Welding/Materials Engineer

Overview and Responsibilities:

The Electric Boat Welding Engineering Construction Support Team in Groton has multiple openings for engineering support of the welding program at the Electric Boat Groton shipyard. The team is engaged in structural and pipe welding operations across several current new construction programs, including VIRGINIA and COLUMBIA Class nuclear-powered submarines, as well as maintenance and overhaul programs for LOS ANGELES Class nuclear-powered submarines. Engineers on this team are responsible for support of production welding issues and implementation of operational improvements for nuclear and non-nuclear systems and structures from bow to stern of the submarine as nearly every system or structure requires welding in some capacity.

This position requires rapid problem evaluation and solution implementation methods, while quality is maintained to the highest standards to ensure that submarines are delivered to the Navy in support of fleet demands while meeting or exceeding the requirements for operating in the harsh and unforgiving undersea environment. Engineers on this team regularly provide on-site support during production welding to address in-process welding issues, or to provide oversight to prevent welding issues from occurring during welding of critical, high-risk joints. Engineers on this team also provide technical support to internal organizations, such as fluid, mechanical, or structural engineering groups at Electric Boat. Common projects include, but are not limited to repair of complex welding defects, repair of fabrication or machining errors, implementation of new processes, procedures, and technology into production welding operations, analysis of production welding performance trends and corresponding regulation of the production welding program to improve performance, and resolution of cross-discipline quality concerns that may bridge across several submarine hulls or even several submarine classes.

Work assigned to this team is often dynamic and includes both short-term and long-term projects. Completion of these projects often requires coordination between this team and other engineering, operations, and government organizations, and can include travel to Electric Boat welding programs at off-site locations, or to vendors that provide welding services or material to Electric Boat. Due to the nature of the role, engineers on this team are regularly exposed to career development opportunities, and become familiar with virtually all submarine systems and structures.

Welding/Materials Engineers in this role are responsible for the following functions:

Investigate welding and fabrication-related construction and design issues, and provide written and/or on-site corrective actions.
• Develop, review, and issue technical engineering reports and work instructions.
• Provide technical guidance and expertise on welding and fabrication-related issues to various engineering and operations organizations within the company responsible for welded structures, welded or brazed machinery and equipment, welded pressure vessels, and welded or brazed piping and mechanical systems.
• Interface with operations organizations to provide deckplate-level, hands-on support.
• Investigate, evaluate, and implement new mechanized, automated, or robotic welding equipment and provide production support as needed.
• Serve as project lead or technical lead on process improvement/cost reduction tasks concerning welding and fabrication.
• Interface with Electric Boat Engineering, Operations, Information Technology, and Training departments as well as with US government and Navy organizations as required.
• Interpret fabrication, welding, non-destructive testing, and consumable specifications, both military and commercial, as required.
• Develop and maintain company standards, procedures, and best practices in the areas of welding.

Required:

• Bachelor of Science or higher in Welding Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy/Metallurgical Engineering, Structural Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering (focus on metals as opposed to non-metallics), or equivalent.
• 5+ years of postgraduate engineering experience
• Ability to read and interpret specifications, procedures, drawings, and other technical documents.
• Ability to critically analyze problems and implement corrective actions and solutions.

Preferred:

• Experience in an industrial environment, though not required, would be beneficial.
• Familiarity/personal experience with common industrial welding processes and non-destructive testing methods.
• Familiarity with other fabrication operations related to welding, such as thermal cutting, brazing, metal-forming, etc.
• Engineering experience in the design field with proficiency in reading and understanding drawings per ASME Y14 Standards and AWS A2.4 Welding Symbols.
• Familiarity with commercial and/or government welding and fabrication codes and standards (e.g., ABS, AISC, ASME, AWS, MIL-SPEC, NAVSEA, etc.)

• Capable of providing in-person hands-on support during the problem evaluation and solution process.
• Motivated and well-organized with strong project management skills, thorough attention to detail, good analytical thinking and problem solving skills, and capable/willing to work both independently and in a team environment.
• Capable of working and communicating with all levels of management
• Ability to write and speak clearly and possess basic computer skills, preferably including use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and Power Point.
• Interpersonal and communication skills necessary to investigate problems by effectively asking questions, extracting necessary data from available sources, and working with others to determine root causes and implement appropriate solutions.
• Ability to understand basic principles of welding metallurgy.
• Ability to understand the role and importance of process and quality controls during all stages of fabrication, and the common types of defects that can result from a lapse in process and quality controls.

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