Milk Processing Sanitary Welder

Job Purpose:

We are seeking a skilled Sanitary Welder with experience in milk processing or foodgrade manufacturing to join our team. This role is responsible for fabricating, installing, and maintaining sanitary stainlesssteel piping and equipment used in dairy production. The ideal candidate has strong sanitary welding skills, understands hygienic design standards, and can work effectively in a fastpaced production environment. The sanitary welder is also expected to work on equipment repairs and rebuilding alongside the maintenance team.

Responsibilities:

Fabrication, Welding, & maintenance repairs

• Perform sanitary welding on stainless steel tubing, piping, and components used in milk processing systems.
• Create sanitary welds that meet 3A, USDA, and FDA hygienic standards.
• Fabricate and assemble CIP lines, product transfer lines, and processing equipment.
• Leads rebuilds and maintenance initiatives
• Cut, fit, and weld stainless steel using jigs, fixtures, and precision measuring tools.
• Conduct weld finishing, including grinding, polishing, and passivation to ensure smooth, crevicefree surfaces.
• Troubleshoot, repair, and maintain plant equipment, facility structures, grounds and utilities
• Collaborate with and provide guidance to maintenance, repairs and production in reliability-related processes and the identification of critical spares.
• Independently solve moderately complex issues with minimal supervision, while escalating more complex issues to appropriate staff
• Failure analysis to recommend operational, maintenance, and process changes to maximize equipment.
• Other duties as assigned

Installation & System Assembly

• Install sanitary piping systems, valves, pumps, tanks, and processing equipment.
• Read and interpret P&IDs, blueprints, and isometric drawings for accurate system layout.
• Ensure proper alignment, slope, and flow orientation for product and CIP lines.
• Work with maintenance and engineering teams during equipment upgrades or plant expansions.

Sanitation & Compliance

• Ensure all welds and fabricated components meet foodgrade sanitary requirements.
• Follow strict hygiene practices to prevent contamination in dairy processing areas.
• Maintain compliance with 3A Sanitary Standards, OSHA safety rules, and plant quality procedures.
• Document welds, inspections, and fabrication steps as required by quality assurance.

Maintenance & Troubleshooting

• Inspect existing piping and equipment for wear, corrosion, or sanitary defects.
• Repair leaks, cracks, or weld failures in processing lines.
• Support preventive maintenance activities on tanks, pasteurizers, separators, and other dairy equipment.
• Troubleshoot flow issues, pressure problems, or CIP inefficiencies related to piping systems.

Quality Control & Testing

• Perform borescope inspections, weld mapping, and surface finish verification.
• Conduct pressure tests, leak tests, and integrity checks on welded systems.
• Ensure all welds meet internal quality standards and customer specifications.

Collaboration & Communication

• Work closely with engineers, production supervisors, and sanitation teams.
• Provide technical input during equipment design or process improvement projects.
• Train junior welders or fabricators in sanitary welding techniques and safety practices
• Microbial Awareness: An obsession with "crevice-free" welding to prevent biofilm and bacteria (e.g., Salmonella, Listeria) accumulation.
• Mechanical Aptitude: Ability to solve "fit-up" challenges in tight spaces without compromising the hydraulic flow of the product.
• Team Collaboration: Effective communication with Quality Assurance (QA) and Maintenance teams during food safety audits.

Skills/Qualifications Required:

• 3+ years of experience in sanitary or foodgrade welding (dairy experience preferred).
• General understanding of Dairy equipment and operations preferred (UHTs, Homogenizers, Separators, HTST, Pumps & Motors, Mix proof valves, etc..)
• Strong understanding of sanitary design principles and hygienic fabrication.
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings and schematics.
• Experience with CIP systems, process piping, and dairy equipment is a plus.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Ability to lift 50+ lbs and work in production environments as needed.

Position location: Goodyear, AZ

Reports to: Maintenance Manager