Welder II

Master Machine, LLC; Chattanooga, Northern (TN, KY); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Master Machine, LLC in Chattanooga, TN is seeking a Welder II to perform standard production welds for nuclear, defense, and critical infrastructure programs. The role requires verification of setup, fixtures, and dimensions, with strict adherence to travelers and documentation in a regulated environment.

The Welder II will handle MIG, TIG, or Stick processes, maintain quality with minimal rework, and mentor Welder I operators while supporting continuous improvement on the shop floor.

Qualifications

• Produce welds to spec independently on common joints and positions.
• Maintain dimensional accuracy on standard production work.
• Meet internal welding qualifications and follow travel documentation accurately.

Responsibilities

• Perform standard production welds across joints and positions with consistent quality.
• Meet daily throughput and quality targets with non-supervised work.
• Apply MIG, TIG, or Stick processes correctly and adjust parameters to base material and joint type.
• Verify setup, fixtures, and traveler revisions before welding; escalate issues appropriately.
• Maintain low rework rate and support peer quality checks; mentor Welder I operators.

Skills

Welding to spec

Dimensional accuracy

Traveler documentation

Blueprint reading

Welding process knowledge

Education

Welder certification

Tools

Welding equipment

Job description

• The Welder II performs standard production welds independently in support of Master Machine’s nuclear, defense, and critical infrastructure programs. This qualified welder verifies setup and fixtures, holds key dimensions to tolerance, and maintains the quality discipline and documentation required in a regulated manufacturing environment.
• This role is evaluated on two equally weighted dimensions: Competency (what you do) and Culture (how you do it).

Big 3 - Competency // What you'll do

Perform standard production welds independently across common joints and positions with consistent quality and throughput.

Daily Throughput & Quality

• Meet daily throughput expectations with quality on common parts
• Handle moderate complexity and positions without direct supervision
• Produce welds to spec on standard production work

Process Fundamentals

• Apply MIG, TIG, or Stick process fundamentals correctly for the job
• Adjust technique to base material, thickness, and joint configuration
• Optimize parameters within the qualified range for the assigned procedure

2. Setup, Dimensional Accuracy & Documentation

Verify setup and fixtures, hold key dimensions within tolerance, and complete travelers and documentation accurately every time.

Setup & Fixture Verification

• Verify setup, fixtures, and joint fit-up before starting welds
• Perform basic dimensional checks and confirm the correct traveler revision
• Escalate setup or fit-up issues to Lead Welder rather than working around them
• Hold key dimensions within tolerance on assigned work
• Complete travelers accurately with no documentation errors
• Follow traveler sign-off requirements without shortcuts

3. Quality Discipline & Peer Support

Maintain a low rework rate, support peer quality checks, and help develop Welder I operators to strengthen the crew.

Rework Reduction & Containment

• Hold a rework rate under 2% on assigned work
• Support peer quality checks and basic containment actions
• Participate constructively in root-cause discussions when defects occur
• Mentor Welder I operators on process, setup, and safety fundamentals
• Model good documentation and safety habits at the bench
• Communicate handoffs cleanly across shifts and cells

Big 5 - Culture // How you'll live our values

1. Champion Customer Success

"We win when our customers win."

A qualified welder produces the parts customers count on. Championing customer success means every weld, dimension, and traveler entry is delivered so the customer never has to worry about what came off your booth.

What this looks like in this role:

• Anticipate what will make or break the customer’s acceptance — fit, finish, and documentation
• Hit throughput and quality commitments the shift is counting on
• Flag anything that could surprise the customer — dimension, discontinuity, or paperwork — early
• Own the outcome of each part end-to-end, not just the weld pass

What this looks like in this role:

Servant leadership, integrity, and transparency in all we do.

This welder leads by example on the floor. Integrity shows up in how you handle safety, quality holds, and documentation — and transparency shows up in how you communicate issues to Lead Welder, QC, and teammates.

What this looks like in this role:

• Follow the WPS, safety, and quality rules even when the schedule is tight
• Serve the crew by keeping fixtures, consumables, and setup ready for the next operator
• Tell the truth on travelers, sign-offs, and daily reporting
• Have hard conversations early — about setup, fit-up or defects — rather than working around them

3. Win, Together

"We are becoming, and we are building, a great team."

The Welder II is a reliable teammate the crew leans on. Winning together means the shift moves as one — supporting peer checks, mentoring Welder I, and pulling others in on tough joints instead of struggling alone.

What this looks like in this role:

• Support peer quality checks and pull teammates in when a joint is off
• Share technique and process tips generously with newer welders
• Communicate hand-offs cleanly between shifts and between cells
• Celebrate the crew’s wins and share credit when a part goes out clean

4. Relentlessly Pursue Excellence

Qualified welders keep raising their game. Relentless excellence means chasing lower rework, tighter dimensional consistency, and more process capability every quarter — not just doing what you did last year.

What this looks like in this role:

• Hold rework under 2% and drive it lower on your assigned parts
• Pursue additional process qualifications (MIG, TIG, or Stick) as opportunities come up
• Refine technique based on data — rework rate, dimensional checks, visual quality
• Challenge “that’s how we’ve always done it” when a safer or better way is obvious

5. Practice Blameless Accountability

"We own the outcome, fix the issue, learn and move forward."

Accountability at Welder II means owning your welds and your paperwork — and being the first to raise a hand when something is off, so the team can fix the process rather than protect a person.

What this looks like in this role:

• Report your own defects, rework, and near-misses openly and quickly
• Focus on root cause and process fixes when things go wrong, not blame
• Capture what you learned from a bad joint so the next welder does not repeat it
• Complete travelers and sign-offs truthfully, every time

Qualifications

• Ability to produce welds to spec independently on common joints and positions
• Proven dimensional accuracy on standard production work
• Passing performance on Master Machine internal weld qualifications
• Intermediate blueprint reading and weld-symbol interpretation
• Overhead crane and/or forklift certification (as applicable to the assigned cell)
• Track record of low rework rate and accurate traveler documentation

About Master Machine

• Founded in 1993 and headquartered in Chattanooga, TN, Master Machine LLC is a precision machining and fabrication company specializing in high‑specification components for the nuclear, defense, and critical infrastructure sectors.
• As part of Fusion Enterprises - a private company building a best‑in‑class portfolio of businesses serving the nuclear energy industry - Master Machine delivers complex, safety‑related components manufactured to the highest quality standards under a robust nuclear Quality Assurance Program.
• Together with Fusion, we are focused on operational excellence, long‑term customer partnerships, and providing essential solutions that help power and protect our world.