MIG Welder Job Description, Duties, and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the MIG welder job description, including the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

It also highlights the major requirements you may be expected to fulfill to be hired for the MIG welder role by most recruiters/employers.

What Does an MIG Welder Do?

MIG welders are specialized welders who use gas metal arc welding (GMAW) techniques to join metal parts together.

The MIG welder job description entails operating hand-held torches, grinders, lathe and other technical implements to assemble or repair metal components.

In performing their duties, MIG welders read and interpret schematics to determine the configuration and specification of a structure.

They use measuring/marking tools such as combination square, straightedges, and calipers to lay out and align work pieces.

They also prepare materials for welding by cleaning metal surface using scrapers and grinders to remove rough spots.

MIG welders carry out inspection of welding equipment prior to welding to ensure all cable connections are tightly fitted and free of fraying.

They turn on the shielding gas and set flow rate to appropriate value usually in the range of 20-25ft3/hr.

Their role also involves checking drive rolls and wire spool hub to ensure adequate tension for optimal feeding performance.

As part of their responsibilities, MIG welders read machine instructions in order to set electrode polarity.

They select choice welding wires for different welding purposes. They respectively use .025in. and .0.35in. wires for welding thin and thick materials according to AWS specification.

Usually, these welders build jigs and adjust jigs for frames; they use power saws or handtools such as shears or chipping knife to cut work materials into various sizes.

They also select and determine the combination percentage of shielding gas appropriate for metal welding.

They carry out welding in flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead positions, and work with 3:1 argon to carbon ratio to produce welds with minimal spatter and optimum bead appearance.

For welds with rough bead appearance and more spatter, they opt for 100% CO2 shield gas.

In fulfilling their work description, MIG welders maintain electrode stick-out length of at least 3/8 inches during welding to effect a sizzling arc sound.

Conducting tests to assess weld quality and conformance to specification is also part of MIG welder description.

To work as an MIG welder, you will require a high school diploma and training in a welding apprenticeship program.

Some of the major qualities you need for success in this job include stamina, physical dexterity, and attention to detail.

MIG Welder Job Description Example/Template

MIG welders perform various functions; shown below is an example of a job description, highlighting the main tasks, duties, and responsibilities of the position:

• Measure and mark work pieces using straightedges, rules, and calipers
• Cut and smoothen metal components using plasma cutters, portable grinders, lathe, and milling machines
• Read and interpret blueprints and production drawings in order to lay out a welding project
• Operate forklifts/cranes and use them in conveying work materials to welding site
• Collaborate with project managers and welding supervisors to ensure smooth work operations
• Guide and direct the activities of inexperienced/trainee welders
• Maintain welding safety guidelines and regulations to ensure a risk-free work environment
• Carry out welding according to set dimensions to meet general test requirements
• Organize and clean welding equipment on a regular basis
• Monitor inventory level of materials to notify supervisor of stock shortage
• Bore holes through metal workpieces using drill press
• Weld materials in flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions
• Adjust gas gauges to set the flow rate of shield gas
• Conduct hydrostatic, x-ray, and tolerance tests to assess weld quality and conformance to specification
• Use measuring instruments such as micrometers and calipers to inspect angles, grooves or gap allowances
• Apply knowledge of metallurgy and geometry in selecting welding equipment and configuration.

Requirements – Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge – for MIG Welder Job

To be hired to work as an MIG welder, the following are major requirements most employers may want you to have to qualify for an interview:

• Education and Training: To become an MIG welder, you require a high school diploma and several years of training at vocational institution. You can also learn from experienced welders as a welding apprentice. Certifications from recognized welding associations such as American Welding Society are usually required by most employers
• Physical Dexterity: MIG welders are able to operate various welding implements to achieve high quality welds
• Stamina: They are able to withstand long hours of welding in rigorous and extreme conditions
• Attention to Detail: They perform welding operations in accordance with set specifications and configuration
• Pre-employment tests: To qualify for admission into an apprenticeship program, or to be hired as an MIG welder, you may be required to pass a job test. Find out the assessment test you may need to take to get into this career and how to make top scores.

Conclusion

Are you hiring for the MIG welder role in your organization and need to make a job description for it? If yes, then you can apply the sample copy given above as a template to quickly craft one.

Using the information in this post, you will be able to create a complete MIG welder work description that gets the best candidates applying for the position.

Also, this post is useful to people who are interested in the welding career to learn about the duties and responsibilities of an MIG welder so they can effectively prepare themselves mentally and psychologically ahead for the job.