Senior Fabricator

LER TechForce; Taylor (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

LER TechForce is seeking an experienced fabrication specialist to build complex automotive assemblies and prototypes. You will design and engineer fixtures and hold-down jigs for extremely tight tolerances, and you will operate CNC/plasma, press brakes, and shears at an expert level.

You will read automotive blueprints with GD&T tolerances and perform first-article inspections before production, while training junior welders to maintain cosmetic and structural quality.

Qualifications

• 5 to 10+ years of advanced experience building complex automotive assemblies, prototypes, or custom chassis elements.
• Advanced TIG/MIG welding expertise: cosmetic and structural on frames and panels down to 0.040
• Proven ability to manage aluminium thermal conductivity to prevent distortion and warpage.
• AWS D1.2 (Structural Aluminium) or AWS D17.1 certification.
• Mastery of automotive blueprints with tight tolerances (±0.005”).
• Expert use of metrology equipment including surface plates and gauges.
• Experience engineering and building fixtures/hold-down jigs for high-precision fitment.
• Expert operation of programmable press brakes, automated shears, tube benders, CNC plasma/waterjet tables.

Responsibilities

• Build complex automotive assemblies, prototypes, and chassis elements.
• Engineer and build custom shop fixtures and hold-down jigs for repeatable fitment.
• Operate CNC plasma/waterjet, press brakes, automated shears, and tube benders.
• Read and interpret blueprints with tight GD&T tolerances.
• Document first-article dimensional inspections prior to production.
• Train and supervise junior welders for aesthetic and structural compliance.
• Identify bottlenecks and propose DFx improvements to engineers.
• Standardize NDT procedures, including dye penetrant testing for aluminium.

Skills

Advanced welding

GD&T accuracy

Metrology tools

Blueprint reading

Leadership / training

NDT procedures

CNC/plasma/waterjet

Tools

Surface plates

Height gauges

Calipers

Micrometers

Dye penetrant testing

Job description

• Build complex automotive assemblies, prototypes, and custom chassis elements.
• Engineer and build custom shop fixtures and hold-down jigs to ensure repeatable, high-precision fitment.
• Operate programmable press brakes, automated shears, tube benders, and CNC plasma/waterjet tables at an expert level.
• Read and interpret complex automotive blueprints containing tight GD&T tolerances (often within +/-0.005").
• Use surface plates, height gauges, digital calipers, micrometers, and other advanced metrology and layout tools.
• Conduct, review, and document detailed first-article dimensional inspections prior to full production runs.
• Train and supervise junior welders to ensure strict aesthetic and structural compliance.
• Identify production bottlenecks and suggest design-for-manufacturability revisions to automotive engineers.
• Standardize the shop's non-destructive testing (NDT) procedures, including dye penetrant testing for aluminium weld integrity.

What you'll need to be successful:

• 5 to 10+ years of advanced experience building complex automotive assemblies, prototypes, or custom chassis elements.
• Advanced TIG/MIG welding expertise: flawless cosmetic and structural execution on structural frames, suspension brackets, and thin body panels down to 0.040".
• Proven ability to manage aluminium's high thermal conductivity to prevent distortion, warpage, and structural degradation.
• Active AWS D1.2 (Structural Aluminium) or AWS D17.1 (Aerospace/Automotive high-spec) certification.
• Mastery of complex automotive blueprints containing tight GD&T tolerances (often within +/-0.005").
• Expert-level use of surface plates, height gauges, digital calipers, micrometers, and related metrology equipment.
• Direct experience conducting, reviewing, and documenting detailed first-article dimensional layout inspections.
• Experience engineering and building custom shop fixtures and hold-down jigs for high-precision fitment.
• Expert-level operation of programmable press brakes, automated shears, tube benders, and CNC plasma/waterjet tables.