Marks off and fabricates structural steel and other metal stock to make or repair metal products and structures including boilers and pressure vessels.

Studies blueprints, drawings and specifications to determine job requirements; selects, cleans and prepares metal stock; cuts marked out metal sections and shapes using hand tools, flame cutting torches and metal cutting machines; shapes and bends metal sections and pipes using hand and machine tools, and by heating and hammering; aligns parts to be joined using hand tools and measuring instrument; joins metal sections using various welding techniques, bolting and riveting; examines welds for width of bead, penetration and precision; cleans and smoothes welds by filing, chiselling and grinding.

• Works indoors in a heavy engineering workshop or yard or may be predominantly out on client worksites such as client industrial or processing worksites.
• Indoor work spaces need good ventilation to disperse gasses and other by-products of welding and other metal-working processes.
• Frequently works at heights and on ladders or inside large heavy steel containers that are being constructed. Worksites will often be dirty, dusty and noisy.
• Employees will use a variety of personal protective equipment including face masks, eye protection, safety footwear, over-alls and gloves as appropriate for specific tasks. They may need safety harnesses for some jobs.

• The physical demand is heavy.
• Walking is required. Standing is constantly required, frequently on concrete floors. Sitting is not required.
• Stretching up and across is frequently required to weld, bolt or otherwise join and fit metal structural components in place.
• Squatting, crouching or kneeling is occasionally required.
• Twisting of the body or neck, bending, lifting and carrying and climbing are frequently required.
• Repetitive movements are frequently required especially in the use of hands and arms for holding welding, flame-cutting or grinding equipment.
• Driving is not a significant component of the job.
• There is a requirement for the use of a wide range of engineering hand, power and machine tools and equipment.
• Mental skills necessary include practical, technical, and problem-solving skills.

A New Zealand Register Level 4 qualification or at least three years of relevant experience (ANZSCO Skill Level 3). In some instances relevant experience and/or on-the-job training may be required in addition to the formal qualification. For entry-level positions on-the-job training may be sufficient.

There are opportunities for flexibility of movement but they are limited.