Welder - ENTRY LEVEL (October 2026 Hiring Event)

Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc.; Pascagoula (MS); On-site; USD 25,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Overtime opportunities

Skills training

Job summary

Ingalls Shipbuilding invites individuals to begin a hands-on welding career with entry-level opportunities in Pascagoula. You’ll join a skilled team, receive training in core welding processes, learn to follow weld specifications, and support ship construction that keeps our fleet mission-ready.

You don’t need years of experience—just a willingness to learn, commitment to safety, and drive to grow your skills.

Qualifications

• Welding training program or technical certification required.
• Willingness to learn and develop welding skills.
• Ability to pass military-standard weld tests in 3G/2G/4G positions.

Responsibilities

• Learn and perform basic welding processes, including SMAW and FCAW.
• Join metal materials that support ship construction and repair.
• Work in a dynamic shipyard environment with shifts and safety requirements.
• Follow weld instructions and guidance from experienced welders.
• Support evolving production needs across active shipbuilding programs.
• Be available to work any shift in a 24/7 manufacturing environment.

Skills

Welding basics

Safety awareness

Teamwork

Education

Welding certification program

Tools

SMAW (Stick)

FCAW (Flux Core)

Job description

Location: Pascagoula, Mississippi, United States

US Citizenship Required for this Position:Yes

Full-Time
Shift: Multiple
Relocation: No relocation assistance available
Virtual/Telework Opportunity: No - Not eligible for telework

Travel Requirement: No

We’re building tomorrow’s fleet today
With more than 11,000 employees, HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division is the largest manufacturing employer in Mississippi and a major contributor to the economic growth of Alabama. For nearly 85 years, we’ve designed, built and maintained amphibious ships, destroyers, and cutters for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard. The largest supplier of U.S. Navy surface combatants, we’re simultaneously building four classes of ships and have pioneered the development and production of technologically advanced, highly capable ships for the surface Navy fleet for decades. Think that’s cool? Keep reading:

The Role

Strength. Curiosity. Potential. Begin Your Welding Career.Are you ready to start a hands‑on career that helps build America’s most advanced naval vessels?As an Entry‑Level Welder at Ingalls Shipbuilding, you’ll join a skilled team that shapes the steel foundations of the U.S. Navy’s fleet. You don’t need years of experience — just a willingness to learn, a commitment to safety, and the drive to grow your skills. You will receive training in core welding processes, learn to follow weld specifications, and support the structural work that keeps our ships strong and mission‑ready.If you’re eager to begin a rewarding career at Mississippi’s largest private employer — “America’s Shipyard” — your opportunity starts here.

What You Can Earn

• Starting pay: $21.58 per hour
• Additional opportunities for overtime, skills training, and long‑term career growth.

What You’ll Do

• Learn and perform basic welding processes, including SMAW (“stick”) and FCAW (“wire”).
• Join metal materials that support ship construction and repair.
• Work in a dynamic shipyard environment — heights, confined spaces, varied weather conditions, and multiple shifts.
• Follow detailed weld instructions, safety procedures, and guidance from experienced welders.
• Support evolving production needs across active shipbuilding programs.
• Must be available to work any shift in a 24/7 manufacturing environment.

Why This Work Matters

Entry‑Level Welders help build the ships that protect our sailors and safeguard our nation. Every weld you learn to make contributes to the strength and reliability of vessels operating around the world. Your growth and determination directly support the teams who deliver the Navy’s most capable ships.

What You Bring

• A welding training program or technical certification (required)
• A willingness to learn and develop new welding skills
• Ability to pass military‑standard weld tests in vertical (3G), horizontal (2G), and overhead (4G) positions
• Comfort working in active industrial environments
• Strong commitment to safety, craftsmanship, and teamwork

Must Have

• This position requires a minimum of one (1) year of work experience in FCAW (Flux Core) and SWAW (Stick) welding, the ability to pass military standard tests in the vertical (3G), horizontal (2G) and overhead (4G) positions.
• Successful completion of a welding technical training certification program will be allowed in lieu of experience requirement. Qualified applicants will be required to pass a hands‑on skill assessment; the weld test is for x‑ray quality.

Nice to Have

High School Diploma or Equivalent is preferred. Previous experience in shipbuilding is preferred.

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 #1 for Ingalls Shipbuilding.