How to hire an industrial welder

How to hire an industrial welder, step by step

Here's a step-by-step industrial welder hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an industrial welder job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new industrial welder
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

Post an industrial welder job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the industrial welder you need to hire. Certain industrial welder roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   An industrial welder's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, industrial welders from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of industrial welders.

   Type of Industrial Welder	Description	Hourly rate
   Industrial Welder	Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers use hand-held or remotely controlled equipment to join or cut metal parts. They also fill holes, indentations, or seams of metal products.	$15-29
   Ship Fitter	Ship fitters are civilian or enlisted people who work on materials like high yield strength steel and high-tensile steel. These people fabricate, assemble, and build structural parts of ships... Show more	$14-30
   Welder Apprentice	A welder apprentice analyzes engineering specifications and engineering drawings to plan layout and assembly welding operations. Besides using rulers, calipers, combination squares, and straight edges to secure, position, and layout parts and assemblies as per the assignment specifications, welder apprentices also perform their duties based on established safety procedures and quality standards... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • MIG
   • Arc Welding
   • Stainless Steel
   • Jigs
   • Spot Welding
   • GMAW
   • Torches
   • Cutting Torches
   • Tig Welding
   • FCAW
   • Carbon Steel
   • Plasma Arc
   • SMAW
   • Hand Tools

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Cut metal using acetylene and plasma torches.
   • Gain experience with materials ranging from PVC to hastelloy.
   • Perform MIG and stick welds and erecting structural steel utilize for building skeletons including specific/ detail measurements for accuracy.
   • Weld taillights in a machine vibrating welder for car companies such as Hyundai and Chrysler!

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your industrial welder job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An industrial welder salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, industrial welders' average salary in kentucky is 38% less than in wyoming.
   • Seniority. Entry-level industrial welders earn 46% less than senior-level industrial welders.
   • Certifications. An industrial welder with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an industrial welder's salary.

   Average industrial welder salary

   $45,427yearly

   $21.84 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level industrial welder salary

   $33,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 29, 2025

4. Writing an industrial welder job description

   An industrial welder job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an industrial welder job description:

   Industrial welder job description example

   The Big Picture
   
   Howden is a global engineering business who focuses on providing clients with industrial products that help multiple sectors improve their everyday processes. Howden's core focus is on providing quality solutions for air and gas handling, and have over a century of experience in doing so.
   
   As we continue to manufacture industrial fans for critical industries such as defense, mining, and infrastructure, we are now searching for an Industrial Welder. Under minimal supervision, the Industrial Welder will process parts according to shop drawings using appropriate welding and measurement equipment on which they are qualified.
   
   What needs to be done?
   Fits, tacks, and welds mild carbon steel, 304 & 316SS, and aluminum assemblies utilizing MIG and TIG welding equipment, and plasma torch.Works with any gauge material on a variety of routine parts or assemblies.Can understand and work to blueprints or detailed drawings of required components.May be required to maintain Section 9 welding certification.Producing quality parts in a safe and efficient manner.Minimize scrap.Reporting to supervisor any malfunction, damage, or need of repair to any equipment of which they become aware.Accurately and diligently process any administrative functions such as quality records, scrap reports, etc.Use required safety equipment and apparel.Put stock parts and material away when finished.Other duties as required.
   
   What do I need to bring?
   High School Graduate/GEDMinimum 2 years manufacturing/fabrication experience with excellent attendance and punctuality Ability to Weld (MIG & TIG) mild steel, 304 & 316SS, aluminum Ability to work independently Ability to follow directions, safety conscience Ability to use hand tools Ability to read blue prints Ability to use measuring devices, i.e. tape measure, combination square, micrometers, protractors Ability to understand and perform mathematics with fractions & decimals Ability to maneuver weights of up to 50 lbs. using a hoist Ability to work over 40 hours per week if necessary Excellent attitude/team player
   
   What will you get in return?
   The role comes with a highly competitive compensation package starting at $18-$21/hr. and growth opportunities!Excellent benefits package that starts on the first day of the month after you are hired with over 30 offerings PTO, Vacation, 401(k) with company match which is 100% vested on day one, 13 Paid Company Holidays, Many other perks such as tuition and health club reimbursement(s) to name a few!

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find industrial welders for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your industrial welder job on Zippia to find and recruit industrial welder candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting industrial welders requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new industrial welder

   Once you've selected the best industrial welder candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new industrial welder first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an industrial welder?