Production
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
Set up, operate, or tend welding, soldering, or brazing machines or robots that weld, braze, solder, or heat treat metal products, components, or assemblies. Includes workers who operate laser cutters or laser-beam machines.
Median pay
$47,920
Growth to 2035
−9%
declining
Openings a year
2,500
Time to qualify*
6 months
* From a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field.
Pay
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
Getting in
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Calculate your switch to welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Outdoors in all weather
Hazardous conditions
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders: 48% usually work over 40 hours a week
Core tasks
- Read blueprints, work orders, or production schedules to determine product or job instructions or specifications.
- Inspect, measure, or test completed metal workpieces to ensure conformance to specifications, using measuring and testing devices.
- Record operational information on specified production reports.
- Correct problems by adjusting controls or by stopping machines and opening holding devices.
- Set up, operate, or tend welding machines that join or bond components to fabricate metal products or assemblies.
- Select torch tips, alloys, flux, coil, tubing, or wire, according to metal types or thicknesses, data charts, or records.
- Lay out, fit, or connect parts to be bonded, calculating production measurements, as necessary.
- Prepare metal surfaces or workpieces, using hand-operated equipment, such as grinders, cutters, or drills.
Also called: Braze Operator · Certified Welder · Fabricator · Finishing Technician (Finishing Tech) · Laser Operator · Machine Operator · Mig Welder · Spot Welder
Outlook and AI
Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders held 32,900 jobs in 2025. BLS projects 30,000 by 2035 (−9%, declining; all jobs: +3.5%).
Productivity change - share decreases as programmable machines, such as robotics and computer-controlled (CNC) machinery, increasingly replace less advanced machinery, increasing efficiency.
Compare with
- Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders vs. Welder
- Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders vs. Milling and planing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders vs. Structural metal fabricators and fitters
- Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders vs. Lathe and turning machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders vs. Aircraft structure, surfaces, rigging, and systems assemblers
- Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders vs. Industrial machinery mechanic
- Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders vs. Multiple machine tool setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders vs. Forging machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Welding, soldering, and brazing machine setters, operators, and tenders vs. Tool grinders, filers, and sharpeners