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Now hiring · $38–$52 / hour
Certified Welding Inspector II (AWS CWI)
A Certified Welding Inspector II holds the accept/reject authority on structural steel, pipe, and fabricated-assembly welding: inspecting to AWS D1.1, D1.5, D1.8, ASME Section IX, or API 1104 as the project requires, witnessing welder performance qualification tests, reviewing WPS and PQR documents, directing NDT, and signing the inspection reports that the engineer of record and the building official rely on. A current AWS CWI is required; ICC structural steel and bolting certification is a strong plus.
What you'll do
- Perform and sign visual weld inspection with accept/reject authority to the governing code
- Review WPS, PQR, and welder qualification records; witness welder performance qualification tests
- Direct and interpret nondestructive testing; disposition indications and write repair instructions
- Inspect fabrication shops and field erection, including high-strength bolting and base plate grouting where certified
- Write inspection reports and nonconformance reports for the engineer of record and the building official
What we're looking for
- Current AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) with 2+ years inspecting under it
- Working command of AWS D1.1 and at least one of D1.5, D1.8, ASME IX, or API 1104
- ICC structural steel and bolting special inspector certification preferred (sponsored if not held)
- Able to defend a rejection to a fabricator and document it so the retest closes
What a week in this job looks like
Your week moves between the fabrication shop and the erection site: witnessing a welder qualification test on Monday because the erector added a crew, inspecting complete-joint-penetration welds on moment connections and calling UT on the ones that need it, reviewing the shop's WPS package before a new joint detail starts, and writing the reports the special inspection program requires. Rejections happen; the report and the repair instruction are what make them cost a day instead of a week.
On special inspection projects you are also the IBC Chapter 17 record for structural steel: what you sign goes to the building official.
Certifications, training, and where this leads
CWI II leads to Senior Certified Welding Inspector III with the AWS SCWI credential, and into quality management on steel-heavy programs. Sponsored training covers ICC steel and bolting, additional codes, and NDT Level II in UT and MT.
Pay, schedule, and travel
Pay runs $38 to $52 an hour depending on certifications held, verified experience, and the program you are assigned to. Welding inspection follows the erector's and the fabricator's schedule: early starts, night shifts on some industrial work, and overtime when steel is going up.
Texas positions are dispatched from the Sugar Land headquarters; project-site positions elsewhere are staffed on a project basis with travel and per diem as assigned, and the listing for your city says which one it is.
Safety, quality, and the standards we work under
Welding inspection is performed to the code the project specifies and reported under our documented AASHTO R18 quality system; on IBC special inspection projects the reports go to the building official under Chapter 17. Accept/reject decisions are made to the code, not to the schedule.
The safety side is real: work at height, confined spaces, hot work, and active erection. Fall protection, confined-space, and site-specific training are provided and required.
How hiring works, and our commitment
Apply with your AWS certification number, the codes you inspect to, and your project list. Expect a direct conversation with the people you would work for, references that get called, and a written offer consistent with this posting. The role requires a valid driver's license and the ability to be present on active jobsites, with pre-employment screening consistent with jobsite and client requirements.
We are an equal opportunity employer and consider every applicant without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.
Apply for this position — upload your resume and we fill in the form
Any city — tell us where you are and we'll match you to the nearest work. Or pick your city below for the local posting.
Other levels of this role
Welding Inspector I (AWS CAWI) · $28–$36 / hourSenior Certified Welding Inspector III (AWS SCWI) · $50–$68 / hour
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FAQ
Certified Welding Inspector II (AWS CWI) — questions applicants ask
What does a Certified Welding Inspector II (AWS CWI) earn?
The listed range is $38–$52 / hour, set by certifications held, years of documented field or laboratory experience, and the hub's market. Certified candidates enter above the bottom of the range.
What certifications matter most for a Certified Welding Inspector II (AWS CWI)?
A current AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) is required. ICC structural steel and bolting special inspector certification and NDT Level II (UT, MT) are sponsored by the company.
Which standards does a Certified Welding Inspector II (AWS CWI) work to?
AWS D1.1 (structural steel) as the core, with AWS D1.5 (bridges), D1.8 (seismic), ASME Section IX, and API 1104 (pipelines) as projects require; AISC 360 and the IBC Chapter 17 structural steel special inspection tables; and the NDT methods that support them — ASTM E164 (UT), E709 (MT), and E165 (PT).
How do I apply?
Use the form on any city listing for this role: name, phone, email, years of experience, certifications, and a resume file or link. A hiring manager responds within a few business days. If you would rather talk first, call (346) 420-5425.
Where is this role based?
Wherever the project is. Choose the city page nearest you; Houston-area roles dispatch from Sugar Land, and roles in other metros are staffed through the regional hub that covers them.