Pipe Fabrication Shop Manager

Location

Fort Worth, Texas — Full-Time, Onsite Position

Compensation

Base salary: $130,000–$140,000, depending on experience.

Additional flexibility may be available for candidates with extensive pressure-piping, ASME code, welding, and large-scale fabrication leadership experience.

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Pipe Fabrication Shop Manager to lead the operation, development, and continued growth of a metal pipe fabrication and welding facility in Fort Worth.

This facility focuses on mechanical and industrial piping systems, including pressure piping, process piping, welded pipe assemblies, pipe spools, modular assemblies, and equipment skids.

The Pipe Fabrication Shop Manager will oversee production planning, welding operations, safety, quality, workforce development, material flow, equipment utilization, and overall shop performance. This individual will work closely with engineering, BIM/VDC, project management, procurement, QA/QC, logistics, and field operations to ensure fabricated piping is completed safely, accurately, and according to project schedules.

This is a senior operational leadership position responsible for standardizing shop processes, increasing production capacity, implementing fabrication technologies, and supporting the facility’s long-term expansion.

Core Responsibilities

Metal pipe fabrication and welding operations
Fabrication production planning and scheduling
Safety leadership and regulatory compliance
Welding quality systems and code compliance
Workforce planning, training, and development
Material management, logistics, and equipment utilization
Pipe fabrication workflow standardization
Coordination with BIM/VDC, engineering, project management, procurement, and field operations
Facility capacity planning and capital improvements
Production reporting and performance measurement
Implementation of fabrication technologies and management systems

Key Responsibilities

Lead the daily operation, performance, and development of the pipe fabrication facility.
Manage the fabrication of pipe spools, pressure piping, process piping, welded assemblies, structural supports, and equipment skids.
Establish standardized workflows, welding processes, production procedures, and performance expectations.
Lead the Shop Manager, Fabrication Coordinator, QA/QC personnel, logistics team, welders, pipefitters, and other shop employees.
Promote a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and established safety practices.
Ensure fabrication work complies with approved drawings, specifications, applicable codes, welding procedures, and customer requirements.
Coordinate with project management, BIM/VDC, engineering, procurement, field leadership, and quality personnel.
Ensure fabrication work packages are released, fabricated, inspected, documented, loaded, and delivered according to project schedules.
Review shop drawings, isometric drawings, spool sheets, bills of material, weld maps, and fabrication work packages.
Support ASME-related requirements, including welding procedures, qualified personnel, material traceability, inspections, documentation, and turnover packages.
Monitor production performance, manpower requirements, shop capacity, material availability, equipment utilization, and schedule commitments.
Develop short- and long-term capacity plans based on backlog, upcoming projects, staffing levels, and shop capabilities.
Drive continuous improvement in shop layout, material flow, welding productivity, software utilization, reporting, and documentation.
Implement fabrication tracking systems, spool-tracking tools, production reports, digital work packages, and related technologies.
Partner with QA/QC personnel to maintain inspection records, weld documentation, material traceability, audit readiness, and turnover packages.
Develop staffing plans, training programs, equipment strategies, and production standards.
Evaluate welding equipment, pipe-cutting systems, positioners, automation technologies, and material-handling equipment.
Establish performance expectations related to safety, quality, productivity, schedule adherence, rework, and cost control.
Communicate regularly with leadership regarding shop performance, capacity, risks, equipment needs, and growth opportunities.

Required Qualifications

Significant experience managing pipe fabrication, mechanical fabrication, welding operations, or industrial manufacturing.
Strong knowledge of metal pipe fabrication, welding processes, pipe spooling, material preparation, fit-up, and assembly.
Previous leadership responsibility for welders, pipefitters, supervisors, production teams, quality personnel, or shop operations.
Experience managing production schedules, manpower forecasts, material requirements, and facility capacity.
Ability to interpret piping isometrics, spool drawings, fabrication drawings, specifications, and bills of material.
Understanding of welding procedures, welder qualifications, inspection requirements, and material traceability.
Strong knowledge of fabrication safety, quality control, production reporting, and material management.
Ability to coordinate effectively with BIM/VDC, engineering, project management, procurement, QA/QC, and field operations.
Strong leadership, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work full-time onsite at the Fort Worth fabrication facility.

Preferred Experience

Managing fabrication involving pressure piping, process piping, industrial piping, structural welding, modular assemblies, or skid fabrication.
Working knowledge of ASME, AWS, API, ASNT, NBIC, and customer-specific quality requirements.
Experience overseeing welding procedure specifications, procedure qualification records, and welder performance qualifications.
Familiarity with material test reports, heat-number traceability, weld mapping, non-destructive examination, inspection documentation, and turnover packages.
Experience supporting data centers, industrial facilities, power generation, Department of Energy projects, semiconductor facilities, pharmaceutical facilities, or other regulated environments.
Demonstrated success improving pipe fabrication workflows, welding operations, quality systems, and production standards.
Experience with BIM/VDC-to-fabrication workflows, spool management, digital work packages, and fabrication automation.
Experience supporting facility expansion, capital investments, equipment deployment, and long-term fabrication growth.

Work Environment

This is a full-time, onsite leadership position based at a pipe fabrication facility in Fort Worth, Texas. The position requires regular time on the shop floor around active welding, pipe fabrication, material-handling equipment, and industrial production activities.