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How to hire a welding specialist

Welding specialist hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring welding specialists in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire a welding specialist is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new welding specialist to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire a welding specialist, step by step

To hire a welding specialist, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a welding specialist, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step welding specialist hiring guide:

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

    Before you post your welding specialist job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a welding specialist for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    A welding specialist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, welding specialists 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 welding specialists.

    Type of Welding SpecialistDescriptionHourly rate
    Welding SpecialistWelders, 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.$16-31
    Ship FitterShip 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
    Maintenance WelderA Maintenance Welder diagnoses and repairs a variety of metal work including construction vehicles and equipment. They cut, fit, and weld metal using gas and electric welding equipment.$14-25
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • MIG
    • Arc Welding
    • Hand Tools
    • GMAW
    • Jigs
    • AWS
    • Calipers
    • GTAW
    • Stainless Steel
    • Quality Standards
    • TIG
    • Lean Manufacturing
    • Work Platforms
    • NDE
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage process selection according to material specifications, as well as WPS and PQR.
    • Manage weld process controls of GMAW-P, CV both robotic and semi-automatic; to include GTAW both robotic and semi-automatic.
    • Work with processes that include SMAW, GTAW, GMAW-STT, and FCAW.
    • Review and approve welding procedures, PQRs, WPS, and all NDE procedures.
    • Clamp, hold, tack-weld, grind, and repair.
    • Perform VT and NDE inspections.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your welding specialist job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A welding specialist salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, welding specialists' average salary in maine is 39% less than in wyoming.
    • Seniority. Entry-level welding specialists earn 48% less than senior-level welding specialists.
    • Certifications. A welding specialist 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 welding specialist's salary.

    Average welding specialist salary

    $47,505yearly

    $22.84 hourly rate

    Entry-level welding specialist salary
    $34,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 9, 2025
  4. Writing a welding specialist job description

    A welding specialist 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 a welding specialist job description:

    Welding specialist job description example

    Specialist, 1st, 2nd and 3rd class levels are based on proficiency, knowledge, skills and abilities. Ability to perform all types of welding using various processes. This will include; Oxyacetylene, Metallic Arc, Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) and Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding. Ensures that yard safety rules and regulations are carried out. Carries out other duties as assigned by the shop supervisor for the following shops;

    • Lyon Down River System


    Duties and responsibilities


    (Duties and responsibilities, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include the following tasks, knowledge, skills and other characteristics. This list of tasks is illustrative ONLY and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and tasks performed by positions in this class. It does not imply that all positions within the class perform all of the duties listed, nor does it necessarily list all possible duties that may be assigned.)

    1. Ability to complete the Welding process and make adjustments to the welding apparatus depending on the type of weld being performed.

    2. Ability to regulate gas pressure, select the proper torch tip, pre and post heat as required and weld butt, lap, fillet joints in flat, vertical and over head positions.

    3. Complete welds on mild steel, carbon steel, cast iron, copper, and their alloys by fusion and adhesion, as well as braze and solder ferrous and non ferrous metals.

    4. Ability to use jigs, clamps and positioners as well as select electrode.

    5. Receive job assignments from supervisor and carries out assignments as directed.

    6. Required to perform routine maintenance on equipment and determine when and what kind of maintenance is needed.

    7. Must be able to speak to others to convey information effectively so that the job can be completed in the manner it should be.

    8. Needs to have the ability to keep hand and arm steady while moving the arm or while holding the hand in one position.

    9. Have the ability to see details at close range while he/she is doing his/her job functions.

    10. Must have the ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

    11. Be able to quickly move the hand, the hand together with the arm, or two hands to grasps, manipulate, or assemble objects.

    12. Have the ability to make precise coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.

    13. Must be able to perform 6G6 “steel pipe, stainless steel pipe 6G, aluminum plate, flux core plate

    14. Must be certified in three position A361/2” plate by stick.



    Competencies

    1. Technical Capacity.

    2. Communication Proficiency.

    3. Problem Solving/Analysis.

    4. Initiative.

    5. Results Driven.

    6. Thoroughness.


  5. Post your job

    To find the right welding specialist for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

    • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with welding specialists they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit welding specialists who meet your education requirements.
    • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your welding specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit welding specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting welding specialists 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.

    You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

    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 welding specialist

    Once you've selected the best welding specialist 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 also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

    To prepare for the new welding specialist 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.)
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How much does it cost to hire a welding specialist?

There are different types of costs for hiring welding specialists. One-time cost per hire for the recruitment process. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, onboarding, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider all of these costs when evaluating hiring a new welding specialist employee.

Welding specialists earn a median yearly salary is $47,505 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find welding specialists for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $16 and $31.

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