Sr. / Principal Welding Process Engineer

Dixon Valve•Stevensville, MD

2d•$116,000 - $156,000•Onsite

About The Position

Hydrasearch, an affiliate of The Dixon Group, is hiring a Sr. / Principal Welding Process Engineer in Stevensville, Maryland. This senior technical contributor will develop welding and joining capabilities supporting aerospace, naval, and defense programs. The role addresses complex manufacturing capability gaps and establishes the technical infrastructure needed for growth in regulated markets. This is a hands-on engineering capability-development position focused on process development, qualification, and technical problem solving. The engineer will work with a small, highly capable technical team through rapid cycles of development, validation, and transition into production, balancing execution speed with the technical rigor needed for compliance. Work hours are 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Domestic and international travel may be required. Hydrasearch is a U.S. manufacturer specializing in fluid-transfer and control systems for maritime, aerospace, and defense applications. The company has developed capabilities in hose assemblies, valve fittings, and customer-machined parts, often to meet MIL-SPEC and naval standards. Work sponsorship is not provided.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Welding Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related field.
At least 10 years of experience, or equivalent experience, in welding engineering or welding process development within compliance-driven manufacturing environments.
Deep knowledge of welding metallurgy, welding processes, and inspection methods including VT, PT, RT, and UT.
Extensive experience qualifying welding procedures and developing welder certification programs.
Thorough understanding of AS9100 special process requirements.
A builder mindset, bias toward execution, and ability to work effectively in small, fast-paced teams.

Nice To Haves

Experience with defense or naval welding standards, specifically NAVSEA Tech Pub 248/278.
Certified Welding Engineer (CWE) or relevant AWS credentials.
Experience preparing for and supporting NADCAP welding process audits.
Working knowledge of AWS D17.1 and D17.2 for aerospace welder qualification.
Exposure to brazing and tube joining processes in high-mix, low-volume environments.

Responsibilities

Identify and resolve manufacturing capability gaps that limit growth, and develop internal welding knowledge and standards.
Drive rapid cycles of welding procedure development (WPS), procedure qualification (PQR), and personnel qualification (WPQ).
Interpret and apply AWS, ASME, NAVSEA, and customer-specific welding requirements.
Provide early technical input to development teams to support manufacturability and prevent late-stage rework.
Support development of joining processes, including welding, brazing, and tube joining.
Support make-versus-partner decisions and ensure qualified processes transition cleanly into production.