Welding Engineer – Sanitary TIG and Orbital Welding

The Mid-Level Welding Engineer – Sanitary TIG and Orbital Welding is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing welding processes focused on TIG (GTAW) and orbital welding for sanitary applications. This role supports high-purity fabrication in industries such as biotech, food & beverage, dairy, and pharmaceuticals, ensuring compliance with ASME BPE, 3-A, and GMP standards. The engineer will coordinate weld procedure development, support welder qualification, and ensure production welds meet quality and regulatory standards.

Key Focus Areas:

1. Sanitary Welding Procedure Development & Optimization

2. Compliance with ASME BPE, 3-A, and Regulatory Standards

3. Welding Process Control (TIG & Orbital)

4. Quality Assurance and Weld Documentation

5. Technical Support to Fabrication and Project Teams

Key Responsibilities:

1. Welding Process Development

• Develop, validate, and maintain Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) and Procedure Qualification Records (PQR) for sanitary TIG and orbital welding.

• Optimize weld settings for different materials (e.g., 304/316L stainless steel) and thicknesses.

• Support process improvement for clean welds with minimal heat-affected zones and contamination.

2. Standards and Compliance

• Ensure all welding processes and outputs meet ASME BPE, 3-A, GMP, and customer-specific sanitary standards.

• Oversee purge gas quality, internal weld bead smoothness, and clean-in-place (CIP) compatibility.

• Collaborate with QA/QC to validate weld pass/fail criteria.

3. Production and Field Support

• Provide hands-on support during equipment fabrication and piping system assembly.

• Supervise orbital welding setups and execution, ensuring operator adherence to procedures.

• Address field welding challenges and support rework decisions in a compliant manner.

4. Weld Inspection and Documentation

• Review weld maps, logs, and ensure full traceability of welds, materials, and personnel.

• Coordinate with inspectors to perform visual and borescope weld inspections.

• Maintain proper documentation for customer validation and regulatory audits.

5. Training and Mentorship

• Train and mentor junior engineers and welders in sanitary welding best practices.

• Participate in the qualification of new welders and orbital welding operators.

• Support implementation of internal welding standards and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Welding Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.

• 3–6 years of experience in welding engineering, preferably in sanitary or high-purity fabrication.

• Solid understanding of TIG welding, orbital welding, and sanitary fabrication methods.

• Working knowledge of ASME Section IX, ASME BPE, 3-A Sanitary Standards, and AWS D18.1.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with orbital weld heads, power supplies, and programming.

• Familiarity with borescope inspection and surface finish evaluation (e.g., Ra readings).

• Proficiency in CAD and weld mapping tools.

• Ability to interpret P&IDs, isometric drawings, and fabrication schematics.