Fabrication Supervisor – Prototype & Engineering Builds

Position Overview

The Fabrication Supervisor – Prototype & Engineering Builds leads the day-to-day execution of prototype, First-of-Kind (FOK), engineering validation, and pre-production builds.

This is a hands-on, shop-floor leadership role supervising welders, fabricators, fitters, assemblers, and other skilled-trades personnel. You will translate build priorities into daily execution, monitor quality and progress, and work closely with Engineering and Quality to resolve issues before they impact the build.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead daily prototype, FOK, validation, and pre-production fabrication activities.
• Assign and coordinate work across welders, fabricators, fitters, assemblers, and other skilled trades.
• Monitor build progress, labor utilization, workmanship, rework, constraints, and schedule risks.
• Provide hands-on leadership, coaching, feedback, and accountability to shop-floor personnel.
• Oversee welding, fitting, fabrication, metalworking, assembly, and related build activities.
• Ensure work is completed to approved drawings, specifications, weld requirements, tolerances, and acceptance criteria.
• Review fit-up, alignment, dimensional condition, weld preparation, distortion, assembly quality, and overall workmanship.
• Ensure teams are working from the latest approved drawings, redlines, BOMs, and authorized instructions.
• Identify fabrication, material, tooling, documentation, quality, and design issues early and engage the appropriate Engineering or Quality owner.
• Stop and escalate work when requirements are unclear, conflicting, incomplete, or impractical rather than allowing undocumented workarounds.
• Enforce safety requirements including PPE, hot work, LOTO, machine guarding, lifting, material handling, and housekeeping.
• Partner with Design Engineering, Welding Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and Quality to improve manufacturability, fit, tooling, assembly sequence, and production readiness.
• Support 5S, visual management, tool control, and continuous improvement within the engineering-build environment.

Requirements

Required Qualifications
• High school diploma or equivalent.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in welding, fabrication, metalworking, industrial assembly, prototype fabrication, or a related manufacturing environment.
• 3+ years of lead, foreman, or supervisory experience overseeing welders, fabricators, fitters, assemblers, or other skilled-trades personnel.
• Strong practical knowledge of welding and metal-fabrication processes.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering and fabrication drawings, dimensions, tolerances, weld symbols, and specifications.
• Experience coordinating labor assignments, shop priorities, and multiple active work fronts.
• Ability to recognize when an issue is related to workmanship versus design, documentation, material, tooling, or engineering.
• Strong commitment to safety, quality, accountability, and disciplined execution.
• Clear communication skills with the ability to communicate priorities, build status, risks, and technical concerns.
• Ability to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
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Preferred Qualifications
• Trade-school credential, apprenticeship, welding certification, or other relevant technical training.
• Experience supporting prototype, First-of-Kind, engineering validation, or low-volume/pre-production builds.
• Experience with large welded structures, fabricated enclosures, skids, modular equipment, or similar products.
• Experience working closely with Design Engineering, Welding Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, and Quality.
• Familiarity with weld procedures, dimensional inspection, nonconformance processes, rework controls, and engineering change control.
• Experience with 5S, visual management, continuous improvement, and shop-floor organization.

Benefits & Perks

GTI offers a competitive compensation and benefits package designed to support employees and their families while providing long-term career growth opportunities within a fast-growing manufacturing organization. Benefits may include:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• 401(k) with company match (where applicable)

• Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays

• Sick time in accordance with state and local requirements

• Company-paid life insurance and disability coverage

• Career advancement opportunities within a rapidly growing organization

• Exposure to advanced manufacturing, modular infrastructure, and large-scale industrial projects

• Collaborative, fast-paced environment with strong operational and engineering leadership

• Employee-focused culture centered on safety, quality, accountability, and continuous improvement




 Benefits eligibility and offerings may vary based on position, location, and employment classification.