Sanitary Welder Fabricator

California Dairies•Visalia, CA

10d•Onsite

About The Position

The Sanitary Welder Fabricator is responsible for performing high-quality stainless steel welding, fabrication, installation, modification, and repair work throughout the facility. This role supports plant reliability by maintaining sanitary piping, process equipment, platforms, guards, structural components, and other stainless-steel systems. The position requires extensive experience with TIG welding stainless steel, sanitary fabrication practices, pipe fitting, layout, and field installation. All work must meet facility safety, quality, food-safety, and workmanship standards.

Requirements

Must work in a safe and efficient manner and follow all safety procedures including the use of safety equipment.
Minimum 8 years of stainless steel TIG welding and fabrication experience in food processing, OR a recognized welding certification with a minimum of 5 years of stainless steel TIG welding and fabrication experience.
Strong TIG/GTAW stainless steel welding skills.
Experience welding stainless steel pipe and tubing.
Ability to perform accurate layout, measurement, cutting, and fit-up.
Ability to read fabrication drawings, blueprints, and P&IDs.
Knowledge of stainless steel preparation, purging, welding, grinding, and finishing techniques.
Ability to safely operate grinders, band saws, chop saws, drills, plasma cutters, and other fabrication equipment.
Ability to troubleshoot fabrication and piping problems in the field.
English is required as the written and spoken language.
Must obtain and maintain a forklift license.
Must obtain medical clearance to use respirator and maintain certification.
Must maintain all safety training provided by California Dairies inc.
Must possess and maintain a valid California driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

Experience with sanitary/process piping strongly preferred.
Industrial manufacturing experience preferred.
Food, beverage, or dairy manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
Experience with 304 and 316 stainless steel preferred.
Experience with sanitary tubing and fittings preferred.
Experience with orbital welding is a plus.
Experience with process piping, valves, pumps, tanks, and production equipment preferred.
Familiarity with sanitary welding standards and food-processing requirements preferred.
Current welding certification in TIG/GTAW and/or sanitary stainless welding preferred.
Obtaining and maintaining welding certifications in TIG/GTAW will maintain top pay status.

Responsibilities

Perform TIG/GTAW welding on stainless steel piping, tubing, plate, and structural components.
Fabricate and install sanitary stainless-steel piping and process systems.
Perform high-quality sanitary welds suitable for food and dairy processing environments.
Cut, fit, tack, weld, grind, polish, and finish stainless steel components.
Fabricate equipment supports, platforms, brackets, guards, handrails, piping supports, and other plant components.
Repair cracked, damaged, leaking, or failed stainless steel equipment and piping.
Perform pipe fitting, measurements, offsets, layout, and field fabrication.
Read and interpret drawings, blueprints, sketches, P&IDs, and fabrication specifications.
Properly purge stainless steel piping when required to protect weld quality and prevent oxidation.
Maintain proper fit-up, alignment, penetration, and weld appearance.
Minimize distortion and heat damage during stainless steel fabrication.
Perform sanitary finishing and polishing as required.
Assist with equipment installations, modifications, shutdown projects, and plant improvement projects.
Identify potential equipment or piping problems and communicate concerns before failures occur.
Work closely with maintenance mechanics, supervisors, engineering, operations, sanitation, and contractors.
Maintain welding machines, grinders, saws, purge equipment, fabrication tools, and related equipment.
Maintain an organized and clean welding/fabrication work area.
Properly account for and communicate material and spare-part usage.
Follow all plant Lockout/Tagout (LOTO), hot-work, confined-space, fall-protection, PPE, and other safety requirements.
Follow GMP, food-safety, sanitation, and contamination-control requirements.
Complete assigned work orders and accurately document completed work.
Maintain a high standard of workmanship and avoid repeat repairs or callbacks.
Participate in root-cause identification when recurring equipment or piping failures occur.
Support emergency repairs and production breakdowns when needed.
Get along with co-workers, management personnel, customers, vendors, and employees in accordance with the company policies and working rules while ensuring a harmonious and conducive work environment.
Maintain a positive attitude and contribute toward a quality environment.
Maintain excellent regular full-time attendance in support of company objectives.
Stay on top of all update trainings and technical education.
Use initiative and judgment in making decisions, keeping with California Dairies, Inc.’s best interests.
Support and enforce SQF / QA, GMP, Safety policies and procedures, and production needs.
Perform other duties as assigned.