Weld Engineering Specialist

Company and Position Overview:
J.B. Poindexter & Co (JBPCO) is a privately held diversified manufacturing company forecasting $2.5B+ in annual revenue and 9,000 team members in 2024. The nine operating subsidiaries, covering over 60 locations, are engaged in the production of commercial truck bodies, step-vans, utility trucks, funeral coaches, limousines, electric and alternative fuel vehicles, pickup truck bed enclosures, precision machining, and expandable foam plastic packaging. For more information, visit
The Weld Engineering Specialist will be responsible for welding equipment and process improvements across the JBPCO enterprise. Develops welding techniques, procedures, and applications of welding equipment, welding automation, and related processes used in the fabrication of metals. Provides support to welding operations to improve quality results. Train personnel in programming and maintaining welding equipment and systems including preventative maintenance plans and schedules. Train personnel in weld quality identification/inspection and correction. Identify equipment needs, analyze weld concerns, and recommend solutions to Engineering management team. Provide ongoing technical support and training to welding operations. JBPCO projects at their core are based around safety, labor dependency, quality, workflow, and delivery improvements.
Essential Job Functions:

• Subject matter expert for all arc and resistance welding processes.
• Create and lead a Welding Technology Council to establish and maintain standards, commonality, welding code compliance, and upskill the Business Units in all forms of welding.
• Collaborate with Automation Engineers for successful implementation of all automated welding related projects.
• Pursue and evaluate technological advancements including laser welding, electron beam welding, laser ablation and other forms of welding, cutting, and cleaning. Implement as appropriate and develop procedures and standards.
• Manages projects / processes, working independently with limited supervision and independently seeks to optimize and improve weld related processes and operations.
• Implementation or delivery of processes, programs and policies using specialized knowledge and skills typically acquired through advanced education.
• Investigate, gather, and analyze data, including capability studies for identifying root cause of welding issues and corrective measures across JBPCO.
• Working cross-functionally and collaboratively at all levels of the organization leads discussions with key stakeholders to determine capabilities, opportunities, strategies, and goals.
• Champion welding projects, utilizing a collaborative team approach, per the determined strategy that reduce risk, improve throughput, safety, quality, labor dependency, space efficiency, and cost effectiveness. Drives commonality and scalability.
• Utilize project management skills to maintain an appropriate level of project control with respect to project budget, project timeline, resource allocation, document control, and issuance of purchase orders.
• Establish and maintain routings, layouts, weld tooling, weldment costs, operator SOP sheets, inspection processes and procedures, and control plans.
• Coaching, mentoring, and reviewing the work of lower-level professionals.
• Lead training efforts across the enterprise to enable manufacturing operations to be self-sufficient at running, maintaining, and modifying automated welding systems.
• Prepares technical reports resulting from research and development and maintenance investigations.
• Establishes welding, weld inspection, and training procedures to guide production and welding personnel.
• Act as a change agent driving technical innovation within individual plants and across the enterprise.
• Confers with planning and engineering staff concerning product design and tooling to ensure efficient Lean production methods. Drives design optimization through Design for Manufacturing (DFM).
• Drives PFMEA and other Quality Risk Assessment activities.
• Develop equipment specifications with vendors to meet manufacturing requirements, and arrange for purchase of equipment, materials, or parts. Evaluate equipment according to specifications and quality standards through design reviews, and gated acceptance testing.
• Adheres to JBPCO and industry safety policies and standards 100% of the time, including but not limited to, RIA, ANSI, ISO, IEEE, AWS, and NFPA.
• Use mathematical modeling, testing and other tools to verify, validate or assess process capability.
• Execute or assist vendors/integrators with standardized Task-Based Risk Assessment in accordance with A3 and JBPCO (ANSI/RIA TR R15.306).
• Develop with maintenance operations policies, procedures, and spare parts.
• Lead and train the Business Units on welding safety standards, mechanical and electrical.

Qualifications:

• A self-starter with strong project leadership experience performing work under minimal supervision whether working collaboratively in a team or independently.
• Independently takes action to optimize and improve operations, equipment, and processes related to welding and weld production performance.
• Handles complex issues and problems referring only the most complex issues to higher-level staff.
• Ability to communicate, collaborate, and build rapport with personnel at all levels in a manufacturing environment.
• Expert knowledge of weld engineering, processes, inspection, tooling, and facilities.
• Proficient in GD&T (ASME Y14.5)
• Proficient in robust weld fixture design / build.
• Provides leadership, coaching, and mentoring to a subordinate group.
• Planning, analytical thinking, and leadership skills.
• Excellent automation/electrical/mechanical aptitude.
• Detail oriented.
• Knowledge and comprehension of engineering tools, systems, and databases, part designs and prints. (SAP, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, DraftSight, etc.)
• Understanding of manufacturing design elements/tools/systems, processes, and regulatory requirements.
• Experience with Data Analysis, DOE, FMEA, DFM/DFA.
• Experience programming and troubleshooting Fanuc robotics welding applications.
• Experience in automation, process design, material presentation, and line balancing.
• Experience with Lincoln/Miller MIG welding equipment.
• Experience with Laser Welding.
• Experience in a high-volume, complex manufacturing environment and/or high-mix, low volume manufacturing environment.
• Must have a passion for safety, workplace organization, and continuous improvement with a focus on Lean tools and Lean implementation.
• Proficient with computer systems and software packages such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook (email).
• Certified Welding Inspector (CWI).
• Preferred: Certified Welding Educator (CWE).
• Preferred: Certified Resistance Welding Technician (CRWT).
• Preferred: Understanding of electrical standards for US, Canada, and Mexico.

Education:

• BSME, BSIE, BSEE or equivalent.
• Ten years or more of directly related experience.
• Experience or formal education in Welding Engineering.

Travel Expectation:

• 25-50%
• Must have a valid driver's license and passport.

J.B. Poindexter & Co., Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
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