How to hire a ship fitter

How to hire a ship fitter, step by step

Here's a step-by-step ship fitter hiring guide:

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

What does a ship fitter do?

Post a ship fitter job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a ship fitter, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect ship fitter also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of ship fitters and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Ship Fitter	Description	Hourly rate
   Ship Fitter	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.	$14-30
   Welder Helper	A welder helper's role is to perform support tasks for lead welders at a construction site or similar setting. Their responsibilities primarily revolve around setting up and preparing rigs, operating devices and tools, maintaining the workspace's cleanliness, and following orders from lead welders... Show more	$10-18
   Welder	Welders are skilled workers who primarily work on metals and other metalworks. One of the most commonly known activities that welders do is fusing materials that are made of metal... Show more	$13-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Tack-Weld
   • Tack Welding
   • Tape Measure
   • Cranes
   • Safety Rules
   • Jigs
   • Shop Machinery
   • Reference Lines
   • Safety Equipment
   • MIG
   • Overhead Cranes
   • Wedges
   • Arc Welding

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Achieve x-ray certification on aluminum using MIG process.
   • Lead and assist in executing pipefitting/welding of steel, copper, PVC, and flange piping.
   • Cut materials with various tools including torches, reciprocating saws, grinders and plasma cutters to ensure exact measurements.
   • Work includes using torches, grinders and other power tools to cut material to size and prep to weld and paint.
   • Assemble hoisting and rigging equipment.
   • Repair and re-fit oil rig platforms.

   More ship fitter duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, ship fitters' average salary in arkansas is 41% less than in new jersey.
   • Seniority. Entry-level ship fitters earn 52% less than senior-level ship fitters.
   • Certifications. A ship fitter 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 a ship fitter's salary.

   Average ship fitter salary

   $45,247yearly

   $21.75 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level ship fitter salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 15, 2025

   Average ship fitter salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New Jersey	$68,470	$33
   2	Massachusetts	$68,153	$33
   3	Washington	$60,357	$29
   4	Ohio	$58,195	$28
   5	California	$58,048	$28
   6	Virginia	$56,185	$27
   7	Pennsylvania	$54,721	$26
   8	Louisiana	$52,196	$25
   9	Wisconsin	$50,428	$24
   10	Alaska	$50,083	$24
   11	Colorado	$48,711	$23
   12	Arizona	$48,158	$23
   13	Texas	$47,928	$23
   14	Michigan	$46,680	$22
   15	Illinois	$44,245	$21
   16	Indiana	$43,727	$21
   17	Florida	$42,981	$21
   18	Alabama	$42,666	$21
   19	South Carolina	$42,234	$20

   Average ship fitter salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	BWX Technologies	$74,795	$35.96
   2	Massachusetts General Hospital	$57,470	$27.63
   3	WEC Energy Group	$56,713	$27.27
   4	Johnson Controls	$56,517	$27.17	18
   5	McDermott International	$55,526	$26.70
   6	MDU Resources	$55,378	$26.62
   7	Idaho National Lab	$50,894	$24.47
   8	Quality Construction & Production	$50,355	$24.21
   9	Delta Natural Gas Co	$49,249	$23.68
   10	Acadian Contractors	$48,358	$23.25	14
   11	Doyon Universal Services	$48,039	$23.10
   12	Tradesmen International	$47,802	$22.98	11
   13	Crest Industries	$45,828	$22.03	1
   14	Doyon, Limited	$45,676	$21.96
   15	Valmont Industries	$45,450	$21.85	30
   16	Plasser American	$45,428	$21.84	2
   17	Canam Consultants	$45,272	$21.77
   18	PAX Holdings	$44,527	$21.41
   19	Arcosa	$44,524	$21.41	24
   20	Huntington Ingalls Industries	$44,353	$21.32	6

4. Writing a ship fitter job description

   A job description for a ship fitter role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a ship fitter job description:

   Ship fitter job description example

   Steward Machine is a multi-generation family-owned business having enjoyed a successful history of over 100 years. The Company possess extensive lifting capacity and some of the largest CNC machinery in the world housed in more than 290,000 square feet of manufacturing space. They offer complete turnkey responsibilities by detailing shop drawings, fabricating, welding, stress relieving, machining, gear cutting and assembly in-house.
   
   Steward Machine Co. is certified by AISC to the highest standard for fracture critical endorsement. All Steward Machine work follow a culture that align with 5 guiding principles (Relentless Work Ethic, "Can Do Attitude", Excellence, Passion, and Adaptability). We have supplied equipment to some of the most demanding owners in the world. Our "can do" attitude gets the job done right the first time. We have a proven track for on-time deliveries.
   Primary Purpose of the Position The Fitter will lay out, fit, and fabricate metal components to assemble structural forms, such as machinery frames, bridge parts, and pressure vessels, using knowledge of welding techniques, metallurgy, and engineering requirements.
   Essential Functions / Duties Lays out, positions, and secures parts and assemblies according to specifications, using straightedge, combination square, calipers, and ruler. Tack-welds components and assemblies, FCAW or SMAW or other welding equipment. Follows applicable welding procedures (AWS, AISC) Tack welds on the ground level, above ground and below ground, in any required position. Chips peens and grinds material to prepare for welding or finish. Welds structural materials such as plates, sheets, girders, tanks, etc., occasionally involving uncommon structural metals or machine metals under close tolerances of heat application and workmanship. Straightens materials by heat or flame. Perform gouging and scarfing as needed. Must take and pass Tack welding test in accordance with AWS D1.5. Receives instructions, prints, sketches, and work orders. Reads and interprets blueprints and plans the fitting operation. Directs and assists in handling and spreading of material, assembling material into required relationships according to detail drawings; handling and placing detail material in assembly, placing bolts, drift pins and other fastening deceives in proper locations. Lays out work lines or fits up jigs for positioning material when required; checks, squares, and scribes all detail connections. Responsible for work conforming to drawings and notes thereon. Cleans up material by grinding or chipping. Oxy-Fuel/Plasma used for Burns, copes, bevels and straightens material. Does layout both major/minor from engineering drawings. Spot paints for identification marks. Moves material to and from the work area. Moves welding equipment to material when necessary. Positions component parts on a table held by a fixture or jib, tacking when required. Keeps work area clean and orderly. Knows safety rules that apply to the safety of others and to personal safety. Reports the malfunction of equipment to proper authority. Performs other work as instructed by supervision.
   Role / Department / Location Specific Requirements The role is for 1st and 2nd shift positions Reports to the Plant Manager Position is based at Plant 2 in Birmingham, Alabama
   Minimum Requirements 5 or more years of proven work experience as a structural plate fitter and/or training or equivalent combination of education and experience Must be capable of welding to AWS D1.5 quality and specifications a plus. Must be capable of passing fracture critical inspections. Use standard layout instruments i.e., level, transit Working knowledge of blacksmithing procedures Must posses good communication and customer service skills. Must be able to read and understand shop fabrication drawings at a high level and be able to layout, fit-up and form material according to the prints. Must have a good understanding of welding symbols. Must be highly motivated and able to work independently. Must be physically able to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations.
   Preferred Requirements Prior bridge work and heavy structural steel experience. Experience in overhead crane operation.
   Not all aspects of the job are covered by the description - may require other duties as assigned. Job may change over time in accordance with business needs. Job description does not guarantee employment.
   Working Conditions While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, high or precarious places, fumes or airborne particles, outside weather conditions, extreme heat or cold, wet and/or humid conditions, toxic or caustic chemicals, and risk of electrical shock and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
   Affirmative Action /EEO Statement Steward Machine Company is a Federal VEVRAA contractor, and an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all employment practices. Steward Machine Company will not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, veteran or service member status, marital status, citizenship status (In IL - sex, including same sex, ancestry, order of protection status, physical or mental disability, military status, pregnancy, unfavorable discharge status, genetic information), (In IA - gender identity), (In CA - gender identity or expression, and genetic information) or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.
   Limitation and Disclaimer The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws. Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Steward Machine Company is an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. It is the Company's policy to provide equal opportunity for all qualified persons and to prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, or any other legally protected status. We maintain a drug-free workplace and reserve the right to perform substance abuse testing as needed.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find ship fitters 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 ship fitter job on Zippia to find and recruit ship fitter candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit ship fitters, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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 ship fitter

   Once you've selected the best ship fitter 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 ship fitter 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 a ship fitter?