Manufacturing Engineer - Welding

VDL USA Holding Inc•Flowery Branch, GA

11d

About The Position

The Manufacturing Engineer - Welding serves as the technical subject matter expert for welding processes and welded assembly manufacturing. The role leads sheet metal and structural welding projects across the product lifecycle, from quotation review and New Product Introduction (NPI) through production launch and continuous improvement. It applies Design for Manufacturability (DfM) principles, develops Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS), designs and implements weld fixtures, supports weld qualification activities, and improves quality, productivity, and cost. The position works closely with Engineering, Production, Quality, Project Management, and Planning to meet customer requirements through safe, repeatable, and efficient manufacturing processes. The engineer supports quoting, process planning, production readiness, and manufacturing feasibility assessments; evaluates technical documents and manufacturing requirements; develops welding processes and work instructions; supports welder training and qualification; and helps resolve weld defects and production issues. The role also supports equipment and tooling investments, welding automation and robotics, and continuous improvement initiatives while ensuring compliance with customer requirements, AWS standards, company quality systems, and workplace safety standards.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Welding Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent experience.
AWS Certified Welding Engineer (CWE) and AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) certifications are required.
Seven or more years of welding and fabrication manufacturing experience.
Experience with sheet metal fabrication and structural weldments.
Advanced knowledge of MIG and TIG welding processes.
Strong understanding of weld metallurgy, material properties, and fabrication methods.
Expertise in weld fixture and tooling design.
Proficiency in interpreting engineering drawings, welding symbols, and GD&T.
Knowledge of AWS welding codes, standards, and industry best practices.
Experience with WPS development, weld qualification, and NDT methods.
Strong root cause analysis and problem-solving skills.
Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
Cost estimation and project management support skills.
Strong communication and collaboration skills across engineering, quality, production, and project teams.
Proficiency with SolidWorks.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting semiconductor, aerospace, medical device, or high-tech manufacturing environments.
Experience with TruTops and Bysoft.
Knowledge of ISO 9001 quality management systems.
Experience with ASTM, ISO, and DIN material standards.

Responsibilities

Serve as the welding subject matter expert for MIG and TIG welding processes.
Work with the NPI team to evaluate projects and ensure manufacturing readiness.
Review customer technical product documents, engineering drawings, specifications, and welding requirements to determine manufacturing methods and production requirements.
Apply Design for Manufacturability principles to improve weldability, reduce risk, and optimize production efficiency.
Evaluate material properties and the effects of welding on product performance, dimensional stability, and quality.
Develop, qualify, and maintain Welding Procedure Specifications, weld parameters, process controls, and work instructions.
Develop project-specific weld training requirements and support welder qualification and requalification activities.
Design, develop, and implement weld fixtures, tooling, and work-holding solutions.
Apply distortion control methods, heat input management, and welding best practices to improve product quality and repeatability.
Perform or coordinate non-destructive testing and other qualification testing to verify compliance with customer and industry requirements.
Investigate weld defects, nonconformances, and production issues and implement corrective and preventive actions.
Support weld inspectors, production personnel, and quality teams with technical interpretation of welding requirements and acceptance criteria.
Work with project teams to establish welding costs, labor standards, and cost-reduction initiatives.
Develop best practices, standardized processes, and manufacturing solutions to improve production rates and quality.
Collaborate with Project Management regarding project scope, schedules, manufacturing requirements, and associated costs.
Identify Non-Recurring Engineering costs for new projects and evaluate manufacturing requirements for prototype and production builds.
Assess and justify equipment, tooling, fixture, OPEX, and CAPEX requirements.
Support quoting, process planning, production readiness reviews, and manufacturing feasibility assessments.
Lead welding-related continuous improvement initiatives to reduce scrap, rework, cycle time, and manufacturing waste.
Support implementation of advanced welding technologies, automation, and robotic welding systems.
Ensure compliance with customer requirements, AWS standards, company quality systems, and workplace safety standards.