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Job Description

Overview

Valstad is a manufacturing technology company focused on rebuilding America's shipbuilding capacity by developing autonomous robotic fabrication systems. The company aims to significantly increase the production of domestic naval and commercial vessels using advanced technology.

Responsibilities

  • Perform GMAW (MIG) and FCAW welding on structural steel components and assemblies.
  • Perform corrective welding to repair, rework, or refit fabricated components.
  • Read and interpret engineering drawings, weld symbols, and work instructions.
  • Measure and verify dimensions using tape measures, squares, and other layout tools.
  • Perform material handling and positioning, including lifting up to 75 lbs.
  • Operate hand and power cutting tools including plasma, oxy-fuel, and angle grinders.
  • Work safely alongside robotic welding systems on the production floor.
  • Maintain weld quality in accordance with AWS D1.1 and ABS Part 2 Materials and Welding requirements.
  • Keep your work area clean and organized.

Requirements

  • Proficiency in GMAW (MIG) and FCAW welding.
  • Ability to weld out of position (vertical, overhead, and horizontal).
  • Ability to read a tape measure and basic fabrication drawings.
  • Familiarity with thermal cutting processes (plasma, oxy-fuel, or similar).
  • Familiarity with structural welding codes or quality standards (e.g. AWS D1.1 or ASME Section VIII); willingness to learn ABS Part 2.
  • Ability to safely lift up to 75 lbs and perform physical labor in a manufacturing environment.
  • Tasks may require physical strength and dexterity.
  • May require extensive kneeling, bending, and standing for long periods of time.
  • Must be able to climb ladders or stairs to reach objects; comfortable with heights.
  • May require working in narrow or confined work spaces for extended periods of time.
  • Basic proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook).
  • Strong attention to detail and commitment to weld quality.
  • Dependable, collaborative, and able to work from written and verbal work orders.
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How this job compares in Austin, TX

Pay in context

At roughly $32/hr, this posting lands within a few percent of the $30/hr median for welding jobs in Austin, TX, whose middle half runs $29–$37/hr across 15 postings with published pay. Put another way, it pays more than about 53% 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 Austin, TX

We're tracking 25 other active welding openings in Austin, TX right now, from 10 different employers. 2 of them were added in the last week. Across Texas as a whole we're tracking 1,132 other active welding openings from 497 employers. A metro this active generally means you have real leverage — employers here are competing for the same welders. Browse every welding job in Austin, or widen the search to Texas.

The most active employers in Texas at the moment, by number of open welding reqs, are Zachry Group (33), Austin Industries (30), and Welding Shop in Austin, TX (21). Volume like that usually means either a genuine expansion or a staffing agency working several client sites — worth knowing which before you apply.

Within Texas, the best-paying metros we track by median hourly rate are Arlington at $40/hr, Dallas at $39/hr, and Pasadena at $36/hr. If you can relocate or commute, that spread is worth factoring in.

What you'll be running

This posting calls for MIG and Flux-Core 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. 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.

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

Certifications this posting mentions

  • AWS D1.1 — the American Welding Society's Structural Welding Code for steel. It governs almost all building and structural steel work in the US, so a D1.1 qualification is the baseline credential for construction and ironworking.
  • ASME Section IX — the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code qualification. It covers welding on pressure-retaining equipment — boilers, vessels, and process piping — where a failed weld is a safety incident rather than a rework ticket.

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.

Similar openings near Austin, TX

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