MIG Weld Technician

Zobility; Orangeburg (SC); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Zobility in Orangeburg, SC, is seeking an experienced MIG Weld Technician to support a high-volume automotive assembly with robotic welding operations. The role keeps welding processes stable, troubleshoots MIG cells, and ensures safety, quality, and production targets.

You will work with Production, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Tooling, and Automation teams to drive process improvements and meet customer specifications.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of MIG/GMAW welding experience in an industrial manufacturing environment.
• Experience supporting automated or robotic welding equipment.
• Ability to read engineering drawings, weld symbols, process sheets, and work instructions.
• Strong mechanical troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Willingness to support overtime, weekends, alternate shifts, and launch activities when required.

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on technical support for manual and robotic GMAW/MIG welding operations on the automotive assembly line.
• Monitor and adjust welding parameters including voltage, amperage, wire-feed speed, gas flow, and torch angle.
• Troubleshoot weld-process instability and restore operations to approved conditions.
• Support welding trials, process optimization, and new-product launches.
• Perform or support weld quality inspections and right-first-time improvements.
• Collaborate with Quality and Engineering to drive continuous improvement.

Skills

MIG welding

Robotic welding

Troubleshooting

Reading drawings

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Welding power sources

Wire-feed systems

Shielding-gas systems

Fixtures and clamps

Robot control systems

Welding torches

Job description

• Seeking an experienced MIG Weld Technician to support a high-volume automotive assembly and robotic welding operation.
• This is a hands‑on manufacturing position responsible for maintaining stable welding processes, troubleshooting robotic MIG welding cells, supporting weld quality, minimizing production downtime, and driving continuous improvement.
• Strong experience with GMAW/MIG welding, robotic welding systems, weld fixtures, welding power sources, wire‑feed and shielding‑gas systems, weld‑quality inspection, and automated manufacturing equipment.
• Will work closely with Production, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Tooling, and Automation teams to ensure welding processes consistently meet safety, quality, delivery, and production‑rate requirements.

Responsibilities:

MIG Welding Process Support:

• Provide hands‑on technical support for manual and robotic GMAW/MIG welding operations on the automotive assembly line.
• Monitor and maintain approved welding parameters including voltage, amperage, wire‑feed speed, travel speed, gas flow, torch angle, contact‑tip‑to‑work distance, weld sequence, and arc start/stop conditions.
• Troubleshoot weld‑process instability and restore the process to approved operating conditions.
• Ensure weld parameters remain within established process windows and customer specifications.
• Support welding trials, process optimization, new‑product launches, and production ramp‑up activities.
• Identify opportunities to improve weld quality, cycle time, consumable usage, and process reliability.

Robotic Welding & Automation Support:

• Provide first line troubleshooting support for robotic MIG welding cells.
• Diagnose and correct issues involving: Arc faults and poor arc starts, Wire‑feed problems, Burnback and wire sticking, Contact‑tip and nozzle failures, Shielding‑gas problems, Torch collisions and alignment, Weld‑location variation, Robot path/position issues, Fixture and clamping issues
• Perform approved robot touch‑ups and weld‑path corrections.
• Verify TCP and torch alignment following collisions, maintenance, or torch replacement.
• Support safe robot recovery and production restart following equipment faults.
• Maintain and troubleshoot torch‑cleaning stations, reamers, anti‑spatter systems, wire cutters, and related welding‑cell equipment.
• Work with Controls and Automation personnel when issues involve PLCs, robots, HMIs, sensors, interlocks, communications, or safety systems.

Weld Quality & Process Control:

• Inspect welds for porosity, undercut, lack of fusion, incomplete penetration, burn‑through, cold lap, excessive spatter, cracking, incorrect weld size/location, missed welds, and start/stop defects.
• Verify weld size, length, location, and appearance against engineering drawings and customer requirements.
• Perform or support weld sectioning, cut‑and‑etch/macro examination, destructive testing, dimensional inspection, and other weld‑validation activities as required.
• Immediately identify and contain suspect production when weld quality falls outside specification.
• Work with Quality and Manufacturing Engineering to determine root cause and implement permanent corrective actions.
• Support PFMEA, Control Plans, standardized work, process capability, SPC, 5‑Why, 8D, and continuous‑improvement activities.

Weld Fixture & Assembly Support:

• Verify proper component loading, locating, nesting, and clamping prior to welding.
• Troubleshoot weld‑quality and dimensional issues associated with fixtures and part fit‑up.
• Inspect locating pins, clamps, sensors, hard stops, shims, and other tooling components.
• Identify excessive part gaps, dimensional variation, fixture wear, or component conditions affecting weld quality.
• Work with Tooling and Manufacturing Engineering to correct fixture‑related problems.
• Support dimensional investigations involving welded assemblies and CMM/measurement results.

Equipment & Preventive Maintenance:

• Support troubleshooting and preventive maintenance of: MIG welding power sources, Welding torches and dress packs, Wire feeders and drive rolls, contact tips, nozzles, liners, and diffusers, Welding cables and electrical grounds, Shielding‑gas systems, regulators, and flowmeters, Wire drums/spools, Torch‑cleaning and reaming systems, Robotic welding equipment, Automated weld fixtures and clamps
• Perform scheduled inspections and preventive‑maintenance activities and identify recurring equipment failures requiring permanent corrective action.
• Respond quickly to welding‑related production downtime.
• Support achievement of takt time/JPH, OEE, first‑pass yield, scrap, rework, downtime, and quality targets.
• Document equipment failures, welding problems, root causes, and corrective actions.
• Participate in daily production and shift handover meetings as required.
• Support engineering trials, prototype builds, equipment commissioning, launch, ramp‑up, and production‑validation activities.
• Reduce weld‑related scrap and rework through structured problem solving.
• Identify opportunities to reduce welding‑wire, shielding‑gas, tip/nozzle, and other consumable usage without compromising quality.
• Work with operators and team leaders to improve standardized work and proper component loading.

Requirements:

• Minimum 3 years of hands‑on MIG/GMAW welding experience in an industrial manufacturing environment.
• Strong knowledge of MIG welding principles and weld‑defect troubleshooting.
• Experience supporting automated or robotic welding equipment.
• Ability to read engineering drawings, weld symbols, process sheets, and work instructions.
• Experience using basic dimensional and weld‑inspection equipment.
• Strong mechanical troubleshooting and problem‑solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast‑paced production environment.
• Willingness to support overtime, weekends, alternate shifts, and launch activities when required.

Preferred:

• Previous experience in automotive chassis, ladder frames, subframes, cradles, body structures, BIW, heavy equipment, structural fabrication, or similar high‑volume welded assemblies is strongly preferred.
• Experience with any of the following is an advantage:
• Robotics: FANUC, ABB, KUKA, Yaskawa/Motoman or equivalent
• Welding Systems: Lincoln Electric, Fronius, Miller, OTC Daihen, SKS or equivalent
• PLC/HMI‑controlled automated manufacturing equipment
• Robotic welding fixtures and pneumatic/hydraulic clamping systems
• Weld macro/cut‑and‑etch analysis
• Automotive PFMEA and Control Plans
• SPC and process capability
• IATF 16949 manufacturing environments
• Lean Manufacturing, 5S, TPM, and structured problem solving

Education:

• High School Diploma or GED required; Technical/Trade‑School Education Preferred.