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Job Description

Overview

We are looking for a talented, highly skilled metalworker with an eye for detail and precision to work within a collaborative team. We design and build furniture, sculpture and architectural details in a variety of materials.

Responsibilities

  • Take projects from layout to completion in both ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
  • Utilize manual machining skills including mill, lathe, drill, tap, and sharpen.
  • Apply a range of welding techniques including TIG, MIG, brazing, structural, and cosmetic.
  • Form and bend metals using techniques such as blacksmithing and press.
  • Integrate metal with other materials like wood, glass, and acrylic.
  • Lead other fabricators by dividing project workload and delegating tasks.
  • Maintain focus on the big picture while executing detail-oriented tasks.

Requirements

  • 5+ years of experience in architectural or sculptural metalwork.
  • Exceptional skill with metal fabrication procedures and shop equipment.
  • Comprehension of detailed shop drawings and principles of layout.
  • Comfortable working in both a shop and site environment.
  • Ability to lift at least 50 lbs.
  • Valid driver's license.
  • Stellar communication skills.
  • Constant professionalism.
  • Ability to work well independently and as part of a team.

Benefits

  • PTO
  • Retirement contribution system
  • Professional development assistance
  • Annual bonus structure

Additional Information

  • Working hours are M-F 6:30am - 2:30pm, subject to change.

Benefits

PTO
Retirement contribution system
Professional development assistance
Annual bonus structure
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How this job compares in San Francisco, CA

Pay in context

At roughly $40/hr, this posting comes in about 33% below the $60/hr median for lead welder jobs across California, where the middle half runs $40–$63/hr across 12 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 25% of the comparable postings we have wage data for. That gap is worth raising directly — in a market this size there is normally room to negotiate toward the median, particularly if you already hold the certifications the posting asks for.

The local market in San Francisco, CA

San Francisco, CA is a small market in our index: 2 other active welding openings alongside this one, from 1 employer. Across California as a whole we're tracking 390 other active welding openings from 191 employers. With this few local postings, most welders here end up either commuting or looking at travel work. Browse welding jobs across California.

Welding Shop in San Francisco Bay, CA currently has 10 other openings 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 (28), Welding Shop in Los Angeles, CA (18), and Honeywell Aerospace (14). 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 Long Beach at $43/hr, Los Angeles at $43/hr, and Torrance at $43/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

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 lead welder openings if you want to compare this against similar roles.

Similar openings near San Francisco, CA

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