Welder/Shift Lead

Summary:

The Shift Lead is responsible for keeping the entire shift running — every department, not just one area of the floor — while also working as a hands-on welder. This person is the first point of contact for anyone on shift, coordinates work across departments, keeps production moving safely and on schedule, and steps in wherever they're needed, including on the welding line.  This position acts as the first line of communication for team members and escalates issues to management as appropriate. This position carries no supervisory authority over hiring, termination, or compensation decisions.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Act as the primary point of contact for all departments on shift — not limited to welding.
• Coordinate work across departments to keep production flowing and delivery targets on track.
• Plan daily coverage for the shift, adjusting assignments across departments when people are out or priorities shift.
• Field questions from any team member on shift — work orders, process, equipment, or scheduling — regardless of department.
• Escalate employee concerns, cross-department conflicts, and production issues to the Manufacturing Manager in a timely manner.
• Monitor operations across the shift to make sure safety, quality, and procedural standards are being met in every area.
• Communicate shift status, production progress, and scheduling changes to the Manufacturing Manager and other departments.
• Support onboarding and cross-training across the shift, welding included.
• Ensure safety policies, housekeeping standards, and regulations are followed shift-wide; report hazards promptly.
• Maintain accurate shift records — job completions, scrap, rework, and output — across departments.
• Perform hands-on welding work (MIG required; TIG/Stick a plus) as part of regular duties, including quality checks on welds and reading blueprints/weld symbols to support the welding process specifically.
• Participate in continuous improvement and lean initiatives shift-wide.
• Other duties as assigned.

Preferred Education and Experience:

• High school diploma or GED required.
• 3+ years of hands-on welding experience (MIG, TIG, Stick, or a mix) in a manufacturing environment — required.
• Proficiency in MIG (GMAW) required; TIG (GTAW) or Flux-Core a plus.
• Able to read blueprints, weld symbols, and engineering drawings — required.
• AWS Certified Welder (CW) or equivalent a plus.
• Prior lead, shift lead, or coordinating experience in a manufacturing setting a plus — especially experience coordinating across multiple departments, not just one work area.
• Vocational or technical welding training a plus.

Knowledge and Personal Attributes:

• Understands welding processes, basic metallurgy, and common weld defects.
• Comfortable reading blueprints, work orders, and specs.
• Strong organizational skills — able to manage priorities across multiple departments at once, not just one function.
• Clear communicator, comfortable relaying information across departments and up to management.
• Works well with people from different teams and functions, not just fellow welders.
• Proactive problem-solver who can jump on an issue wherever it comes up on the floor.
• Committed to safety and housekeeping shift-wide.
• Reliable, punctual, strong work ethic.
• Basic computer skills (email, work order systems, production tracking).
• Comfortable in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities across the whole shift.