Manager, Welding Engineering & Quality Control

Summary of Responsibilities

The Manager, Welding Engineering and Quality Control is responsible for ensuring all welding performed is in accordance with the standards specified. This includes the planning of quality control, execution of quality control and subsequent applicable re-work strategies. The Manager also oversees all welding engineering activities in support of vessel repair and construction activities at Victoria Shipyards Ltd (VSL). This includes Naval vessel’s (surface and submarines), Coast Guard, BC Ferries and commercial operators. This position oversees the development, certification and maintenance of all weld procedures at VSL. The Manager also provides technical guidance for joint designs, welding rates, distortion control, equipment evaluations, and weld quality to various VSL departments. The position analyzes actual welding rates and works with production personnel to improve weld quality and productivity. The position is the primary interface with the Canadian Welding Bureau and regulatory bodies for issues related to welding and/or weld quality.

Functional Reporting Relationship

The Manager, Welding Engineering and Quality Control directly reports to the Manager, Welding Engineering & Welding QC (Seaspan Shipyards) and indirectly to the Director of Operations (VSL). The Manager has two direct reports in the form of Supervisor, Welding Quality Control and Welding Technologist. This position provides leadership and direction for 5 staff and 3 union positions. The manager is required to operate in a matrix organization providing Welding QC and technical guidance to production trades, Trade Leads, Project Managers and Zone Managers.

Scope and Complexity

Scope encompasses the management of all welding QC and welding engineering activities at VSL. The primary responsibility is to manage the development, certification, implementation and monitoring of weld procedures and associated quality control for structural and piping systems. The role requires interface with several other departments to ensure joint designs are correctly defined, welding equipment is procured and/or utilized that meets VSL’s requirements, weld performance is measured and improved, and work is completed in accordance with contract specifications and VSL quality standards.

This role is complex due to the technical nature of welding procedure certification processes. The Manager must possess an in-depth knowledge of material properties and associated weld procedures. The position requires a sound understanding of shipbuilding weld quality, defect repair strategies along with a strong understanding of ship repair production rates. The role also requires sound communication skills to support interaction with customer representatives, CWB (Canadian Welding Bureau) personnel, regulatory bodies, statutory agencies and internal departments.

Communications

Internal

The role of Manager, Welding Engineering and Quality Control requires significant internal communication. The Manager communicates extensively with trade superintendents, production managers, zone/area managers and project managers to ensure that desired weld procedures are certified, and the most productive procedures are employed in production. The position ensures that a robust quality control program is in place complete with metrics. In addition the Manager ensures that sound rework strategies are developed and implemented for raising standards of workmanship. The Manager works with other departments such as the Technical Department to define joint designs and to ensure vessel repair strategies reflect high quality and productive weld procedures. The position provides technical guidance on weld production set up and quality control. In addition the position works with other Seaspan shipyard stakeholders to increase efficiencies, align procedures and develop trade skills. The position also works with Supply Chain Management personnel to define and recommend welding equipment for procurement.

External

The Manager, Welding Engineering and Quality Control is responsible for communicating extensively with the CWB, regulatory bodies, applicable statutory agencies, and customers concerning weld procedure certifications and quality issues. The position requires communication with suppliers of welding equipment and filler materials to assess suitability for VSL and to provide recommendations for procurement. The Manager works with external testing labs to process weld test specimens and interpret results. The position also requires bench-marking best practices through visits to other shipyards and attendance at welding conferences and symposiums. The position also communicates with team members and subcontractors to monitor and assist in improving weld quality.

Duties/Accountabilities

• Develop and certify new welding procedures for VSL as required to improve welding quality, productivity and contract requirements
• Supervise and provide guidance on the preparation of welding procedure specifications and procedure data sheets for related procedures
• Supervise and provide guidance on the development of procedure qualification records to record variables during welding of test assemblies
• Supervise and/or perform periodic reviews of VSL’s welding practices in accordance with Canadian Standards Association W 47.1 requirements
• Supervise the monitoring of shipyard weld quality. Inform trades and area management of quality issues and work with them to resolve work not in accordance with standards, specifications and contract requirements
• Supervise the continuous review of VSL’s welding procedures. Implement improvements in processes and materials to improve both quality and productivity
• Provide guidance to the Technical Department for joint designs of structural and piping systems and guidance/direction regarding proper weld sequencing to reduce distortion and improve accuracy
• Act as VSL’s primary interface with CWB and regulatory bodies
• Act as primary interface with VSL’s retained welding engineers
• Monitor and report shipyard welding performance by collecting and analysing data on actual labour hours, arc times, consumable usage and other pertinent variables
• Evaluate welding equipment and filler materials for suitability at VSL. Document findings and provide recommendations to Supply Chain Management for procurement
• Monitor trends in the industry and implement welding best practices
• Resolve production welding issues. Support initiatives to improve productivity, reduce rework and improve quality across all shipyards

Position Specifications

Education and Experience

• A bachelor’s degree in Welding Engineering or Metallurgy.
• Minimum 7 years of direct experience as a welding engineer in a large manufacturing environment, preferably in the shipbuilding/ship repair industry.
• Minimum 5 years of supervison/management experience
• A Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) registered or qualified to register with EGBC.
• Current valid CWB CSA W178.2 level 2 Welding Inspector Certification (or international equivalent such as AWS CWI)
• CWB Approved Welding Engineer is preferred.

Skills, Knowledge and Required Competencies

• Extensive knowledge of welding processes: shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), flux cored arc welding (FCAW), metal cored arc welding (MCAW), gas metal arc welding (GMAW), submerged arc welding (SAW), gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), and stud welding
• Extensive knowledge of welding metallurgy, CSA, ABS, Lloyd’s, DNV-GL and other regulatory requirements related to welding and fabrication in the marine industry
• Extensive knowledge of non-destructive weld test processes and procedures including, but not limited to, visual, radiographic, ultrasonic, die penetrant and mag particle
• Demonstrated competence in evaluating weld test specimens including bend tests, macro-etch specimens, tensile tests, Charpy V-notch, etc.
• Strong leadership skills
• Ability to work effectively in a matrix organization that supports several different trades and areas of the shipyard
• Strong knowledge of shipbuilding construction methods and procedures
• Familiarity with ship systems including structural, mechanical, piping, electrical and coatings
• Strong technical capability to read and interpret complex specifications and detailed engineering drawings
• Strong problem solving skills, analytical abilities and interpersonal skills
• Strong customer service focus
• Demonstrated initiative, creativity and integrity
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Strong organizational skills
• Excellent computer skills including Word/Excel/PowerPoint
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task, prioritize and problem solve
• Good judgment and reasoning skills
• Ability to work with limited direction and to function as a key team member
• Ability to obtain Industrial Security – NATO Secret designation