Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders

Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.

Also called: Braze Operator, Certified Welder, Fabricator, Finishing Technician (Finishing Tech), Laser Operator, Machine Operator, Mig Welder, Spot Welder, Weld Technician (Weld Tech), Welding Operator, Aluminum Welder, Arc and Gas Welder, Arc Welding Machine Operator, Billet Assembler, Brazing Machine Operator, Brazing Machine Setter, Brazing Machine Setter Operator, Brazing Machine Setup Operator, Brazing Machine Tender, Builder, Controlled Atmospheric Furnace Brazer, Electron Beam Machine Welder Setter, Electron Beam Welder Setter, Electron Beam Welding Machine Operator, Electroslag Welding Machine Operator, Explosion Welder, Fabrication Specialist, Field Operator, Field Technician (Field Tech), Friction Welding Machine Operator, Furnace Brazer, Gas Welding Machine Operator, Induction Brazer, Induction Heating Equipment Setter, Industrial Welder, Laser Beam Machine Operator, Machine Burner, Machine Welder, Manufacturing Associate, Manufacturing Operator, Mill Operator, Oxygraph Operator, Racking Machine Operator, Racking Technician (Racking Tech), Reflow Operator, Reserve Tube Welder, Resistance Machine Welder Setter, Resistance Welding Machine Operator, Robotic Weld Operator, Robotic Weld Technician (Robotic Weld Tech), Robotic Welder, Robotic Welding Operator, Rod Welder, SMT Operator (Surface Mount Technology Operator), Solder Deposit Operator, Soldering Machine Operator, Soldering Machine Setter, Soldering Machine Setup Operator, Soldering Machine Tender, Soldering Technician (Soldering Tech), Thermit Welding Machine Operator, Travograph Operator, Type Soldering Machine Tender, Ultrasonic Welding Machine Operator, Wave Soldering Machine Operator, Weld Operator, Welding Machine Operator, Welding Machine Setter, Welding Machine Tender, Welding Pantograph Machine Operator, Welding Pantograph Operator, Welding Technician (Welding Tech)

This is a career information profile, not an advertised job opening.

What the worker does

Read blueprints, work orders, or production schedules to determine product or job instructions or specifications.
Inspect, measure, or test completed metal workpieces to ensure conformance to specifications, using measuring and testing devices.
Record operational information on specified production reports.
Correct problems by adjusting controls or by stopping machines and opening holding devices.
Set up, operate, or tend welding machines that join or bond components to fabricate metal products or assemblies.
Select torch tips, alloys, flux, coil, tubing, or wire, according to metal types or thicknesses, data charts, or records.
Lay out, fit, or connect parts to be bonded, calculating production measurements, as necessary.
Prepare metal surfaces or workpieces, using hand-operated equipment, such as grinders, cutters, or drills.
Mark weld points and positions of components on workpieces, using rules, squares, templates, or scribes.
Set dials and timing controls to regulate electrical current, gas flow pressure, heating or cooling cycles, or shut-off.

Skills, machines and equipment

Operations Monitoring
Operation and Control
Reading Comprehension
Active Listening
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Monitoring
Complex Problem Solving
Judgment and Decision Making
Active Learning
Coordination
Time Management

Education and training

Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (32.00% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships

Ask an employer or registered apprenticeship sponsor about current programs, eligibility, training and pay. A career profile does not confirm that a program is available.

Salary reference

40,560–57,390 USD per year · United States · 2025. Source: BLS OEWS via O*NET · 25th–75th percentiles · SOC 51-4122.

Occupational-group wage references are not guaranteed pay for this specialty or an employer's offer.

Career advancement

Develop additional welding processes, blueprint reading, and inspection skills; explore specialist fabrication, welding inspection, or team-lead paths where qualified.
Ask employers which demonstrated skills, education, or credentials are needed for the next role. Related careers are exploration options, not automatic promotions.

How Do I Get This Job?

Review the skills and responsibilities above.
Most frequently reported education in the O*NET survey: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) (32.00% of responses). This is survey context, not a universal hiring requirement. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
O*NET Job Zone 2: Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. This is broad occupational preparation context; confirm the requirements for a specific employer or apprenticeship.
Compare real openings and confirm requirements directly with the employer.

View available jobs — availability is not guaranteed; sample listings are not real openings.

Related career information

Sources and limitations

O*NET® 31.0 Database, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, under CC BY 4.0. ShopFloor adapted occupational grouping, selected manufacturing-relevant occupations, and retained seven legacy guide titles. Specialties and alternative titles are grouped under O*NET occupations; these occupations can also occur outside manufacturing. Source: https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html. No wage, vacancy, certification, or video data is implied. ShopFloor advancement suggestions are general editorial guidance, not O*NET findings or guaranteed career progression. BLS wage ranges, when available, are national 25th–75th percentiles for the source occupational grouping, across industries; they are not local, apprentice, entry-level, or specialty-specific offers.

Welding, Soldering, and Brazing Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders