Welding Engineer
$115,000–$150,000 year
On-siteLos Angeles, California, United States
Job Summary
Develop, qualify, and maintain welding procedures including WPS, PQR, and welder performance qualifications for reactor hardware. Select appropriate welding processes, filler metals, joint designs, and process parameters based on material requirements. Provide design-for-welding guidance regarding joint accessibility, distortion, residual stress, and manufacturability. Support welded hardware from prototype development through production, inspection, testing, and final acceptance. Create manufacturing work instructions, process controls, weld maps, and technical specifications. Lead root-cause investigations for weld defects, distortion, cracking, and leakage. Develop repair and rework procedures and provide technical disposition of nonconformances. Interface with design, materials, manufacturing, quality, and test engineers to ensure assemblies meet structural, thermal, and pressure requirements. Support the selection and technical oversight of welding suppliers and outside fabrication partners. This role requires 2+ years of professional welding engineering experience and a Bachelor's degree in a related technical field. Full-time employment based in Torrance, CA.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Welding Engineering, Materials Science and Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field
- 2+ years of professional experience in welding engineering, joining processes, or welded hardware manufacturing
- Working knowledge of common fusion welding processes, such as GTAW, GMAW, PAW, laser welding, or electron beam welding
- Experience developing or supporting welding procedures and welder qualifications
- Understanding of welding metallurgy, heat-affected zones, solidification, distortion, residual stress, and common weld defects
- Experience interpreting engineering drawings, weld symbols, material specifications, and inspection requirements
- Familiarity with destructive testing and nondestructive examination methods used to evaluate weld quality
- Ability to work hands-on with production personnel and independently resolve manufacturing challenges
- Ability to work long hours and weekends as necessary to support critical milestones
Desired Qualifications
- 3+ years of welding engineering experience in aerospace, nuclear, pressure vessel, power generation, defense, or another highly regulated industry
- Experience welding stainless steels, nickel-based superalloys, refractory metals, or dissimilar-metal combinations
- Knowledge of applicable welding and fabrication codes, including ASME Section IX, ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, AWS D17.1, AWS D1.1, or equivalent standards
- Experience with pressure-boundary, high-temperature, vacuum, or leak-tight welded assemblies
- Familiarity with advanced welding processes, including automated orbital GTAW, laser beam welding, electron beam welding, resistance welding, or additive repair
- Experience developing weld fixtures, tooling, purge systems, and methods for controlling distortion and heat input
- Experience with weld inspection methods such as visual, dye penetrant, radiographic, ultrasonic, leak, or metallographic examination
- Familiarity with post-weld heat treatment, stress relief, cleaning, passivation, and contamination control
- Experience conducting weld failure investigations using metallography, microscopy, hardness testing, or mechanical testing
- Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), International Welding Engineer (IWE), or similar professional qualification
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