Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Technician, Aerospace Tooling & Castings
Join Howmet Aerospace in LaPorte, IN to perform precision GTAW on castings, dies, molds, fixtures, and supporting equipment—always to defined weld procedures and customer specifications.
Compensation
- Starting: $29.14/hr
- After 12 months: $30.41/hr
Training & Work Hours
- Up to 6 months training: Monday–Friday, 1st Shift (6am–2pm)
- Then transition to: 2nd (2pm–10pm) or 3rd Shift (10pm–6am)
What You’ll Do
- Execute repair and fabrication welding on castings to Class A criteria (FPI and X-Ray acceptance).
- Perform occasional maintenance/fixture welding across multiple alloys, including aluminum.
- Build copper backups and use them to support controlled, high-quality welds.
- Operate AC/DC power sources and manage all GTAW torch components.
- Select filler wire alloy designations and diameters to match procedure requirements.
- Set amperage, polarity, and shielding gas flow for both torch and backups.
- Blend and condition welds on both repair and production work.
- Handle weld prep as needed, plus finishing, rework, and metal cleaning consistent with MCO responsibilities.
Minimum Qualifications
- High School Diploma or GED.
- One year of TIG welding in a professional employment setting (experience must be from paid work, not solely from training or education).
Preferred
- Welding vocational coursework/training.
- Manual GTAW proficiency with a remote foot pedal.
Desired Strengths
- Soldering capability
- Setting up welding for production runs
- Reading and interpreting blueprints
Equipment
This is a hands-on role for a detail-driven welder who is comfortable switching between tight-tolerance casting repairs and production welds while maintaining aerospace-level quality.