TIG Welder — Submarine Programme

About the role

BAE Systems' Barrow-in-Furness shipyard is one of the UK's most strategically important manufacturing sites, designing and building nuclear-powered submarines for the Royal Navy. The submarine programme is long-cycle, highly regulated work: quality records, weld traceability and procedural discipline matter as much as the weld itself. This TIG Welder role supports stainless, duplex and specialist-alloy fabrication across the submarine build programme. You'll work from controlled drawings, weld procedure specifications and inspection plans, producing pipework and structural assemblies that move through NDT, dimensional inspection and formal build-pack sign-off. The environment is slower and more exacting than general fabrication. Welders are expected to maintain coding, document each operation properly and work safely in restricted-access production areas. For someone who wants serious defence-sector fabrication experience, Barrow offers long-term programme stability and a clear path into senior welder, welding coordination or production supervision roles.

Responsibilities

• TIG weld stainless, duplex and specialist-alloy pipework and assemblies to approved procedures
• Work from controlled drawings, weld maps, WPS documentation and route cards
• Prepare joints, purge lines, control heat input and maintain weld cleanliness through the full operation
• Complete weld records and build-pack documentation to programme traceability standards
• Support visual inspection, pressure testing, dye-penetrant and radiographic inspection follow-up
• Maintain coded-welder status through periodic testing and procedural refreshers
• Work safely in restricted-access shipyard areas, including confined or awkward build locations

Requirements

• Coded TIG (6G) on stainless
• Eligible for SC clearance
• Comfortable working in confined spaces
• Experience working to ISO 9606, ASME IX or equivalent coded welding standards
• Able to read fabrication drawings, weld symbols and controlled work instructions
• Strong documentation discipline — every weld record becomes part of the permanent build history