Principal Manufacturing Welding Engineer

GE Appliances•Camden, SC

19h•Onsite

About The Position

GE Appliances Camden is seeking an experienced Principal Manufacturing Welding Engineer to serve as the plant technical expert for automated welding processes used to manufacture water heater tanks. The role leads welding process startup, stabilization, and continuous improvement to deliver safe, reliable production and tanks that meet design and quality requirements. The engineer owns welding process standards, parameter control, technical problem solving, and welding-related elements of process control plans. The role partners with Manufacturing, Quality, Maintenance, Controls, Advanced Manufacturing, and Product Engineering to improve weld integrity, first-pass yield, equipment performance, and manufacturing cost.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or an associate’s degree plus significant automated welding engineering experience.
7+ years of experience in metal fabrication and welding engineering in a high-volume manufacturing environment.

Nice To Haves

Degree in Welding Engineering strongly preferred.
Knowledge of Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) / Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and linkage to Master Control Plans (MCPs).
Six Sigma or Lean Certification or significant related experience.
Expert ability in gauging and other measurement tools.

Responsibilities

Lead development and optimization of MIG and resistance projection welding processes, including weld parameters, joint fit-up, fixtures, tooling, consumables, and process repeatability.
Establish and document approved process windows, set-up standards, weld schedules, and parameter change controls.
Coordinate required process qualification and validation with Quality and Manufacturing.
Lead investigation of weld defects, tank leaks, and recurring welding losses; use structured root cause analysis and trials to verify corrective actions and prevent recurrence.
Troubleshoot robotic welding applications with Controls and Maintenance, addressing weld paths, torch position, part presentation, clamping, and process timing; coordinate specialist and equipment supplier support when needed.
Own welding-related process failure mode and effects analyses and control plans. Define critical process characteristics, monitoring methods, reaction plans, and escalation requirements with responsible functions.
Partner with Quality to establish weld inspection and testing methods, acceptance criteria, and measurement capability consistent with engineering requirements.
Use statistical process control to detect and respond to variation.
Lead welding-related changes through the established change control process; assess risk and validate changes to materials, tooling, equipment, parameters, and processes before production release.
Support new product introductions, equipment specifications, supplier reviews, installation, and acceptance trials. Confirm welding capability, quality, and cycle time against agreed requirements.