Experience: Mid Level
Salary: $65,000 - $75,000 per year
Job Details
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The Robotic Welding Programmer is responsible for creating, maintaining, supporting, and improving robotic welding and automation programs. This role works closely with manufacturing, engineering, maintenance, quality, and production teams to ensure robotic weld cells are programmed correctly, fixtures are set up effectively, equipment is operating reliably, and production requirements are met safely and consistently.
This individual will read and interpret drawings, work instructions, and engineering data to support program creation and optimization. The role also includes part selection and development, tooling and fixture support, design improvement recommendations, robotic cell training, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement of workflow and automation processes.
Depending on experience level, this role may focus on execution and support under guidance, independent ownership of robotic welding programs, or senior-level leadership of robotic weld programming standards, automation strategy, complex troubleshooting, and technician training.
Key Responsibilities
Robotic Welding Programming & Program Support
Create, edit, maintain, and improve robotic welding and automation programs using established standards.
Independently develop and optimize robotic programs to meet production, quality, and efficiency requirements.
Support program creation by reading and interpreting drawings, work instructions, engineering data, and production requirements.
Analyze existing programs and identify opportunities to improve weld consistency, cycle time, uptime, quality, and repeatability.
Make mechanical and programming adjustments to meet quantity and quality standards.
Troubleshoot program challenges and support corrective actions to reduce production delays, quality issues, and product inconsistencies.
Robotic Weld Cell Operation & Automation Support
Support daily robotic weld cell operation to ensure production needs are met safely and efficiently.
Assist with tooling, fixture setup, testing, and basic mechanical adjustments.
Provide flexible support across manufacturing needs and adjust priorities based on changing production demands.
Partner with maintenance and engineering to improve equipment reliability, robotic cell uptime, and automation performance.
Serve as an escalation point for production, quality, and automation issues for more senior-level candidates.
Tooling, Fixtures & Part Development
Design, test, implement, and improve tooling and fixtures to support robotic welding production and quality.
Lead or support fixture setup, fixture troubleshooting, and fixture improvement activity.
Guide part selection and support the transition of parts or processes from manual welding to robotic welding operations.
Review and validate engineering information for manufacturability and flag discrepancies, gaps, or design concerns.
Recommend design improvements or alternative automation methods that improve robotic weldability, quality, uptime, and production flow.
Transition from Manual to Robotic Operations
Support the movement of appropriate parts, weldments, and processes from manual welding into robotic operations.
Evaluate drawings, part geometry, fixtures, and process requirements to determine robotic welding feasibility.
Partner with engineering and production teams to improve designs and processes for robotic welding success.
Help standardize robotic welding methods to improve consistency across jobs, parts, and production cells.
Troubleshooting, Root Cause & Continuous Improvement
Identify process issues and implement corrective actions that improve safety, quality, production flow, and equipment performance.
Lead or participate in root cause analysis for robotic welding, automation, fixture, equipment, and quality issues.
For senior-level candidates, identify systemic issues and lead long-term corrective actions across robotic welding operations.
Contribute ideas for continuous improvement of workflow, robotic programming, production processes, fixture use, and automation practices.
Champion safety, continuous improvement, and best-in-class automation practices across the manufacturing floor.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Communicate effectively with manufacturing, maintenance, engineering, quality, supervisors, technicians, and operators regarding issues, solutions, and production priorities.
Collaborate with team members to support daily production needs, resolve delays, and improve robotic cell performance.
Notify management of quality concerns, production delays, equipment issues, engineering discrepancies, or other risks impacting output.
Work within assigned deadlines and support production timelines while maintaining quality and safety standards.
Training & Technical Leadership
Support training of operators and technicians on robotic weld cell operation, safe work practices, and best practices.
For senior-level candidates, mentor and train technicians across the facility in robotic cell operation, troubleshooting, and automation standards.
Provide technical direction for complex automation and integration challenges.
Help build team capability around robotic welding, fixture use, process control, and safe equipment operation.
Senior-Level Robotic Welding Leadership
For senior-level candidates, lead development, optimization, and standardization of robotic welding and automation programs.
Provide technical direction for complex robotic welding, automation, and integration challenges.
Lead tooling and fixture design strategy to improve efficiency, quality, uptime, and process repeatability.
Oversee the transition of processes from manual to robotic operation.
Set priorities, adjust work based on manufacturing needs, and help drive long-term improvements in robotic welding capability.
Qualifications
Welding certificate, technical degree, or equivalent experience.
Experience with robotic weld cell operation.
Robotic weld programming experience required; ABB experience preferred.
Experience with robotic and/or automated equipment programming.
Familiarity with PLC programming preferred; ABB PLC experience is a plus.
Experience with sheet metal fabrication, forming, cut-to-length, and/or press brake operations.
AutoCAD, Inventor, or 3D CAD experience is a plus.
Strong mechanical aptitude and ability to make mechanical or program adjustments to support production needs.
Ability to read and interpret drawings, work instructions, engineering information, and production requirements.
Strong troubleshooting, logic, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
Excellent computer skills, including proficiency with Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
Excellent organizational skills and ability to manage multiple tasks.
Strong attendance, dependability, time management, and commitment to accurate work.
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with production, engineering, maintenance, and quality teams.
Ideal Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate is a hands-on robotic welding professional who is comfortable working directly with weld cells, programs, fixtures, tooling, operators, technicians, and production teams. This person should understand both the programming side and the manufacturing-floor realities of robotic welding, including weld quality, fixture setup, part fit-up, equipment issues, cycle time, and production demands.
The right candidate will bring experience creating and improving robotic welding programs, ideally with ABB systems, while also being able to troubleshoot issues, support manual-to-robotic transitions, train operators, and partner with maintenance and engineering to improve uptime and reliability.
For a more senior candidate, the ideal profile would include experience standardizing robotic welding programs, leading complex automation troubleshooting, developing fixture strategies, mentoring technicians, and driving long-term improvements in robotic welding performance, quality, safety, and throughput.
Physical Requirements & Safety
This role requires the ability to work in a manufacturing environment. Employees may be required to stand, walk, sit, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, reach, handle materials, and occasionally lift or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities include close vision.
Employees are required to wear all assigned PPE in designated work areas. Safety glasses, steel toe or non-slip safety shoes or boots, and hearing protection are required at all times on the production floor. This is a drug and alcohol-free work environment. Being impaired or under the influence of legal or illegal drugs is strictly prohibited while working.
A bit about us:
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Our client is a highly respected manufacturer specializing in engineered metal products for demanding industrial applications. The operation requires strong welding, fabrication, automation, and manufacturing expertise to deliver high-quality products safely, efficiently, and consistently. As the business continues to invest in robotic welding and automated manufacturing capabilities, the team is focused on improving weld quality, increasing throughput, reducing variation, and creating more repeatable production processes.
Why join us?
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This is a strong opportunity for a hands-on Robotic Welding Programmer who wants to have a direct impact on production efficiency, weld quality, and automation performance. This role will support robotic weld cell programming, fixture setup, troubleshooting, process improvement, and operator training in a real manufacturing environment. It is a great fit for someone who enjoys working on the floor, solving technical problems, improving robotic welding processes, and helping transition work from manual operations into more automated, repeatable production.
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