Welding Program Manager

Position Title: Welding Program Manager

Work Location: Chesapeake, VA - In Office

FLSA Status: Full-Time, Exempt

REQ#26_091712

Summary of duties – Reports to Director of Operations. The Welding Program Manager is responsible for the technical ownership, implementation, control, and continuous improvement of the company’s welding program, which provides standardized welding processes, procedures, oversight, and support to both the shipboard systems integration, alteration, installation, and testing (AIT) sector and the Fabrication (Fab Shop) sector, including the fabrication of shipboard subassemblies, equipment foundations, and related structural and mechanical components. Qualified candidates must be able to support multiple priorities in an evolving environment.

The Welding Program Manager develops, maintains, and administers the company’s welding procedure and welder qualification program in accordance with applicable customer requirements, military and commercial standards, codes, specifications, drawings, and contract requirements. The position ensures that welding procedures and welder qualifications are technically valid, properly documented, current, traceable, and applicable to the work being performed. Qualified candidates must be skilled with verbal and written communication and be prepared to interface daily with organizational contemporaries to ensure the successful achievement of company weld program objectives. managing multiple priorities in an evolving environment

The position owns the welding procedure specification (WPS), procedure qualification record (PQR), welder performance qualification (WPQ), welder continuity, and associated welding documentation systems, including development, review, approval coordination, revision control, retention, and accessibility of records. The individual establishes and maintains the systems necessary to ensure that only appropriately qualified welders, approved procedures, and qualified welding processes are used for production work.

The position has the authority and responsibility to identify welding activities that do not meet applicable requirements and to recommend or initiate corrective action, including withholding approval for use of an unqualified procedure, unqualified welder, or otherwise noncompliant welding process.

Specific description of duties –

• Ensure welder qualifications and continuity records accurately reflect individual qualifications and remain current in accordance with governing requirements.
• Oversee procedure qualification and welder performance qualification testing, including coordination with qualified testing laboratories, inspectors, and customer representatives as required.
• Create and modify Quality Management System (QMS) documentation.
• Identify systemic welding-program deficiencies and implement corrective and preventive actions.
• Maintain objective evidence necessary to demonstrate welding program compliance during customer, regulatory, classification society, government, and internal audits.
• Interface with Quality Assurance, Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain, Contracts, Program Management, and customer representatives on welding-related matters.
• Provide technical input during source inspections, customer inspections, government oversight, and audits involving welding activities.
• Establish metrics and reporting mechanisms for welding qualification status, continuity, procedure utilization, weld defects, rework, nonconformances, audit findings, and other indicators of welding program performance.
• Evaluate new welding technologies, processes, equipment, and materials for potential application within the fabrication operation.
• Support estimating, proposals, and new-work reviews by identifying welding requirements, qualification needs, technical risks, and resource requirements.
• Maintain awareness of changes to applicable welding codes, standards, Navy requirements, customer specifications, and company processes and incorporate changes into the welding program as appropriate.
• Perform other related duties consistent with the technical and managerial responsibilities of the position.

Qualifications/ Experience –

• Bachelor’s degree in Welding Engineering, Materials Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline; equivalent technical education and substantial welding engineering experience may be considered.
• Significant professional experience in welding engineering, welding program management, or welding quality within heavy fabrication, shipbuilding, naval, defense, marine, or similarly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Demonstrated experience developing and administering welding procedure and welder qualification programs.
• Familiarity with HII-NNS carrier new construction and NSTP-1688 supporting EB fabrication specifications
• Demonstrated working knowledge of applicable welding codes, standards, military specifications, customer requirements, and quality-system requirements.
• Demonstrated experience with WPS/PQR/WPQ development, qualification, control, and records management.
• Experience establishing and maintaining welder continuity systems.
• Experience auditing welding operations and identifying and resolving compliance deficiencies.
• Extensive experience with training and continuous improvement of best work practices, and applying QMS requirements to daily tasking.
• Strong understanding of welding metallurgy, weldability, welding processes, consumables, heat input, preheat/interpass controls, distortion, weld defects, and weld repair.
• Experience working directly with certified welders, welding supervisors, inspectors, quality personnel, and manufacturing organizations.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, welding symbols, specifications, and technical requirements.
• Strong technical writing, documentation, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and exercise sound technical judgment in a highly regulated defense/shipbuilding environment.
• AWS Certified Welding Engineer (CWEng) or comparable professional welding engineering credential.
• AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) certification.
• AWS Certified Welding Supervisor (CWS) or equivalent supervisory/production welding experience.
• Experience supporting U.S. Navy shipboard fabrication, alteration, installation, repair, or sustainment programs.
• Experience with NAVSEA welding requirements and applicable Navy fabrication and welding standards/specifications.
• Experience with ASME, AWS, ABS, or other applicable commercial/industrial welding codes and standards.
• Experience supporting government/customer audits and source inspections.
• Experience with electronic welding qualification/continuity databases or quality-management systems; proficiency with maintaining digital records via SharePoint or equivalent.
• Familiarity with NDE methods and weld inspection requirements.
• Experience implementing welding program improvements across multiple operating locations or business units.

Security Clearance –

• Not required

Physical/Environmental Job Requirements –

Physical requirements include the following:

• None

Company Overview:
Prism Maritime is a premier maritime service provider for Alteration Installation Team (AIT) and Modernization related Services in support of US Maritime and Shore-based clients. Prism Maritime is a privately held business headquartered in Chesapeake, VA, with offices in San Diego and Ventura, CA. Established in 2006, Prism Maritime currently employs over 350 professionals and maintains an ISO 9001-2015 certified Quality Management System.

Prism Maritime is an EEO/AA employer. We invite resumes from all interested parties without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnic origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. U.S. citizenship is required for most positions.

If you need special assistance or an accommodation while seeking employment with us, please email [email protected] or call: 757-460-8800.

To Apply: Visit and click on Careers>Job Openings

All applications are active for 90 calendar days. After 90 days you must re-apply to still be considered for this position.