Foreman - Specialty Welding bei Mid-State Manufacturing

Job Summary:

Lead and work alongside a crew of fabricators and welders in a high-volume fabrication shop that produces structural steel, plate work, and custom industrial components. The Fabrication Shop Foreman plans daily labor and material requirements, coordinates complex fit-ups and welding sequences, enforces safety and quality standards, and serves as the primary point of contact for scheduling, progress tracking, and employee development in a fast-paced environment that often requires long hours and call-outs.
 

Key Responsibilities:

• Supervise layout, fit-up, cutting, forming, welding, and finishing operations to meet quality, cost, and delivery goals.
• Interpret detailed drawings, AWS weld symbols, and fabrication standards; guide employees on tolerances and best practices.
• Plan and assist with complex assemblies, heavy plate rolling, and multi-pass weldments up to 2″ thick or exceeding 40,000 lb.
• Develop and execute safe rigging and lift plans for oversized or critical components.
• Coordinate material releases, consumable inventories, and shop tooling with purchasing and logistics teams.
• Communicate drawing conflicts, scope changes, and quoting issues to management; recommend corrective actions.
• Schedule and document preventive maintenance for weld machines, plasma tables, presses, and overhead cranes.
• Ensure all assigned workers accurately clock in and out on the Mid-State time and attendance system. 
• Lead daily toolbox talks, job-hazard analyses, and incident reviews; ensure full compliance with OSHA, AWS, and company safety rules.
• Foster a positive work culture; mentor fabricators and welders, identify training needs, and support cross-training initiatives.
• Maintain accurate labor schedules, production reports, and time records to support cost control and continuous improvement.
• Perform other duties as required to support production and customer commitments.

Education:

Experience:

• 8 + years in heavy fabrication or structural steel welding, with at least 2 years in a lead or foreman role.
•  Proficiency with FCAW, GMAW, SMAW, oxy-fuel, plasma cutting, plate rolling, and structural fit-up.
   
  

Knowledge Skills & Abilities:

• Expert ability to read fabrication drawings, nesting layouts, and GD&T callouts.
• Strong grasp of weld metallurgy, distortion control, and inspection methods (visual, UT, MT).
• Working knowledge of pumps, tanks, chutes, and large mechanical assemblies.
• Intermediate computer skills (Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook; familiarity with digital labor-tracking or MRP systems).
• Proven leadership, coaching, conflict-resolution, and time-management skills in a demanding environment.
• Dependable, safety-focused, and capable of frequently working long hours and overtime.

Work Location and Travel:

Work Environment:

• This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work vary (Monday to Sunday with some overnight work) and overtime is frequently required.
• This position is safety sensitive in nature, which means employees perform duties so fraught with risks of injury to self or others, or environmental injury, that even a momentary lapse of concentration or attention can have disastrous consequences.
• The working environment is often in harsh elements (hot/humid and/or cold temperatures, rain, etc.) Industrial environments often have exposure to hazardous chemicals, moving heavy equipment, and other safety-sensitive hazards/risks. Must always be alert and able to safely perform the essential duties of the job without risking harm to oneself or others.
• Mid-State maintains a firm commitment in providing a safe and healthy work environment for its employees and quality services to its clients. Mid-State is a drug-free workplace. Must be able to pass a post-offer / pre-placement drug screen and job-related employment physicals. Must also submit to a post-offer / pre-employment background check that verifies criminal history.

Physical Requirements:

Talk/Hear: Must communicate clearly with fabricators, riggers, inspectors, and management, and remain alert to audible alarms and radio calls in a noisy shop environment.

Stand/Sit: Frequently stands and walks the shop floor for extended periods while monitoring production; may sit briefly at a computer to update schedules or reports.

Walk: Regularly moves between welding bays, fit-up tables, material racks, and office areas to coordinate resources and inspect work.

Use hands/fingers to handle or feel: Constantly uses hands to operate measuring tools, weld machine controls, fit-up clamps, and small parts.

Climb: Occasionally climbs ladders, scaffolds, or large fabrications to inspect welds and perform overhead rigging or tack-up.

Stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl: Sometimes stoops or kneels to inspect root passes, fit components at floor level, or retrieve tooling.

See: Requires excellent near and far vision and depth perception to read drawings, verify weld quality, and identify hazards.

Carry, weight, Lift: Routinely lifts or moves objects up to 50 lb, such as weld wire spools, grinding wheels, and fixtures; heavier items moved with mechanical assistance or team lifts.

Exposure to work: Works around welding arcs, grinding sparks, hot metal, overhead cranes, and moving machinery; must wear required PPE and follow strict safety protocols at all times.

Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Mid-State participates in E-Verify. Go to https://www.uscis.gov/e-verify to learn more.