Founding Welding Engineer

About Arcwheel
Arcwheel builds automated welding systems for industrial infrastructure. Our goal is to build the fastest and most efficient welding systems in the workd. We’re bringing together welding expertise, robotics, automation and hardware engineering to build systems that deliver precision and repeatability at production scale.
We’re looking for a Founding Welding Engineer to own weld process development, qualification and production readiness. You’ll work directly with the founder and engineering team, running trials, solving problems on the shop floor and helping decide which applications we pursue.
The role
Your work will connect welding fundamentals with real production requirements: what we can weld, how we weld it, how we prove it meets the requirement, and where our systems can deliver the greatest value.
What you’ll own
* Weld process development: Select suitable processes and develop parameters for piping assemblies, particularly stainless steel. Establish repeatable process windows covering current, voltage, pulse settings, travel speed, filler selection, heat input and weld sequencing.
* Application and spool assessment: Review drawings, isometrics and customer specifications to assess suitability for automated welding. Evaluate materials, diameters, wall thicknesses, joint preparation, fit-up tolerances, weld access and inspection requirements. Identify limitations and recommend design or process changes.
* Shielding and purging: Develop shielding and backing-gas practices, including gas selection, purity, flow, purge arrangements and residual-oxygen monitoring. Control internal oxidation, root condition and gas consumption against application requirements.
* Procedure qualification: Prepare Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS), plan qualification trials, maintain Procedure Qualification Records (PQR), and coordinate welder and welding-operator qualifications under applicable codes and customer requirements.
* Inspection and defect resolution: Conduct visual and dimensional weld examinations, assess root penetration and internal condition, and coordinate appropriate nondestructive and destructive testing. Investigate defects, establish corrective actions and improve first-pass acceptance.
* Post-weld treatment and cleanliness: Define requirements for cleaning, heat-tint removal, pickling, passivation and other treatments where applicable. Establish verification methods, contamination controls and handling practices appropriate to the material and service.
* Automation and production readiness: Work with mechanical, controls and robotics engineers to translate welding requirements into equipment capabilities. Support commissioning, train operators and establish practical controls for weld consistency, cycle time, consumable use and traceability.
* Technical direction and customer engagement: Help identify promising piping applications across data-center cooling, semiconductor facilities and other demanding industries. Evaluate qualification effort, production repeatability, customer acceptance criteria and commercial potential to guide our priorities.
What we’re looking for
* B.E./B.Tech in Welding, Metallurgical, Materials, Mechanical or Production Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
* 3–5 years of relevant experience in welding engineering, process development or production engineering for piping, pressure equipment or comparable assemblies.
* Strong practical understanding of TIG/GTAW welding, stainless-steel metallurgy, joint preparation, fit-up, shielding and purging.
* Evidence of developing or improving welding processes through trials, inspection results and production feedback.
* Experience preparing or implementing WPS/PQR documentation, with working knowledge of ASME Section IX and applicable piping codes such as ASME B31.3.
* Ability to interpret engineering drawings, material certificates, weld acceptance criteria and customer specifications.
* Confidence working directly with welders, technicians, equipment suppliers, customers and inspection agencies.
* Willingness to set up trials, inspect welds, troubleshoot equipment and take responsibility for closing technical problems.
Strongly preferred
* Current CSWIP 3.1, AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI), or equivalent welding inspection certification.
* Experience with orbital, mechanized or robotic welding.
* Exposure to high-purity piping, data-center cooling equipment, semiconductor systems or other applications with demanding cleanliness and leak-tightness requirements.
* Familiarity with ASTM A380/A380M and A967/A967M, passivation verification, borescope inspection, pressure testing or helium leak testing.
* Relevant NDT certification or experience coordinating qualified testing providers and interpreting their reports.
How we work
We build, test and improve in short cycles. You should be comfortable making engineering decisions, designing useful experiments and moving quickly from a failed trial to a better process. We expect urgency, clear documentation and the judgment to know when a process is ready for production.
As a founding engineer, you’ll shape our welding capability from the beginning, with direct influence over equipment choices, technical standards and the applications we take on.
When applying, share a welding process you developed, a difficult defect you resolved, or a qualification programme you helped deliver. Tell us what you personally owned and what improved.

Work arrangement
No