Structural Welder Jobs in Lake Charles, LA
Weld hulls, decks, bulkheads, and steel structures — new build and repair.
What structural welders earn around Lake Charles
The median, range, and annual figures above are market data — Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics for Lake Charles, LA Metro Area, via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop. Cost of living here runs about 10% below the national average — your paycheck goes further. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities.
Structural Welders in the Lake Charles market
Lake Charles is a heavy pipe-and-module fabrication market driven by the region's LNG buildout, alongside marine-support and tug work on the Calcasieu ship channel — a real pool of pipe welders and fitters that AMS recruits from.
Structural Welders working Lake Charles are on the plate and structural work — bulkheads, framing, foundations — that carries the vessel's load, through yards like Port of Lake Charles marine terminals and LNG module & pipe fabrication. 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.
- Port of Lake Charles marine terminals
- LNG module & pipe fabrication
Named as public-record market activity — where marine work happens in this area, not a statement of AMS contracts.
- City population
- 81,679
- Median household income
- $56,864
- Average commute
- 18 min
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 89.543
Source: U.S. Census ACS 5-year · BEA Regional Price Parities. Figures are for Lake Charles city, Louisiana, not the wider metro area.
What a structural welder does in Lake Charles
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 Lake Charles needs structural welders right now
Every module that ships out of a Lake Charles fab yard rides on structural steel — racks, frames, skids, and supports welded out with flux-core and stick before any pipe lands. Nearly all existing U.S. LNG export capacity already sits on the Gulf Coast (EIA), and the module work that built it made this a serious structural-steel market. Add the workboats serving the ship channel, which need decks, guards, and hull steel renewed like anywhere else, and a structural welder here stays on the arc year-round.
The steel doesn't care whether it becomes a module or a hull, and neither does your certification. Gulf-state shipbuilders carried 28,314 payroll jobs in 2024 — 26.4 percent of the U.S. total (BLS QCEW) — and all seven of the Navy's private shipbuilders report trouble recruiting and keeping craft workers (GAO, 2025). That shortage is your leverage. AMS recruits structural welders from Lake Charles at $35–$40/hr plus overtime opportunities for traveling crew work with per diem; its active crews run in Houma, Mobile, Pascagoula, and Jacksonville. When module schedules gap, the shipyard corridor east of here doesn't.
If you've welded module frames and pipe racks with flux-core on a fab pad, repaired workboat decks and guards on the channel, or passed structural code on steel headed offshore, hull work is a short step — same processes, more out-of-position, tighter access. Experienced structural welders are one of the industry's hardest fills; production quality inside a vessel can't be boot-camped. AMS pays $35–$40/hr plus overtime for that experience and won't run you back through entry level.
Bring your experience to AMSStructural Welder jobs in Lake Charles — FAQ
How much do structural welders make in Lake Charles, LA?
In the Lake Charles, LA Metro Area, structural welders earn a median of about $35.06 per hour — typically $24.13–$42.36 per hour (BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics via the U.S. Department of Labor's CareerOneStop). With local prices at 89.543 against a national 100, that median buys roughly what $39.15 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 Lake Charles?
AMS recruits structural welders across the Gulf Coast, including the Lake Charles 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 structural welder in Lake Charles?
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 Port of Lake Charles marine terminals and similar facilities. Bring your certifications — apply and an AMS representative will go over the specifics.
What is the commute like for Lake Charles yard work?
Workers in Lake Charles city, Louisiana report an average commute of about 18 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 Lake Charles?
Tell us your trade and experience — an AMS representative will follow up. Résumé optional.