Shipfitting General Foreman - Steel America (Job ID: 1438)

Shipfitting General Foreman

Position maintains detailed understanding of project specifications and all requirements necessary for appropriate trades support, ensuring safe and efficient production in ship repair/industrial fabrication operations. Provides oversight to qualified trades workforce & trades supervision and is responsible for meeting overall schedule, budget, quality, and safety goals of work assigned. Candidates with direct Columbia Class or Virginia Class submarine construction experience are strongly preferred. Experience supervising structural fabrication, assembly, and installation activities under NAVDES requirements will be given significant consideration during the selection process. The position is located onsite in Norfolk, VA and will often require hours beyond a standard work week with flexible schedule availability to support production/operations. Position may require limited travel.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Supports labor requirements for completion of job assignment. Understand specifications, blueprints, and job orders in order to effectively communicate duties to work teams.
• Maintains adequate personnel/manning levels, production space, tooling, and equipment assets, while establishing work processes to meet production schedules.
• Suggests changes in working conditions and use of equipment to increase efficiency of shop, department, or work crews.
• Analyzes and resolves work problems to minimize disruptions to production schedule.
• Manages all shop resources by assigning trades personnel to Foremen based on project needs.
• Supports trades foremen in supervising, assigning, coordinating, training, and evaluating semi-skilled and skilled trades personnel according to their skill, experience, and job knowledge. Recommends training to enhance skill and productivity of employees and assists in development of training processes/procedures. Continually monitor foremen's project designations, deck plate presence, understanding of work scope, and efficiency of trades management.
• Manages lifecycle of shop personnel through all phases of employment, to include hiring and retention efforts of shop personnel, as well as developing/delivering coaching and disciplinary actions needed to address performance concerns. Responsible for personnel administration needs, to include recommendations/handling of change requests facilitated by EANs (pay, reclassification, etc.).
• Engaged in workforce development by identifying candidates for additional development/mentorship opportunities, support succession planning efforts, and ensuring assigned apprentices have appropriate oversight and developmental resources.
• Breaks broad projects down to practical action plans, ensuring adequate shop manning resources, and develops/executes POD for all shop resources (with the input of Foreman) daily to ensure production goals are executed safely and efficiently.
• Responsible for final approval and presentation of all project deliverables via condition reports and approval/management of all material orders, ensuring contractual requirements and period of performance are met.
• Responsible for complying with all technical aspects of the job including adherence to all drawings, procedures, etc. and manages test and inspection plans for assigned areas (overseeing submittal of required documentation, ensure foreman attend inspections as required, etc.).
• Responsible for manufacturing, installation, operation, testing, and process operations that have a significant financial impact on the company's performance.
• Provide data/feedback for current budgets via hours management/EACs, including dates, and report scheduling and progress updates to superintendents/project management.

Required Qualifications:

• Must have a Bachelor's degree or a Registered Apprentice (grad) certificate and have at least 2 years relative trades experience (or High School diploma/GED + 6 years trades experience) and 2 years of prior supervisory experience.
• Must be able to demonstrate ability to perform multi-pass, all position fillet and butt welds using SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding) and FCAW (Flux Core Arc Welding).
• Must have knowledge of AWS D1.1 (Structural Steel) and NAVSEA code/requirements (MIL-STD-1688 & MIL-STD-1689).
• Must have experience in new fabrication/new construction.
• Must have ability to understand job specifications, drawings, and corresponding technical references.
• Must have well-developed communication skills, both verbal and written, to effectively communicate with employees/leadership/customers and prepare/deliver written reports and correspondence.
• Must have regular, reliable attendance.

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• Experience supporting multiple trades in a shipbuilding, ship repair, or heavy industrial fabrication environment is highly preferred.
• Direct experience supporting Columbia Class Submarine construction programs is strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting Virginia Class Submarine construction, submarine module fabrication, or major structural unit construction is preferred.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of T9074-AD-GIB-010/1688 requirements and their application to submarine structural fabrication, assembly, and installation activities.
• Experience leading or supporting fabrication and assembly activities involving pressure hull structures, foundations and structural supports, major structural modules, internal submarine structures, and temporary or permanent attachments.
• Familiarity with NAVSEA-certified manufacturing systems, submarine quality assurance requirements, and related inspection documentation.
• Experience managing material traceability, weld documentation, inspection packages, and regulatory compliance records in a controlled production environment.
• Working knowledge of distortion control, weld sequencing, fit-up tolerances, and dimensional control requirements associated with submarine construction.
• Experience coordinating across Engineering, Planning, Quality Assurance, Test and Inspection, and Program Management organizations to resolve production issues and maintain schedule performance.
• Experience developing and executing production strategies for submarine new-construction programs while maintaining safety, quality, cost, and schedule commitments.
• Graduation from a recognized shipfitting apprenticeship program is highly preferred.

Travel Requirements:

• Minimal Travel; 10% or less.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to lift, carry and transport heavy equipment and boxes. The exact weight requirements will be determined by the specific job, but no less than 20 lbs.
• Must be physically agile to perform tasks in naval ships. Able to work on and climb ladders, work in extreme temperature environments, aboard ships, in shipyards, under industrial conditions and in confined spaces, including enter and moving through manholes.
• May ride ships at sea for extended periods
• Able to perform other duties as required which may involve high heat, humidity, noise and dirty conditions, working aloft or over the sides of vessels.
• Frequent exposure to noise due to machinery and equipment.
• Employee is required to operate trucks, forklifts & man-lifts.
• While performing the duties of this job, you may frequently be required to stand, walk & sit; use hands or fingers; handle or feel; talk and hear. Occasionally required to reach with hands and arms, climb and balance, stoop, squat, kneel, twist and crawl.
• Work in extreme temperatures and conditions. At times you will work in areas that have less adequate ventilation
• Frequent use of respirator.
• Protective clothing or equipment and face shields or goggles shall be worn when welding, cutting, or working with molten metal.