Pipe Welder 1
Location
Lake Charles, LA
Employment Type
Full-time
Required Skills & Certifications
MIG WeldingTIG WeldingSteelStainless Steel6GPIPE
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Posted on October 15, 2026
Job Description
Overview
The Shaw Group is seeking experienced Pipe Welders to join our Lake Charles, Louisiana team. The ideal candidate will have strong experience with GTAW/TIG pipe welding and GMAW/MIG welding on stainless steel plate and be comfortable working in multiple positions.
Responsibilities
- Perform pipe welding using GTAW/TIG and GMAW/MIG welding processes.
- Weld stainless steel plate using GMAW/MIG in the 3G position.
- Read and follow Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS), blueprints, drawings, weld symbols, and work instructions.
- Set up and safely operate welding equipment and select appropriate welding parameters and filler metals.
- Prepare weld joints by cleaning, grinding, beveling, and removing contaminants.
- Perform open-root, multi-layer welds in accordance with approved procedures.
- Maintain proper arc length, travel speed, torch angle, heat input, and weld profile.
- Visually inspect completed welds and identify or repair defects as required.
- Perform grinding, cleaning, tack welding, and other welding-related activities.
- Maintain welding equipment and a clean, organized work area.
- Work effectively with pipefitters, welders, supervisors, and QA/QC personnel.
- Follow all company safety procedures and properly use required PPE.
- Participate in safety meetings, pre-job briefings, THAs, and JSAs.
- Complete required welding qualifications and performance tests.
Requirements
- Previous industrial or pipe welding experience required.
- Demonstrated experience with GTAW/TIG and GMAW/MIG welding processes.
- Strong 6G pipe welding experience preferred.
- Experience welding carbon steel and stainless steel preferred.
- Ability to read and follow welding procedures, drawings, and specifications.
- Knowledge of welding parameters, filler metals, and proper joint preparation.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
- Strong commitment to safety and safe work practices.
- Welding certifications or documented qualifications preferred.
Benefits
- PTO
- Health Insurance
- Dental
- Vision
- 401k
Benefits
PTO
Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
401k
How this job compares in Lake Charles, LA
Pay in context
This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, welding jobs across Louisiana currently run a median of $29/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $25–$35/hr across 34 postings with published pay. That median is a reasonable floor to anchor on when a recruiter asks what you're looking for.
The local market in Lake Charles, LA
Lake Charles, LA currently has 4 other active welding openings besides this one, spread across 4 employers. 1 of them was added in the last week. Across Louisiana as a whole we're tracking 109 other active welding openings from 66 employers. That's enough local activity to be worth comparing two or three offers before committing. Browse every welding job in Lake Charles, or widen the search to Louisiana.
The Shaw Group, LLC currently has 1 other opening live in Louisiana, which is usually a sign of either steady growth or steady turnover — worth asking which in the interview.
The most active employers in Louisiana at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Worley (6), Turner Industries (6), and GrayWolf (5). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.
What you'll be running
This posting calls for MIG and TIG 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 pipe welder openings if you want to compare this against similar roles.
Certifications this posting mentions
- 6G — a pipe test welded on a joint fixed at a 45-degree incline. Because the torch has to travel through flat, vertical, and overhead angles in a single pass, passing 6G qualifies you for every position on pipe — which is why it is the ticket that separates pipe welders from plate welders on pay.
- 3G / 4G — plate position tests — 3G is welded vertically, 4G overhead. Together they demonstrate you can hold a puddle against gravity, and they are the common entry qualifications for structural and production shops.
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.
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- BOILERMAKER - Austin Industrial - Sulphur, LA — Austin Industries · Lake Charles, LA · $38–$38/hr
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- Pipe Welders - Pipe Fabrication Shop in Port Allen, LA — Turner Industries · Port Allen, LA
Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Pipe Welder 1 figures were last recalculated when this page was built.