two or three offers before committing. Browse every welding job in Freeman, or widen the search to South Dakota.

Vermeer Corporation currently has 3 other openings live in South Dakota, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.

The most active employers in South Dakota at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Maguire (5), Vermeer Corporation (3), and Gpac (3). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within South Dakota, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Rapid City at $43/hr and Sioux Falls at $20/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for Flux-Core. Flux-cored (FCAW) runs a hollow wire filled with flux, combining MIG-like deposition rates with the outdoor tolerance of stick. It is the workhorse on heavy structural steel and shipbuilding, where thick sections and long welds reward speed.

Similar openings near Freeman, SD

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Welder - 1st shift figures were last recalculated when this page was built.