Weld Lead

Finn-Kool; Beloit (KS); On-site; USD 42,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental Insurance

Paid Time Off

401k

Supplementary Insurance

Wellness Center Membership Discount

Boot and eyeglasses stipend

Job summary

Finn-Kool is seeking a Weld Lead to supervise daily welding operations, coordinate tasks, and support welders in achieving quality and productivity goals. You will actively weld with the team, train new hires, and serve as the main contact for welding-related questions on the shop floor.

The role involves leading by example in safety, planning workflow, and ensuring on-schedule delivery while reading blueprints and welding to customer specs.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to lead welding teams on daily production goals.
• Strong knowledge of MIG, TIG, and Stick welding.
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, weld symbols, and work instructions.
• Experience ensuring welding activities meet quality requirements and customer specs.
• Adherence to safety protocols and PPE usage.

Responsibilities

• Provide daily direction and work assignments to welders.
• Assist with onboarding and training new welders.
• Monitor workflow and communicate priorities to the welding team.
• Promote teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Address production issues and escalate when needed.
• Lead by example in safety, quality, and professionalism.
• Coordinate work to meet production schedules and delivery commitments.
• Review travelers, drawings, and instructions before production.
• Monitor progress and communicate delays or shortages.
• Assist in balancing workload between welders and centers.
• Support schedule recovery efforts during issues.
• Perform first-piece and in-process inspections as required.
• Identify root causes of weld defects and implement corrective actions.
• Support customer nonconformance investigations and rework activities.
• Maintain ISO 9001 compliance and quality standards.

Skills

Team leadership

Welding processes MIG/TIG/Stick

Blueprint reading

Quality inspection

Safety compliance

Troubleshooting

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Position Summary

The Weld Lead is responsible for leading daily welding operations, coordinating work assignments, supporting welders in achieving quality and productivity goals, and ensuring jobs are completed safely and on schedule. This position serves as the primary point of contact for welding-related questions, training, and problem-solving on the shop floor while actively performing welding duties alongside the team.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Support

• Provide daily direction and work assignments to welders.
• Assist with onboarding and training new welders.
• Monitor workflow and communicate priorities to the welding team.
• Promote teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Address minor production issues and escape larger concerns to supervision.
• Lead by example through attendance, safety, quality, and professionalism.

Production & Scheduling

• Coordinate work to meet production schedules and delivery commitments.
• Review job travelers, drawings, specifications, and work instructions before production begins.
• Monitor job progress and communicate delays, bottlenecks, or material shortages.
• Assist in balancing workload between welders and work centers.
• Support schedule recovery efforts when production issues arise.

Quality Responsibilities

• Ensure all welding activities meet customer, drawing, and quality requirements.
• Verify proper fit-up, weld appearance, dimensions, and workmanship standards.
• Perform first-piece and in-process inspections as required.
• Help identify root causes of weld defects and implement corrective actions.
• Support customer nonconformance investigations and rework activities.
• Maintain compliance with ISO 9001 procedures and quality standards.

Safety Responsibilities

• Promote a safe work environment and enforce safety procedures.
• Ensure proper use of PPE and welding safety equipment.
• Identify and report unsafe conditions or behaviors.
• Participate in safety meetings and continuous improvement initiatives.

Technical Responsibilities

• Perform MIG, TIG, Stick, and other welding processes as required.
• Read and interpret blueprints, weld symbols, work orders, and fabrication drawings.
• Assist with fixture setup, weld sequence planning, and fabrication methods.
• Troubleshoot welding, fit-up, and equipment-related issues.
• Work closely with machining, laser, press brake, powder coat, and assembly departments.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve quality, efficiency, and throughput.
• Recommend tooling, fixture, and process improvements.
• Participate in kaizen activities and process improvement projects.
• Support implementation of standard work and best practices.

Employment Details

-Full Time, Day Shift 6 am to 2:30 pm

-Required Education: - High School Diploma or GED

-Compensation: - $20.00 to $28.00 /hour Dependent on Experience

Benefits:

- Medical/Dental Insurance

- Paid Time Off

-401k

- Supplementary Insurance

- Wellness Center Membership Discount

-Boot and eyeglasses stipend