Structural Welder Jobs in Jacksonville, FL
Weld hulls, decks, bulkheads, and steel structures — new build and repair.
What structural welders earn around Jacksonville
The median, range, and annual figures above are market data — Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics for Jacksonville, FL Metro Area, via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop. Cost of living here runs about 2% below the national average — your paycheck goes further. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities.
Structural Welders in the Jacksonville market
Jacksonville is a major Navy and commercial ship-repair hub on the northeast Florida coast, anchored by BAE Systems' ship-repair yard and Naval Station Mayport. AMS has crews working the Jacksonville market now.
Structural Welders working Jacksonville are on the plate and structural work — bulkheads, framing, foundations — that carries the vessel's load, through yards like BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair and Naval Station Mayport. What that means day to day depends on whether the yard is running new construction or repair — the fit-up problems are not the same.
- BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair
- Naval Station Mayport
Named as public-record market activity — where marine work happens in this area, not a statement of AMS contracts.
- City population
- 961,739
- Median household income
- $66,981
- Average commute
- 24 min
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 98.492
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year · BEA Regional Price Parities. Figures are for Jacksonville city, Florida, not the wider metro area.
What a structural welder does in Jacksonville
Structural welders build and repair the steel that holds a vessel together — hulls, bulkheads, decks, foundations, catwalks, and platforms — welding to structural code on onshore and offshore projects, new constructions, retrofits, and repairs. Flux-core, stick, and MIG in tight, out-of-position spots. AMS handles every aspect to the highest quality standards.
Why Jacksonville needs structural welders right now
Structural work in a repair harbor never runs out: wasted shell plate, cracked frames, worn foundations, and deck sections that failed inspection all have to be cropped out and rewelded before a ship leaves the dock. In Jacksonville that work spans government and commercial hulls, which means welding to structural code under survey — flux-core, stick, and MIG, mostly out of position, often inside existing structure with the interference still in place. It's harder than panel-line welding and it's supposed to be: repair steel proves out a welder faster than any shop job.
Jacksonville is one of AMS's four active-crew markets — work is running now, not pending. Structural welders earn $35–$40 an hour plus overtime opportunities. Expect a weld test to qualify, plus the screening that comes with defense-adjacent work: drug and background checks, and often TWIC or clearance eligibility. If you're coming from construction or shop fabrication, the processes are the ones you already run — the difference is position, access, and inspection standards. AMS supports travel hands with per-diem arrangements, and you can apply without a resume.
If you've cropped and renewed shell plate in a drydock, welded overhead flux-core on a bulkhead insert, or carried structural certs through a Navy availability, Jacksonville will feel like home ground. New-construction hands — flux-core on steel modules, unit-erection welds — transfer directly to repair once they adjust to working inside old structure. Experienced structural welders are the industry's hardest fill, and AMS has crews in Jacksonville now, paying $35–$40 an hour for welders who can produce under survey.
Bring your experience to AMSStructural Welder jobs in Jacksonville — FAQ
How much do structural welders make in Jacksonville, FL?
In the Jacksonville, FL Metro Area, structural welders earn a median of about $24.35 per hour — typically $18.75–$35.02 per hour (BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop). With local prices at 98.492 against a national 100, that median buys roughly what $24.72 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 structural welders in Jacksonville?
Yes. AMS has crews working the Jacksonville market and hires structural welders for shipbuilding and ship repair. Apply through our Employment / Job Application page and tell us your trade and experience.
What do I need to get hired as a structural welder in Jacksonville?
For structural welders, AMS looks first at flux-core, stick, mig and structural code. Every role also requires passing a shipyard safety orientation and a drug screen, and a TWIC card is usually needed for yard access at BAE Systems Jacksonville Ship Repair and similar facilities. Bring your certifications — apply and an AMS representative will go over the specifics.
What is the commute like for Jacksonville yard work?
Workers in Jacksonville city, Florida 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 structural welder in Jacksonville?
Tell us your trade and experience — an AMS representative will follow up. Résumé optional.