Lead Welder

YDU JC Air Cond & Ref Inc.- Dubai; San Antonio (TX); On-site; USD 68,000 - 102,000; Full time

Job summary

Johnson Controls, a global leader in thermal management and building systems, seeks a Lead Welder to oversee daily welding, fit-up, and fabrication activities, ensuring quality and safety while guiding a team of welders.

You will interpret engineering drawings, apply WPS, mentor apprentices, conduct inspections, support continuous improvement, and help meet production goals in a fast-growing manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• Must have 5+ years welding and fabrication experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 2 years in a lead, mentor, or senior welder role.
• Demonstrated ability to weld carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum and pass company welding qualification tests.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate daily welding, fitting, and fabrication activities per drawings and BOMs.
• Weld using MIG, TIG, FCAW; ensure welds meet quality and acceptance criteria.
• Perform in-process and final weld inspections; document results and address nonconformances.
• Interpret welding procedures, specs, and weld symbols; manage weld preparation and fit-up.
• Train and mentor apprentices and junior welders; support safety and Kaizen initiatives.
• Maintain welding parameters and equipment calibration; support continuous improvement.

Skills

Leadership

Quality Focus

Technical Expertise

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Accountability

Planning & Organization

Communication Skills

Safety Awareness

Attention to Detail

Team Development

Process Improvement

Integrity & Professionalism

Performance Expectations

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Welding technical school certification

Tools

Welding equipment

Tape measures

Calipers

Squares

Levels

Angle gauges

Job description

Johnson Controls, a global leader in thermal management, mission‑critical building systems, energy efficiency, and decarbonization, helps customers use energy more productively, reduce carbon emissions, and operate with the precision and resilience required in rapidly expanding industries such as data centers, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, and higher education. For more than 140 years, Johnson Controls has delivered performance where it really matters. Backed by advanced technology, lifecycle services and an industry-leading field organization, we elevate customer performance, turn goals into real‑world results and help move society forward.

The Lead Welder is responsible for overseeing daily welding and fit‑up activities, ensuring quality workmanship, productivity, and compliance with company, customer, and industry standards. This role provides technical leadership, guidance, and training to welders and fitters while supporting production objectives, continuous improvement initiatives, safety compliance, and quality assurance requirements. The Lead Welder serves as the primary point of contact for weld quality, weld procedure adherence, fabrication accuracy, and inspection readiness throughout the manufacturing process.

Welding & Fabrication Leadership

Lead and coordinate daily welding, fitting, and fabrication activities within assigned production areas. Perform and oversee welding operations using GMAW (MIG), GTAW (TIG), FCAW, and other approved welding processes as required. Interpret and apply engineering drawings, weld symbols, specifications, bills of material, and fabrication instructions. Verify proper fit‑up, alignment, dimensional accuracy, and weld preparation prior to welding. Ensure all welds meet visual acceptance criteria and applicable quality requirements. Support production schedules while maintaining quality and safety standards. Assist supervisors in assigning work, monitoring workflow, and resolving production issues. Provide technical guidance and mentorship to apprentices, junior, and production welders.

Quality Assurance & Inspection

Conduct in‑process and final visual inspections of weldments and fabricated assemblies. Verify compliance with approved welding procedures, work instructions, and quality standards. Identify weld discontinuities including: Undercut, Porosity, Cracking, Incomplete fusion, Incomplete penetration, Excessive reinforcement, Distortion. Ensure proper material traceability and documentation where required. Review weld quality reports and assist with corrective and preventive actions. Collaborate with Quality and Engineering teams to investigate nonconformances and implement solutions. Support internal, customer, and third‑party quality audits. Verify calibration status of measuring and inspection equipment. Maintain accurate production, inspection, and repair/rework records.

Standards & Technical Knowledge

Maintain a working knowledge of recognized pressure‑containing equipment, structural fabrication, and welding construction standards. Understand: Weld procedure specifications (WPS) Procedure qualification records (PQR) Welder performance qualifications Material specifications Joint design requirements Heat input considerations Dimensional tolerances Ensure welding parameters remain within approved ranges for voltage, amperage, wire feed speed, travel speed, and shielding gas requirements. Apply accepted industry practices for welding carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum materials. Review fabrication drawings for manufacturability and compliance before production begins.

Safety & Continuous Improvement

Enforce all safety policies, procedures, and PPE requirements. Promote and support 5S workplace organization principles. Participate in Kaizen and continuous improvement initiatives. Identify opportunities to improve quality, productivity, and workflow efficiency. Conduct workstation audits and ensure safe operation of welding and fabrication equipment. Assist in incident investigations and corrective action implementation when required.

Training & Team Development

Train and qualify employees on welding techniques, workmanship standards, equipment operation, and quality expectations. Evaluate welder performance and provide coaching for continuous improvement. Assist in skills assessments and qualification testing. Promote a culture of accountability, craftsmanship, teamwork, and safety.

Required Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Minimum 5 years of welding and fabrication experience in a manufacturing environment.
• Minimum 2 years in a lead, mentor, or senior welder role.
• Demonstrated experience welding carbon steel, stainless steel, and aluminum.
• Ability to pass company welding qualification tests.
• Strong blueprint reading and weld symbol interpretation skills.
• Experience using precision measuring tools including:
  • Tape measures
  • Calipers
  • Squares
  • Levels
  • Angle gauges
• Proficient with manual and semi‑automatic welding equipment.
• Working knowledge of welding inspections and quality systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Welding technical school certification.
• Experience with pressure vessels, coils, piping systems, or heavy fabrication.
• Experience supporting quality audits and root cause investigations.
• Knowledge of non‑destructive examination methods such as:
  • Visual Inspection (VT)
  • Liquid Penetrant Testing (PT)
  • Magnetic Particle Testing (MT)
  • Ultrasonic Testing (UT)
  • Radiographic Testing (RT)
• Lean Manufacturing and Continuous Improvement experience.

Key Competencies

• Leadership
• Quality Focus
• Technical Expertise
• Problem Solving
• Decision Making
• Accountability
• Planning & Organization
• Communication Skills
• Safety Awareness
• Attention to Detail
• Team Development
• Process Improvement
• Integrity & Professionalism
• Performance Expectations

Performance Expectations

• Maintain first‑pass weld quality standards.
• Drive reductions in rework and scrap.
• Ensure production objectives are achieved without compromising safety or quality.
• Support workforce development through coaching and training.
• Maintain compliance with documented welding procedures, fabrication standards, inspection requirements, and customer specifications.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for welding workmanship and fabrication quality within the department.

Salary Range

SALARY RANGE: $67,900 - 101,900 (Salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data.) This role offers a competitive Bonus plan that will take into account individual, group, and corporate performance. This position includes a competitive benefits package. The posted salary range reflects the target compensation for this role. However, we recognize that exceptional candidates may bring unique skills and experiences that exceed the typical profile. To support an efficient and fair hiring process, we may use technology assisted tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), to help identify and evaluate candidates. All hiring decisions are ultimately made by human reviewers.

Equal Employment Opportunity

# Johnson Controls International plc. is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a qualified individual with a disability or any other characteristic protected by law.

To view more information about your equal opportunity and non-discrimination rights as a candidate, visit EEO is the Law. If you are an individual with a disability and you require an accommodation during the application process, please visit here.

Company Overview

Johnson Controls: Enhancing the Intelligence of Buildings Your buildings have a purpose. They are places for people to live or work. Facilities for learning or healing. Venues for entertainment and shopping. Sites for the specialized storage of tangible goods or mission‑critical data. Your buildings have a huge variety of functions; they are central to your mission. This is where Johnson Controls comes in, helping drive the outcomes that matter most. Through a full range of systems and digital solutions, we make your buildings smarter. A smarter building is safer, more comfortable, more efficient, and, ultimately, more sustainable. Most important, smarter buildings let you focus more intensely on your unique mission. Better for your people. Better for your bottom line. Better for the planet. At Johnson Controls, we have been making buildings smarter since 1885, and our capabilities, depth of innovation experience, and global reach have been growing ever since. Today, we offer the world’s largest portfolio of building products, technologies, software, and services; we put that portfolio to work to transform the environments where people live, work, learn and play.