Welder (First Class) Full Time NEW

Position: Welder (First Class)

Position Type: Full-Time

Salary: $79,500 to $82,500 plus superannuation per annum

Location: Sunshine West VIC 3020

Our client is seeking a Welder (First Class) to join their team in Sunshine West, Victoria.

The Welder (First Class) is a skilled trade position responsible for performing high-quality structural and general welding and metal fabrication on trailer chassis, sub-frames, drawbars, suspension mounts, tipping bodies and associated assemblies.

The position holder works independently from engineering drawings, sketches and work orders, selects the appropriate welding process and consumables for the material and joint configuration, sets up and operates welding plant without supervision, and is accountable for the dimensional accuracy and weld integrity of the components produced. The role is a hands-on production position and does not include supervisory or managerial responsibility.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Interpretation of drawings, specifications and job planning

• Studying engineering drawings, sketches, chassis layouts and written work orders to determine the job requirements for each trailer build or repair.
• Determining the sequence of fabrication and welding operations, the welding method to be applied and the machine settings required for the material type, thickness and joint configuration.
• Calculating and marking out dimensions, angles, hole centres and cut lines on steel sections, plate and tube using measuring instruments, squares, templates and marking equipment.
• Identifying and selecting the correct grade and section of steel from stock, and reporting material shortages or drawing discrepancies to the Supervisor before commencing work.

Material preparation, cutting and set-up

• Cutting and shaping steel sections, RHS, channel, angle and plate using a sheet metal guillotine, cold saws, band saws and angle grinders.
• Preparing joint edges by bevelling, chamfering, grinding and cleaning to remove scale, rust, paint, grease and contaminants prior to welding.
• Selecting, preparing and setting up welding consumables, filler wire, shielding gases, jigs, fixtures, clamps and positioners appropriate to the task.

Aligning, levelling, squaring and tack-welding components into position, and checking set-up for squareness, camber and dimensional tolerance before final welding.

Welding operations

• Welding fabricated steel components and assemblies using the gas metal arc welding (GMAW/MIG) process.
• Performing structural welds on trailer chassis rails, cross-members, drawbars, coupling and hitch assemblies, axle and suspension hangers, tipping frames, hoist mounts, headboards, tailgates and body panels.
• Welding in flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead positions and in restricted-access locations as the assembly requires.
• Applying appropriate run sequencing, heat input control, pre-heat and interpass temperature control, and weld sequencing techniques to minimise distortion, residual stress and burn-through on thin-wall and dissimilar-thickness sections.
• Welding to the requirements of the applicable Australian Standard for structural steel welding (AS/NZS 1554) and to the weld procedures nominated for the job.

Fabrication, assembly and repair

• Fabricating, assembling and installing trailer sub-assemblies, brackets, mounting plates, toolbox frames, ramps, gates and guards.
• Forming and bending steel and sheet metal using a metal sheet bending machine, press, rollers and manual forming equipment where required for the build.
• Assessing damaged, cracked, fatigued or corroded trailer components presented for repair, determining the appropriate repair method, and cutting out, replacing and re-welding defective sections.
• Fitting bolted and welded hardware to fabricated assemblies and preparing completed units for surface treatment, hot-dip galvanising or painting.

Inspection, quality assurance and rectification

• Visually examining completed welds for undercut, porosity, cracking, lack of fusion, incomplete penetration, spatter and profile defects, and confirming conformity with the applicable specification.
• Checking finished assemblies against drawings for dimensional accuracy, squareness and alignment using tapes, squares, levels and gauges.
• Grinding, dressing and finishing welds to the required profile and surface standard.
• Rectifying identified weld and fabrication defects, and reporting recurring quality issues, non-conformances and design concerns to the Supervisor.
• Maintaining job records and completing production and quality documentation as required by the business.

Workplace health and safety, plant care and housekeeping

• Working in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic), the business’s safety policies and procedures, safe work method statements and job safety analyses.
• Wearing and maintaining all required personal protective equipment, including welding helmet, gloves, protective clothing, respiratory protection, hearing protection and safety footwear.
• Ensuring adequate fume extraction and ventilation, screening of welding operations, and safe handling and storage of compressed gas cylinders and flammable materials.
• Conducting pre-start checks on welding plant, leads, torches, regulators, grinders and cutting equipment; performing routine operator maintenance; and tagging out and reporting defective equipment.
• Participating in toolbox talks and safety inductions, reporting hazards, incidents and near misses, and maintaining a clean, tidy and hazard-free work area.

Skills, knowledge and experience:

Required

• Certificate III and IV in Engineering Fabrication
• A minimum of three (3) years’ full-time relevant post-qualification or equivalent hands-on experience in structural or heavy steel welding and fabrication, assessed as equivalent to the above trade qualification
• At least 12 months of relevant work experience

Essential

• Demonstrated trade-level competence in GMAW/MIG welding of mild and structural steel, with the ability to produce sound structural welds without supervision.
• Ability to read, interpret and work from engineering drawings, fabrication sketches, weld symbols and written work orders.
• Competence in marking out, measuring and using sheet metal guillotines, metal sheet bending machines, grinders, saws and hand and power tools.
• Working knowledge of steel grades, sections and their behaviour under heat, including distortion control and weld sequencing.
• Working knowledge of the applicable Australian Standards for structural steel welding and of weld defect identification and rectification.
• Ability to work to tight dimensional tolerances and to inspect and verify own work.
• Sound understanding of workplace health and safety obligations in a fabrication workshop environment, including hot work, confined space awareness, welding fume and manual handling controls.
• Ability to work productively both independently and as part of a small production team, and to communicate effectively in English with supervisors and co-workers.
• Reliability, attention to detail and a demonstrated commitment to workmanship and safety.

Desirable

• Experience in trailer, truck body, transport equipment or heavy structural fabrication.
• Experience welding aluminium and stainless steel.
• Familiarity with the Australian Design Rules and Vehicle Standards Bulletin requirements applicable to trailer construction.
• Current welder qualification testing to AS/NZS 2980 or equivalent.
• Forklift licence (TLILIC0004) and/or overhead crane and dogging tickets.
• Experience with hydraulic tipping systems, braking systems and trailer electrical fit-out.

Other requirements

• Full working rights in Australia for the duration of the employment.
• Physically fit and capable of performing the inherent requirements of the position.
• Current driver licence (desirable).

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

The position is based entirely on site at the Sunshine West workshop. The work is performed in a manufacturing environment involving exposure to noise, welding fume, heat, sparks, hot metal, dust and moving plant, with control measures in place. The position requires:

• Standing, bending, kneeling, crouching and working in constrained postures for extended periods.
• Manual handling of steel sections, components and tooling within safe limits and with mechanical aids where required.
• Working at ground level and, occasionally, at height on elevated work platforms.
• Consistent use of personal protective equipment throughout the working day.

Employment Terms and Conditions

• The position is a full-time ongoing role of 38 ordinary hours per week, worked Monday to Friday, plus reasonable additional hours as operationally required.
• Terms and conditions of employment are governed by the National Employment Standards under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) and the Manufacturing and Associated Industries and Occupations Award 2020 (MA000010), together with the written contract of employment.
• Entitlements include paid annual leave, personal/carer’s leave, compassionate leave, public holidays and all other NES entitlements.
• Superannuation contributions are paid at the statutory Superannuation Guarantee rate applicable from time to time.
• Remuneration and conditions offered are no less favourable than those that would be provided to an equivalent Australian citizen or permanent resident performing the same work at the same location.
• A probationary period applies as specified in the contract of employment.
• This position description outlines the principal duties of the role and is not exhaustive. Duties may be varied from time to time by agreement and consistent with the skill level and classification of the position.