Shipfitter Jobs in Charleston, SC
Lay out, cut, fit, and align steel plate and structure for the welders.
What shipfitters earn around Charleston
The median, range, and annual figures above are market data — Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics for South Carolina, via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop. Cost of living here runs right around the national average. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities.
Shipfitters in the Charleston market
Charleston is one of the busiest ship-repair harbors on the East Coast, anchored by Detyens Shipyards at the former Charleston Naval Shipyard on the Cooper River — a major commercial and government repair yard. It's a Southeast market AMS is hiring welders and fitters for right now.
The shipfitter's job around Charleston is blueprint layout, cutting & fit-up, bracing & tacking — the layout that has to be right before a welder ever strikes an arc on work staged through yards like Detyens Shipyards. Get the fit wrong and the weld cannot save it.
- Detyens Shipyards
Named as public-record market activity — where marine work happens in this area, not a statement of AMS contracts.
- City population
- 152,014
- Median household income
- $90,038
- Average commute
- 24 min
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 99.105
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year · BEA Regional Price Parities. Figures are for Charleston city, South Carolina, not the wider metro area.
What a shipfitter does in Charleston
Shipfitters turn plans into steel — reading blueprints, laying out and cutting plate and structural members, then fitting, bracing, and tacking them into alignment so the welders can finish the joint. It's the layout and fit-up craft at the front of every structural job, on new construction and repair alike, and it demands a sharp eye for tolerance and a feel for how a hull goes together.
Why Charleston needs shipfitters right now
Repair fitting is the art of making new steel agree with an old ship. A shipfitter in a repair harbor templates inserts off cropped openings, cuts and shapes plate to lines that stopped being fair years ago, and braces and tacks structure into alignment so the weld-out goes clean. Government repair adds documented tolerances; commercial work adds pace. Charleston generates both, and the fitting bottleneck is real: every structural repair on every docking starts with layout, which means the fitter sets the schedule for everyone behind them.
AMS is hiring shipfitters in Charleston now at $35–$40 an hour plus overtime opportunities. The industry context favors you: experienced craft workers are the hardest roles to fill — entry pipelines can be scaled with boot camps, but quality fitting inside complex vessels takes years to build, which is why proven fitters command the top of the range. Expect a practical demonstration of layout and fit-up skills before you're turned loose. Out-of-town fitters are set up on travel with per diem, and applying doesn't require a resume.
If you've templated shell inserts, faired repair plate flush to a hull that's seen thirty years of service, or fit frame renewals in a double bottom while the ship stayed live around you, Charleston's repair work is your trade. Fitters from panel lines and unit erection pick up repair templating fast. Experienced shipfitters are among the hardest hires in marine work — AMS is hiring in Charleston now and pays $35–$40 an hour for that layout eye rather than starting you at the bottom.
Bring your experience to AMSShipfitter jobs in Charleston — FAQ
How much do shipfitters make in Charleston, SC?
In South Carolina, shipfitters earn a median of about $20.02 per hour — typically $14.46–$30.86 per hour (BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop). With local prices at 99.105 against a national 100, that median buys roughly what $20.20 an hour would nationally. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities; the rate for a specific role is discussed when you apply.
Does AMS hire shipfitters in Charleston?
AMS recruits shipfitters across the Gulf Coast, including the Charleston market, for marine fabrication and repair work. Apply and tell us your trade, your experience, and whether you can travel.
What do I need to get hired as a shipfitter in Charleston?
For shipfitters, AMS looks first at blueprint layout and cutting & fit-up. Every role also requires passing a shipyard safety orientation and a drug screen, and a TWIC card is usually needed for yard access at Detyens Shipyards and similar facilities. Bring your certifications — apply and an AMS representative will go over the specifics.
What is the commute like for Charleston yard work?
Workers in Charleston city, South Carolina report an average commute of about 24 minutes (U.S. Census ACS). Yard start times are early, so most crews plan the drive around shift change rather than rush hour. If you would rather travel to the work than commute to it, AMS runs per-diem assignments across the Gulf Coast.
Ready to work as a shipfitter in Charleston?
Tell us your trade and experience — an AMS representative will follow up. Résumé optional.