AWS Certified Welder

Job Description

Summary: Palmer Foundry is seeking a highly skilled, AWS-certified welder with a strong background in aerospace welding to join our aluminum foundry team. This role focuses on precision weld repair of aluminum sand and investment castings used in flight-critical applications, correcting casting defects and restoring dimensional integrity to meet aerospace quality standards within an AS9100 environment.

This position may require access to export-controlled technology or software source code that is subject to export controls restrictions under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) and will therefore be required to meet eligibility criteria under ITAR and EAR regulations.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Perform welding in accordance with AMS 2694, Group IVB, and AWS D17.1/D17.1M, as required by the applicable job, drawing, purchase order, or welding procedure

Perform TIG (GTAW) weld repair on aluminum castings to correct porosity, cold shuts, cracks, and other casting defects

Select proper filler metal and technique based on aluminum casting alloy (e.g., 356, A356, 357, 206, 201) and part specification

Read and interpret casting drawings, weld repair maps, and engineering specifications

Coordinate with NDT/inspection (X-ray, FPI) to identify defect locations and verify repairs meet acceptance criteria

Blend, grind, and dress repaired areas to restore original casting contour and surface finish

Support heat treat and stress-relief cycles as required for repaired castings

Maintain and calibrate welding equipment

Document repairs per AS9100/ISO quality systems and maintain full traceability records

Collaborate with engineering, foundry, and quality teams on repair procedure qualification and nonconformance resolution

Mentor junior welders and support training initiatives

Maintain a clean, safe work environment per OSHA standards, including safe handling of foundry heat and equipment

Qualifications

Current qualification/certification, or demonstrated ability to successfully qualify, for welding applicable aluminum alloys in accordance with AMS 2694, Group IVB

Current qualification/certification, or demonstrated ability to successfully qualify, in accordance with AWS D17.1/D17.1M requirements applicable to assigned aerospace welding

Minimum 10 years of hands-on aerospace welding experience

Demonstrated expertise TIG welding aluminum castings and repairing common casting defects (porosity, shrinkage, cracks, cold shuts)

Working knowledge of aluminum casting alloys and their weldability characteristics

Strong blueprint reading and GD&T interpretation skills

Experience working within AS9100 or similar aerospace quality management systems

Comfort working in a foundry environment (heat, sand/investment casting processes)

High school diploma or equivalent; formal welding/technical training preferred

Ability to pass a welder qualification test on company equipment and aluminum casting repair procedures

Technical Skills

Prior experience welding for an aluminum casting foundry

Familiarity with X-ray and fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) acceptance criteria for castings

Prior work for a Tier 1/Tier 2 aerospace or defense casting supplier

Familiarity with Nadcap-audited welding processes

CWI (Certified Welding Inspector) credential

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge

Aluminum casting alloys (356, A356, 357, 206, 201) and their weldability, heat-treat response, and cracking tendencies

Common casting defects: porosity, shrinkage, cold shuts, hot tears, inclusions, and their root causes

AWS D17.1 aerospace welding specification and applicable customer/casting repair specs

AS9100 quality system requirements and documentation/traceability standards

NDT methods relevant to castings (X-ray, fluorescent penetrant inspection) and their acceptance criteria

Heat-treat and stress-relief cycles as they relate to post-weld casting integrity

GD&T and blueprint/weld symbol interpretation

Filler metal selection principles for aluminum alloys

OSHA safety standards relevant to foundry and welding environments

ITAR/export control basics as they apply to aerospace manufacturing

Skills

TIG (GTAW) welding proficiency on thin-section and complex-geometry aluminum castings

Precision manual dexterity for small, cosmetic, or hard-to-access repairs

Grinding/blending technique to restore original casting contour and surface finish

Weld equipment setup, calibration, and troubleshooting

Reading and executing repair maps/work instructions accurately

Documentation and record-keeping (repair logs, traceability paperwork)

Basic mentoring/instructional skill for training junior welders

Abilities

Ability to visually and dimensionally assess a defect and determine the correct repair approach

Ability to maintain consistent weld quality across repetitive, detail-intensive repairs

Ability to pass and maintain welder qualification/certification testing

Ability to collaborate effectively with quality, engineering, and inspection teams

Ability to identify when a defect is beyond repairable limits and to escalate appropriately

Strong attention to detail and judgment under quality-critical, zero-defect-tolerance conditions

Physical and Work Environment Requirements

Ability to work in an industrial foundry environment involving heat, noise, dust, moving equipment, and varying temperatures.

Ability to walk and stand for extended periods and access production and equipment areas throughout the facility.

Ability to climb stairs, ladders, and work around industrial machinery as required.

Ability to lift and/or move equipment, tools, and components consistent with established company safety practices.

Ability to lift up to 50 lbs,

Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE).

Key Performance Indicators

Quality / Repair Effectiveness

First-pass repair acceptance rate (repairs passing X-ray/FPI re-inspection without rework)

Repair rework rate (% of repaired castings rejected or requiring a second repair)

Weld defect recurrence rate (same defect type reappearing post-repair)

Scrap rate attributable to welding (castings scrapped due to weld-related issues)

Productivity / Throughput

Average repair cycle time per casting (or per defect type)

Castings/repairs completed per shift or per week

Rework-adjusted throughput (accounting for redo work, not just raw output)

Compliance / Process Discipline

Weld procedure adherence (audit findings tied to AWS D17.1 / customer specs)

Documentation accuracy and completeness (traceability records, repair logs)

On-time completion of required certifications/requalification (AWS cert renewal, periodic weld qualification tests)

Cost Impact

Cost of rework/scrap attributable to this role

Material (filler metal) usage vs. standard/expected consumption

The statements contained in this job description are intended to describe the general content and requirements for performance of this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties, responsibilities, and requirements. This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter the scope of work within the framework of this job description at any time without prior notice.

Palmer Foundry also complies with federal employment eligibility verification laws through the E-Verify process. To verify identity and legal authority to work in the U.S., on their first day of employment, employees must present either a document which establishes both identity and work authorization (e.g., a U.S. Passport or Permanent Resident Card), or provide one document for identity (e.g., a state-issued driver's license) and one for work authorization (e.g., a U.S. Social Security Card). All documents must be unexpired and presented in original form to Palmer Foundry for the completion of Form I-9 and the E-Verify process.

Full-time