Senior Aircraft Sheetmetal Technician - NHC (Contract)

Location

Columbus, MS

Wage

$42/hr

Employment Type

Contract

Required Skills & Certifications

AWS AND
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Posted on November 3, 2026

Job Description

Overview

Build the Future of Flight as a Senior Aircraft Sheetmetal Technician with PDS Tech Commercial, a global leader in the aerospace industry. This role offers an opportunity to work on advanced rotorcraft systems and make a lasting impact on the future of aviation.

Responsibilities

  • Install sheet metal parts and assemblies on aircraft while ensuring structural integrity and operational safety
  • Fit and assemble skins, frames, stabilizers, tail booms, and additional helicopter sub-assemblies
  • Perform drilling, fitting, riveting, and modification work on aircraft structures
  • Read and interpret blueprints, sketches, diagrams, and engineering drawings
  • Assist in developing patterns and templates to streamline manufacturing processes and ensure dimensional accuracy
  • Apply standard aircraft fabrication and repair practices in accordance with aerospace specifications
  • Maintain a clean, organized, and safety-focused work environment
  • Utilize production tools and equipment, including hydraulic lifts and hand tools
  • Collaborate with team members and leadership to support production goals and quality standards

Requirements

  • Minimum of six (6) years of aircraft sheet metal experience, preferably in rotorcraft
  • Strong ability to read and interpret blueprints, diagrams, and technical drawings
  • Experience performing fabrication, repair modifications, and structural assembly work
  • Ability to read, write, and speak English
  • Strong attention to detail, craftsmanship, and commitment to safety
  • Current A&P License
  • Previous aerospace manufacturing or helicopter assembly experience
  • Ability to lift and carry up to 30 lbs/14 kgs daily
  • Ability to stand, walk, squat, kneel, push, and pull throughout the workday
  • Ability to safely operate tools, lifts, and electronic equipment
  • Ability to hear alarms, safety warnings, and participate in conversations in production settings

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • PTO
  • 401k

Additional Information

  • Onsite presence required: 95%
  • Occasional travel up to 5%
  • Required PPE includes Safety Shoes, Safety Glasses, Hearing Protection, Respirators/Masks, Protective Gloves, and additional PPE as required by the facility or customer site.

Benefits

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
PTO
401k

How this job compares in Columbus, MS

Pay in context

At roughly $42/hr, this posting sits about 20% above the $35/hr median for welding jobs across Mississippi — toward the top of a $28–$39/hr middle band drawn from 32 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 88% 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 Columbus, MS

Columbus, MS currently has 3 other active welding openings besides this one, spread across 3 employers. 1 of them was added in the last week. Across Mississippi as a whole we're tracking 79 other active welding openings from 42 employers. That's enough local activity to be worth comparing two or three offers before committing. Browse every welding job in Columbus, or widen the search to Mississippi.

The most active employers in Mississippi at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are HII (13), TIC - The Industrial Company (11), and Ingalls Shipbuilding, a Division of HII (5). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Similar openings near Columbus, MS

Pay figures are medians computed from live postings in the Welding Pros index, not from survey data, and they move as employers post. Senior Aircraft Sheetmetal Technician - NHC (Contract) figures were last recalculated when this page was built.