Shipfitter Jobs in Orange, TX
Lay out, cut, fit, and align steel plate and structure for the welders.
What shipfitters earn around Orange
The median, range, and annual figures above are market data — Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics for Texas, via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop. Cost of living here runs about 9% below the national average — your paycheck goes further. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities.
Shipfitters in the Orange market
Orange sits on the Sabine River at the Texas-Louisiana line, with new-construction and repair yards building tugs, barges, and government vessels. It rounds out the East Texas triangle — Houston, Port Arthur, Orange — that AMS actively recruits welders and fitters from.
In Orange the shipfitter's work goes through Conrad Orange Shipyard and Bludworth Marine, and it is the hull layout and fit-up — setting frames, plate and assemblies to the drawing before they are welded out.
- Conrad Orange Shipyard
- Bludworth Marine
Named as public-record market activity — where marine work happens in this area, not a statement of AMS contracts.
- City population
- 19,178
- Median household income
- $60,183
- Average commute
- 23 min
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 91.079
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year · BEA Regional Price Parities. Figures are for Orange city, Texas, not the wider metro area.
What a shipfitter does in Orange
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 Orange needs shipfitters right now
Shipfitting in Orange means building boats from paper. Conrad's yard constructs tugs, barges, and government vessels on the Sabine — every one starts as plate laid out, cut, fit, braced, and tacked by fitters holding tolerance so the structure closes true. Government work adds its own bar: inspection standards, documentation, and fit-up that has to check out at every stage. It's the purest version of the shipfitter's craft, repeated hull after hull after hull.
New-build fitting experience travels — every structural job on the Gulf starts with layout and fit-up, and the crews that hold tolerance set the pace for everyone welding behind them. AMS hires shipfitters at $35–$40/hr plus overtime and recruits from the Orange market for hull and structural assembly across the coast. Travel and per-diem work is common, a résumé is optional, and the layout skills you built on Sabine River new construction are the credential that matters.
If you've lofted and fit new hulls at an Orange yard, tacked framing for tugs and barges, or held government-vessel tolerances through survey, you've mastered the layout craft the industry is shortest on. A fitter's eye for how a hull goes together only comes from building them — and yards everywhere are competing for people who have. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime for that experience and never asks you to re-prove entry level.
Bring your experience to AMSShipfitter jobs in Orange — FAQ
How much do shipfitters make in Orange, TX?
In Texas, shipfitters earn a median of about $23.18 per hour — typically $16.55–$31.85 per hour (BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop). With local prices at 91.079 against a national 100, that median buys roughly what $25.45 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 Orange?
AMS recruits shipfitters across the Gulf Coast, including the Orange 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 Orange?
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 Conrad Orange Shipyard and similar facilities. Bring your certifications — apply and an AMS representative will go over the specifics.
What is the commute like for Orange yard work?
Workers in Orange city, Texas report an average commute of about 23 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 Orange?
Tell us your trade and experience — an AMS representative will follow up. Résumé optional.