Welding Instructor

Urban Workshop; Costa Mesa (CA); On-site; USD 28,000 - 34,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Complimentary membership to the shop

Extensive equipment training

Flexible scheduling

Job summary

Urban Workshop in Costa Mesa, CA is seeking a part-time welding instructor to lead recreational welding classes. You will teach MIG, TIG, and other welding techniques, while mentoring hobbyists and home fabricators. The role offers flexible scheduling and a complimentary shop membership.

Ideal candidates have substantial welding and fabrication experience and prior teaching or mentoring ability, with a focus on safety and hands-on skill transfer. This position supplements other work and projects.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on experience with at least one welding process (MIG, TIG, or Stick); comfort with multiple processes is a plus
• Experience with metal cutting and forming equipment: plasma cutter, chop saw, bandsaw, shear, brake, angle grinder
• Solid understanding of metal types (mild steel, stainless, aluminum), joint preparation, weld positions, and how each process behaves on different materials
• Deep familiarity with shop safety: PPE, ventilation, fire prevention, hot work protocols, and gas cylinder handling
• Portfolio of completed projects required. Please include photos with your application
• Inspire and encourage students of all skill levels
• Teach and demonstrate shop rules, etiquette, fire and safety protocols, clean up and organization, and equipment check-out procedures
• Must present a professional image, be courteous and organized, and reliable
• Start and end class on time and teach prescribed content
• Inform shop or management team of any equipment, materials, or documentation issues

Responsibilities

• Start each class fully prepared and on time
• Conduct thorough safety demonstrations before any tool or torch use, with zero shortcuts
• End class once each student has achieved success, then clean up and store materials with consideration to the next class and teacher
• Teach class content as directed, but always looking for ways to improve it
• Teach and demonstrate Urban Workshop safety rules, policies, and etiquette
• Inspire and encourage Urban Workshop members, students, and each other
• Promote Urban Workshop special offers and up-sells at the end of class

Skills

Welding experience

Teaching experience

Interpersonal skills

Mentoring students

Tools

Plasma cutter

Chop saw

Bandsaw

Shear

Brake

Angle grinder

Job description

Description

DESCRIPTION

Urban Workshop is looking for a skilled welder with a passion for teaching to lead our welding classes. This is a part-time, flexible role ideal for someone who has built a career or lifelong practice in the trade and now wants to share it. Many of our best instructors are accomplished fabricators and welders who've spent years honing their skills and are now looking for a meaningful way to pass them on. If teaching the next generation of makers sounds more rewarding than another shop job or contract, we'd love to talk.

This role is for our recreational class program. We teach hobbyists and home fabricators the skills they need to confidently tackle their own projects, from basic MIG and TIG fundamentals to metal art and small fabrication builds. (Our professional CTE and workforce development program hires separately.)

Our welding instructors teach safe and proper use of professional-grade welding and fabrication equipment including MIG, TIG, and stick welders, plasma cutters, oxy-fuel, chop saws, grinders, shears, and brakes. You'll be joining a community of working professionals, retired tradespeople, and lifelong hobbyists who teach because they love it. A complimentary membership is included, use the shop for your own projects whenever you're not teaching.

TEACHING RESPONSIBILITIES

• Start each class fully prepared and on time
• Conduct thorough safety demonstrations before any tool or torch use, with zero shortcuts
• End class once each student has achieved success, then clean up and store materials with consideration to the next class and teacher
• Teach class content as directed, but always looking for ways to improve it
• Teach and demonstrate Urban Workshop safety rules, policies, and etiquette
• Inspire and encourage Urban Workshop members, students, and each other
• Promote Urban Workshop special offers and up-sells at the end of class

COMPENSATION AND PERKS

• $20 to $25/hr. DOE
• Complimentary Urban Workshop membership: full access to our 30,000 sq ft facility and all shop areas during open hours, so you can keep working on your own projects between classes
• Extensive training on all equipment
• The opportunity to work alongside an amazing group of peers and Members

Requirements

REQUIREMENTS The ideal candidate will have substantial welding and fabrication experience, prior teaching or mentoring experience, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to work with students of varying skill levels, from absolute beginners to experienced fabricators. Hours are limited (typically 12 to 20 per month) and scheduled around your availability, not ours. This is not a full-time position and is best suited as a supplemental role alongside other work, retirement, or personal projects.

• Strong hands-on experience with at least one welding process (MIG, TIG, or Stick); comfort with multiple processes is a plus
• Working knowledge of metal cutting and forming equipment: plasma cutter, chop saw, bandsaw, shear, brake, angle grinder
• Solid understanding of metal types (mild steel, stainless, aluminum), joint preparation, weld positions, and how each process behaves on different materials
• Deep familiarity with shop safety: PPE, ventilation, fire prevention, hot work protocols, and gas cylinder handling
• Experience with metal art, sculpture, or custom fabrication is a plus
• Portfolio of completed projects required. Please include photos with your application
• Inspire and encourage students of all skill levels
• Teach and demonstrate shop rules, etiquette, fire and safety protocols, clean up and organization, and equipment check-out procedures
• Must present a professional image, be courteous and organized, and reliable
• Start and end class on time and teach prescribed content
• Inform shop or management team of any equipment, materials, or documentation issues