WELDER
In New Jersey, Welder is filled through the competitive process: candidates take a civil service exam and are hired off a ranked list, not picked at will.
Qualifying turns on 1 year of relevant experience. The FY2027 range lands between $52,308 and $75,954, and state payroll currently lists 5 people in the title, led by Transportation.
How to apply
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Exam
This is an application to sit an exam and be placed on an eligible list for this title, not an application for a specific job. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. There may be no current vacancy behind it, and the list it produces may not be certified for months or years.
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Exam
Open to permanent employees in the competitive division who hold a qualifying lower title in the same unit. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. Like the open competitive exam, this places you on a list; it is not itself a job offer.
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Agency posting
Department of Transportation posts its own vacancies directly, often before (or instead of) any civil service exam announcement. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
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Agency posting
Department of Health posts its own vacancies directly, often before (or instead of) any civil service exam announcement. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
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Agency posting
Motor Vehicle Commission's employment page may require a click-through to see specific openings. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
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Agency posting
Department of Corrections's employment page may require a click-through to see specific openings. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 5 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $73,386. The agencies employing the most are:
- Transportation (2)
- Health and Senior Services (1)
- Motor Vehicle Commission (1)
- Corrections (1)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.
Definition
Under the direction of a Crew Supervisor, Mechanic or other supervisor in a state department, institution, or agency, performs electrical arc welding and acetylene welding and cutting; does related work as required.
Examples of work
Performs varied electric arc and oxyacetylene welding and cutting of steel plate, sheet metal, tubing, pipe, cast iron, aluminum, copper, brass, bronze and/or other metals used in the maintenance, repair, rebuilding and fabrication of equipment. Butt welds, lap welds and welds inside and outside corners of plate or sheet in a vertical, horizontal or overhead position. Fuses and brazes metal together; silver solders and soft solders various metals. Cleans and prepares surfaces prior to welding and removes slag from the finished weld. Properly uses materials and items of equipment such as regulators, bare and coated electrodes, filler rod, brass rod, cast iron and aluminum flux, torches, tips and safety equipment. Performs oxyacetylene burning and carbon and steel electrode arc cutting of various types of metals. Works from sketches, plans, and specifications in accordance with approved trade practices. May weld cracked and broken parts of passenger vehicles, trucks, snow plows, concrete mixers, cranes, graders and other highway automotive maintenance and construction equipment which are made of cast iron, aluminum, brass or steel. May cut and weld broken frames, mufflers, fenders, doors, bodies, tail gates, cracked motor blocks and other automotive parts. May assemble, weld and cut new rotary dirt screens, renew paddles on mud jacks, repair and cut cast iron drain pipes and pipe racks. May cut and weld traffic signs and posts or steel highway bridges, including the replacement of broken and/or weakened parts and the welding of stiffener angles and plates and steel forms for concrete. Prepares reports of materials used, time spent, costs and work completed. May weld and cut parts for varied types of farm, garden, laundry, kitchen, boiler plant, and engine room equipment and machinery. May repair and weld wire fences and gates, fire escapes, steam lines for steam fitters, metal furniture, ash and coal handling equipment, or perform welding of a general maintenance nature. May be required to undergo fire training classes. May be required to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units.
Requirements
TRAINING: Successful completion of a two (2) year training program in basic welding operations.
Experience
One (1) year of comprehensive experience in welding work involving the cutting, welding and repair of automotive machinery and/or maintenance equipment using oxyacetylene and arc welding and cutting.
License
Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position. Appointee will be required to possess a valid Commercial Driver's License (CDL) only if it is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of the procedures used in cutting and welding cast iron, aluminum, brass, silver solder and other metals used in automobiles, trucks, and other motor vehicles of the types which are commonly used by state departments. Knowledge of the methods and techniques used in welding fire escapes, fences, gates, traffic signs, bridges and other stationary fixtures. Knowledge of the characteristics of various metals and their melting points. Knowledge of the techniques used in maintaining equipment at the highest level of efficiency. Ability to understand, remember and carry out oral and written directions. Ability to organize assigned welding work, analyze problems involved in the use of welding and develop effective work methods. Ability to distinguish between various metals. Ability to do varied types of welding under varying circumstances. Ability to requisition, store, safeguard, record and properly use department welding equipment, materials and supplies. Ability to work effectively with associates. Ability to prepare factual records of work assigned, materials used, time spent and work completed. Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units. Ability to read, writes, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform the essential functions of the job after reasonable accommodation is made to their known limitations. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible.
Note
Applicants who do not possess the required two (2) years of training may substitute additional experience as indicated above on a year for year basis. The responsibility for ensuring that employees possess the required motor vehicle license, commensurate with the class and type of vehicles they operate, rests with the Appointing Authority.