Fabrication Foreman

Overview

Employment: Full-time, On-site in Poteau, OK

Shift: 4-day work week

About Duke Manufacturing

Duke Manufacturing LLC is a leading custom fabrication partner based in Poteau, OK, serving industrial clients with complex fabrication needs. The company specializes in high-quality services such as structural fabrication, equipment fabrication, and industrial construction.

We're hiring a Fabrication Foreman to lead our shop floor. You'll direct welders, fitters, and helpers through daily production, own the safety and throughput of the shop, and serve as the main link between the production manager and the crew doing the work. This role needs strong welding and fabrication knowledge, the ability to read and understand shop drawings, and the judgment to keep multiple jobs moving safely, on schedule, and on budget.

• Review the production schedule daily and assign work to the crew based on skill, certification, and workload.
• Sequence work so material, fit-up, welding, and finishing stations stay fed, and track job progress against estimated hours.
• Run daily toolbox talks, coach welders and fitters on technique and productivity, and hold the crew to high standard.
• Verify welder certifications and continuity records are current before assigning work that requires a specific qualification.
• Read shop drawings, weld symbols, and WPS documents, and make sure the crew understands the job before it hits the floor.
• Coordinate with QC at required hold points; relay findings and repair directives to the crew and schedule rework without disrupting other jobs.
• Enforce PPE, hot-work, lift, and crane requirements, and stop work immediately when you see an unsafe condition.
• Approve daily time entries, verify job-cost coding, and manage overtime and time-off requests.
• Keep welding machines, cranes, forklifts, and hand tools inspected and tagged out when defective; monitor consumables and reorder before stoppages.
• Deliver a daily status update on each active job (percent complete, blockers, expected completion) at the production meeting.

• 5+ years of hands-on welding and fabrication experience, including time leading or mentoring other welders/fitters.
• Fluency reading shop drawings, weld symbols, and WPS documents.
• Working knowledge of MIG, TIG, Flux-Core, and Stick welding processes and typical qualification requirements.
• Experience managing production schedules, labor hours, and job-cost tracking.
• Strong safety mindset — comfortable enforcing PPE and hot-work rules and stopping work when needed.
• Clear communicator, comfortable giving direct feedback and documenting performance issues.
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Computer proficient, including standard office software and drawing-markup tools (Word, Excel, Bluebeam, or similar)

• Coded welding certification (ASME Section IX, AWS D1.1, or AWS D1.6).
• Prior experience as a lead fabricator, cell lead, or shop supervisor.
• Familiarity with production tracking tools and job-cost reporting.
• Experience working under an ISO 9001, AISC, or similar quality system.
• Knowledge of OSHA and workplace safety standards