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Job Description

Overview

NBBB has been crafting vessels on Whidbey Island since 1964, focusing on building state-of-the-art ships. As a Marine Structural Fabrication Specialist, you will translate drawings into steel and aluminum structures, working in various settings from fabrication shops to final assembly.

Responsibilities

  • Lay out, cut, form, and fit metal structures for new builds and rebuilds.
  • Switch between shop fabrication, jig-based module work, and on-boat assembly.
  • Assemble modules and superstructures using custom jigs.
  • Interpret standard and metric engineering drawings for planning and verification.
  • Tack and perform minor welding with MIG and Arc processes.
  • Operate metal-forming equipment including shears, band saws, rollers, and press brakes.
  • Cut with oxygen/propane torches and plasma cutters.
  • Use grinders, levels, and tape measures with precision.
  • Problem-solve and communicate clearly with the crew.
  • Uphold safety culture with safe work practices.
  • Build strong relationships with teammates and supervisors.
  • Share shipfitting knowledge to support learners and apprentices.
  • Assist with ad hoc tasks in a fast-moving environment.

Requirements

  • High school diploma/GED or vocational training.
  • 3+ years of shipbuilding or marine metalwork experience.
  • Comfort with basic math for layout, measurement, and fit-up.
  • Hands-on knowledge of shipfitting tools and equipment.
  • Ability to read, interpret, and work from drawings and blueprints.
  • Understanding of materials, fabrication methods, and marine repair/build techniques.
  • Clear, concise communication skills.
  • Experience working around heavy machinery.
  • Physical capability to lift/carry up to 50 lbs.
  • Comfort working at heights up to 60 ft.
  • Ability to enter confined spaces using a respirator.
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How this job compares in Freeland, WA

Pay in context

This employer didn't publish a rate. For reference, welding jobs across Washington currently run a median of $30/hr in our index, with the middle half of them falling between $28–$34/hr across 87 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 Freeland, WA

Freeland, WA is a small market in our index: 1 other active welding opening alongside this one, from 1 employer. Across Washington as a whole we're tracking 106 other active welding openings from 67 employers. With this few local postings, most welders here end up either commuting or looking at travel work. Browse welding jobs across Washington.

The most active employers in Washington at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Welding Shop in Seattle, WA (12), All American Marine (8), and Parker Hannifin (5). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Washington, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Seattle at $38/hr, Shelton at $30/hr, and Bellingham at $30/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

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.

See all structural welder openings if you want to compare this against similar roles.

Similar openings near Freeland, WA

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