Weld Engineer

North American Stamping•Portland, TN

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Develop, launch and improve welding and assembly processes for automotive components. Support resistance, projection and robotic MIG welding equipment and fixtures from process planning through production. Partner with Maintenance to improve equipment reliability and resolve downtime, and with Production and Quality to meet safety, quality, output and customer requirements.

Requirements

Engineering degree or related technical degree preferred; equivalent relevant welding and manufacturing experience considered.
At least three years of hands on experience with production welding processes and equipment, preferably in automotive metal manufacturing.
Experience with resistance or projection welding and robotic GMAW or MIG welding preferred.
Ability to establish and troubleshoot weld parameters, fixtures, automation and process controls.
Familiarity with PLCs, robots, HMIs, electrical controls, pneumatics and preventive maintenance practices preferred.
Working knowledge of drawings, GD&T, weld inspection and validation, PFMEA, control plans, APQP and structured problem solving.
Familiarity with IATF 16949 and CQI 15 preferred.
Ability to work effectively with Maintenance and Production, document technical changes, train associates and communicate across departments and shifts.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office; CAD experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop weld processes, parameters, equipment specifications, fixture requirements, cycle times and production readiness plans for new and existing products.
Support equipment installation, trials, run at rate, process validation and handoff to Production and Maintenance during launches and engineering changes.
Troubleshoot weld quality, robot and equipment faults, fixture issues and recurring downtime. Coordinate safe corrective actions with Maintenance, Tooling, Production and Quality.
Establish and maintain approved weld schedules, setup standards, work instructions, process checks and operator training materials; control parameter changes through the applicable approval process.
Partner with Maintenance to develop preventive maintenance routines, critical spare parts and consumable plans for weld cells, fixtures, guns and related automation.
Monitor weld performance, scrap, rework, cycle time and downtime data; lead root cause analysis and implement sustainable improvements to process capability and equipment reliability.
Support weld validation and quality testing, including applicable destructive tests, dimensional checks and customer requirements. Assist with containment and corrective action when product is suspect.
Participate in APQP, process flow, PFMEA, control plan, PPAP and equipment design reviews; maintain documentation in accordance with NASG and customer requirements.
Improve cell layouts, material flow, ergonomics, mistake proofing and standardization while following TQPS, safety and environmental requirements.
Provide technical support across shifts and facilities as needed; communicate project status, open issues and risks to the Manufacturing Engineering Manager.