Boilermaker / Welder - Defence

Baker & Provan; Sydney; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Baker & Provan in Sydney is seeking a skilled Boilermaker/Welder for defence fabrication, focusing on armour plate and high‑strength steels. You will perform high-integrity welds, follow WPS requirements, and ensure traceability and QA documentation throughout production.

The role demands read of engineering drawings, strict process compliance, and ability to work in a controlled environment with safety and security clearances as required.

Qualifications

• Australian-recognised trade qualification in Engineering - Fabrication Trade (Boilermaking / Welding) or equivalent.
• Strong record of quality workmanship in welding and fabrication.
• Experience welding to ISO 9606-1, AS/NZS 1554 or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Perform high-quality GMAW welding on armour plate, carbon steel, high-strength steel and stainless steel components.
• Complete fit-up, fabrication and welding to engineering drawings and weld maps.
• Strictly comply with WPS variables including preheat/interpass temperature and heat input.

Skills

GMAW welding

Butt welds

Fillet welds

Reading engineering drawings

WPS compliance

Defence/quality-critical experience

Education

Australian-recognised trade qualification in Fabrication/Welding

Job description

Since 1946, Baker & Provan have specialised in the supply and manufacturing of mechanical components, with extensive experience and capabilities in heavy engineering, precision engineering, Defence, in-service support and rail. Our core values focus on care, respect and excellence while complying with industrial regulations and maintaining high levels of WHS and security standards.

About Our Company

Since 1946, Baker & Provan have specialised in the supply and manufacturing of mechanical components, with extensive experience and capabilities in heavy engineering, precision engineering, Defence, in-service support and rail. Our core values focus on care, respect and excellence while complying with industrial regulations and maintaining high levels of WHS and security standards.

About The Position

We’re seeking a highly skilled Boilermaker / Welder to join our Defence fabrication team. This role is focused on quality-critical fabrication and welding of Defence components and assemblies, including armour plate and high-strength steels. The successful candidate will be comfortable working in a controlled manufacturing environment where workmanship, repeatability, traceability and strict compliance with approved welding procedures are essential.

The primary welding process will be GMAW on armour plate, carbon / high-strength steels and Stainless steels. Welders will be expected to produce consistent, high-integrity full penetration butt and fillet welds while working within approved WPS requirements for joint preparation, consumables, shielding gas, preheat and interpass temperature, heat input, welding sequence and technique. Experience in aluminium fabrication and welding using GTAW and GMAW is highly advantageous.

This position suits a tradesperson who takes pride in precision work, understands why procedure compliance matters, and will stop and seek clarification whenever a drawing, WPS or quality requirement cannot be achieved as specified.

Role Responsibilities

• Perform high-quality GMAW welding on armour plate, carbon steel, high-strength steel & stainless-steel components in accordance with approved WPSs.
• Complete fit-up, fabrication and welding of Defence assemblies to engineering drawings, weld symbols, tolerances, weld maps, work instructions and inspection requirements.
• Strictly comply with specified WPS variables, including process, filler material, shielding gas, joint preparation, preheat / interpass temperature, heat input, welding sequence and nominated technique requirements.
• Carry out multi-run butt and fillet welds, controlled grinding / back grinding and distortion-control activities where specified.
• Confirm joint preparation, fit-up, cleanliness and material identification before welding and maintain a consistently high standard of weld profile, fusion, penetration and visual workmanship.
• Follow material and consumable control requirements and maintain required weld traceability, welder identification and QA records.
• Present completed work for visual inspection and NDT and work closely with Welding Supervisors, Welding Coordinators and Quality personnel.
• Do not undertake unauthorised weld repairs, parameter changes or departures from the approved WPS, drawing or work instruction; escalte deviations for technical review and approval.
• Operate welding and fabrication equipment safely, maintain tools and work areas, and comply with WHS, environmental and Defence security requirements at all times.

Defence Fabrication & Welding Expectations

• A high level of workmanship and repeatability - weld quality must be maintained consistently across production work, not only during qualification testing.
• Strong procedural discipline and an understanding of preheat, interpass temperature, heat input, hydrogen control and distortion control when welding high-strength and armour steels.
• Ability to identify a potential quality issue and stop work before creating a non-conformance.
• Comfort working in an inspection-driven environment where 100% of welds will be subject to VT, PT, MT, UT, macro examination or other specified NDT / destructive testing, and willingness to complete company welder qualification testing before production authorisation.
• Ability to work with controlled documents, maintain traceability and comply with Defence confidentiality, site-access and security requirements. Eligibility for security clearances may be required for some projects.

Key Capabilities

• Advanced GMAW welding capability, particularly on carbon steel, high-strength steel, armour plate & stainless steels.
• Strong experience with butt welds, fillet welds, multi-run / multi-layer welding, joint preparation, grinding and back grinding.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings (AS/ISO/AWS), welding symbols (AWS/ISO), WPSs and fabrication instructions accurately.
• Strong attention to dimensional accuracy, weld quality, visual workmanship and distortion control.
• Aluminium fabrication and GTAW / GMAW welding experience are highly advantageous.
• Experience in Defence or another quality-critical industry such as rail, pressure equipment, heavy engineering or high-integrity structural fabrication is highly regarded.

Qualifications & Experience

• Australian-recognised trade qualification in Engineering - Fabrication Trade (Boilermaking / Welding) or an equivalent recognised trade certificate.
• Demonstrated professional welding and fabrication experience with a strong record of quality workmanship.
• Previous experience with welder qualifications to ISO 9606-1, AS/NZS 1554 or equivalent.
• Previous experience with welding defence standards (Advantageous)
• Experience working under approved critical WPSs requirements
• Exposure to AS/NZS 1554, ISO 3834, ISO 15609 / ISO 15614 or comparable controlled welding environments (Advantageous)
• Ability to meet Baker & Provan and applicable customer Defence security, confidentiality and site-access requirements.