SHIPFITTER EXPERIENCED - 10+ YEARS REQUIRED

HII; Newport News (VA); On-site; USD 83,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Sign-on bonus

Weekly paychecks

Medical benefits

Job summary

Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of HII, is seeking highly experienced Shipfitters to join our team. You will read blueprints, fabricate and fit steel structures, and work across shipyard locations, including high places and confined spaces. Relocation assistance and a $5,000 sign-on bonus are offered.

Candidate must have 10+ years of fitting/fabrication experience and have worked for Newport News Shipbuilding for at least 1.5 years. Strong safety and physical requirements apply.

Qualifications

• Candidates must have 10+ years of Fitting/Fabrication experience.
• Must have worked for Newport News Shipbuilding for 1.5 years.
• Must be able to work at extreme heights or small confined spaces.

Responsibilities

• Read and interpret blueprints to place, maneuver, or fabricate steel structures.
• Work at heights and in cramped spaces as part of shipbuilding.
• Use tools to measure, cut, grind, and weld parts for ship hulls and structures.

Skills

Shipfitting

Blueprint reading

Welding

Education

High school diploma

Job description

Req ID: 49493

Team: X11 FITTERS

Entity: Newport News Shipbuilding

US Citizenship Required for this Position: Yes

Full-Time

Shift: Multiple

Relocation: Relocation assistance will be available

Virtual/Telework Opportunity: No - Not eligible for telework

Travel Requirements: No

Clearance Required: No - Clearance Not Required to Start

Salary Range: $83,491.20 to $85,196.80

The anticipated salary range represents the estimated base pay for this role. Final compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors, and may vary from the posted range

Meet HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding

With more than 25,000 employees – including third-, fourth- and even fifth-generation shipbuilders – HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division is the largest industrial employer in Virginia. We’re the sole designer, builder and refueler of U.S. Navy nuclear aircraft carriers and one of two providers of U.S. Navy nuclear submarines. Our diverse and innovative team of professionals ranges from skilled trades to project managers, engineers and software developers to solution architects, technical subject matter experts, and system users. We collaborate together at the forefront of technology, manufacturing, and integration of the most powerful and survivable naval ships in the world.

The Role

Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of HII, is hiring Shipfitters with a minimum of 10 or more years of experience. Newport News Shipbuilding offers competitive pay, weekly paychecks, paid time off, paid holidays, medical benefits including an on-site health centre, 401K company match, employee discounts, and more.

NNS is also offering a $5,000.00 lump sum payment for relocation assistance and a $5,000.00 sign on bonus.

Fitters are often called the "carpenters" of shipbuilding or "Artists of Steel" because they need to read and interpret blueprints or plans to place, maneuver, or fabricate steel structures or hulls of ships. Fitters use a variety of tools to measure, cut, grind, fit, align and tack weld parts as small as a fingernail to the large sub-assemblies and super lifts that form the structural body of a ship. Fitters also build in-place all interior structures, hatches, doors, bulkheads, etc., to complete all the steel work in the ship.

Fitters at NNS attend and become qualified through the shipyard’s state of the art welding school. Fitters are expected to climb and work in high areas, crawl and work in cramped, confined spaces, and perform tasks in all kinds of weather conditions. A fitter will apply their skills in various locations across the shipyard, including the shops, platens or concrete and metal structures, dry‑docks, and onboard ships in support of new construction, ship repair, and ship overhauls.

If you have experience* related to the following, you might be a good fit for this job.

• Construction work (e.g., erecting structures, reading blueprints, framing houses)
• Carpentry (e.g., framing, cutting metal, using angles)
• Auto Mechanic or Autobody work
• Structural iron work (e.g., welding, building structural frameworks, understanding of metals)

Must Have

Candidates must have 10 or more years of Fitting/Fabrication experience

Must have worked for Newport News Shipbuilding for 1.5 years

Must be able to work at extreme heights or small confined spaces.

Must be able to kneel, squat, crawl, bend, stoop, and climb.

Must be able to lift 40 lbs and must take and pass a respirator fit test.

Must be able to work assigned shift as production needs.

Must be able to pass Physical Agility Test.

Must be able to work all assigned shift.

Must be able to take measurements or be willing to learn.

Nice to Have

High school graduate or equivalent preferred.

Has received and can provide a certificate or diploma in Shipfitting or a directly related field, including Welding (SMAW, GMAW), Plasma Cutting and/or Oxy‑Fuel Cutting, Construction Maintenance, Carpentry, Auto Body, and/or Sheet Metal Fabrication.

Why HII

We build the world’s most powerful, survivable naval ships and defense technology solutions that safeguard our seas, sky, land, space and cyber. HII’s diverse workforce includes skilled tradespeople; artificial intelligence, machine learning (AI/ML) experts; engineers; technologists; scientists; logistics experts; and business administration professionals.

Recognized as one of America’s top large company employers, we are a values and ethics driven organization that puts people’s safety and well-being first. Regardless of your role or where you serve, at HII, you’ll find a supportive and welcoming environment, competitive benefits, and valuable educational and training programs for continual career growth at every stage of your career.

Working at HII is more than a job - it’s an opportunity to build a future. We offer comprehensive benefits including: medical, prescription drug, dental and vision plan choices, on‑site health centers, tele‑medicine, wellness resources, employee assistance programs, savings plan options (401K), financial education and planning tools, life insurance, tuition reimbursement, employee discounts, early childhood and post‑secondary education scholarships, and more. Some benefits may vary depending on your specific division or work location.

Together we are working to ensure a future where everyone can be free and thrive.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, or veteran status or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law. U.S. Citizenship may be required for certain positions.

Do You Need Assistance?

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e‑mail to buildyourcareer@hii‑co.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Reasonable accommodations are considered on a case‑by‑case basis. Please note that only those inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this e‑mail address.

Additionally, you may also call 1-844-849-8463 for assistance. Press #2 for Newport News Shipbuilding.