Certified Welder

Certified Welder

The Certified Welder performs aluminum bus and jumper welding in high voltage substation applications, welding rigid tubular bus, connectors, fittings, and flexible jumper terminations in all positions using the GTAW and GMAW processes. This role reads substation plan, section, and bus detail drawings and lays out, cuts, fits, and fabricates bus sections in the field and shop to match the as-built condition.

Work is performed to approved welding procedure specifications (WPS) and AWS D1.2 structural aluminum requirements and must pass visual and nondestructive examination prior to energization. The position is based at Dacon's assigned project sites and reports to the Electrical Foreman.

Duties & Responsibilities

Employee may be called upon to perform any or all of the following functions:

Aluminum Bus & Jumper Welding

• Weld aluminum tubular bus, bus connectors, tees, elbows, couplers, expansion fittings, and end caps using GTAW and GMAW in all positions (flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead).
• Weld jumper terminations, pads, welded connectors, and equipment terminal connections to bus and equipment bushings.
• Prepare joints by cleaning, degreasing, wire brushing with dedicated stainless brushes, and removing oxide immediately prior to welding.
• Control preheat, interpass temperature, travel speed, and heat input to prevent burn-through, distortion, and loss of temper in thin-wall bus.
• Select and set up the correct machine, polarity, filler alloy (e.g., 4043, 5356), shielding gas, and tungsten for the assigned aluminum procedure.
• Store, handle, and control aluminum filler metal and consumables to prevent contamination and moisture pickup.
• Perform aluminum and steel repair welding, modifications, and field corrections as directed.
• Demonstrate the ability to accurately measure and lay out bus and conductor installations, maximizing material utilization, minimizing waste, and ensuring installations are completed efficiently and in accordance with project requirements.

Substation Drawing Interpretation & Bus Fabrication

• Read and work from substation plan, section, elevation, one-line, bus detail, and connection drawings, along with weld symbols and WPS requirements.
• Take field measurements and lay out, cut, bevel, and fabricate bus sections and jumpers to match actual field conditions.
• Fit, align, tack, and square bus runs to specified phase spacing, elevation, slope, and electrical clearance requirements.
• Fabricate and install expansion joints, slip fittings, and hardware to accommodate thermal movement per the drawings.
• Coordinate with the Foreman and lineman crew on bus support locations, insulator placement, and bus setting sequence.
• Identify drawing conflicts and dimensional discrepancies and report them before fabrication proceeds.

Cutting, Grinding & Support Welding

• Perform cutting, sawing, beveling, and grinding of aluminum bus using dedicated aluminum-only tooling and cutting fluids.
• Perform SMAW, FCAW, and GMAW welding on structural steel, base plates, embeds, equipment stands, grating, and supports as qualified.
• Perform oxy-fuel and plasma cutting and gouging on ferrous materials as assigned.
• Support exothermic (cadweld) grounding connections and grounding installation as directed.

Quality & Documentation

• Perform visual inspection of completed welds for porosity, undercut, incomplete fusion, cracking, and profile, and correct defects before turnover.
• Support NDE activities, including visual, dye penetrant, and radiographic examination of bus welds.
• Maintain welder qualification continuity records and comply with the project quality program.
• Document weld locations, procedures used, filler alloy, and repairs on weld maps and daily reports.
• Verify completed bus work against drawings for clearance, spacing, and alignment before energization.

Safety & Hot Work

• Participate in daily job briefings, tailboards, and pre-task safety planning.
• Comply with all Dacon, OSHA, and client-specific safety policies, and use required PPE at all times.
• Identify, correct, and report unsafe conditions, near misses, and incidents immediately to the Foreman or General Foreman.
• Maintain a clean and orderly work area and support site housekeeping and environmental compliance.
• Comply with hot work permit requirements, fire watch procedures, and client-specific hot work controls in the substation yard.
• Verify clearances, tags, and grounding are in place before performing hot work on or near substation equipment and bus.
• Verify ventilation, fume control, and respiratory protection requirements before welding in confined or enclosed spaces.
• Inspect leads, machines, cylinders, regulators, torches, and gas lines before each use and remove defective equipment from service.
• Perform other duties as assigned or requested.

How You Will Make an Impact

• Deliver aluminum bus welds that pass visual and NDE inspection the first time, protecting energization dates that cannot slip.
• Enable the crew to resolve field fit issues on the spot by fabricating bus sections to…