Bilfinger UK is a leading engineering and maintenance provider, supporting customers across the chemical & petrochemical, nuclear, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals & biopharma, power & energy, utilities, renewables and food & beverage markets. We enhance the efficiency of assets, ensuring a high level of availability and reducing maintenance costs.
We have extensive experience in offshore and onshore facilities; specialising in asset management services throughout all life cycle phases from consulting, engineering, manufacturing, assembly, operations, maintenance, and decommissioning.
This commitment is delivered by an experienced and highly competent workforce of over 4,500 employees operating from 14 offices in strategic industrial hubs, upholding the highest standards of safety, compliance and quality.
Bilfinger UK is the Principal Contractor for the Highview Power (HVP) Liquid Air Energy Storage project at Carrington — the UK’s first commercial plant of its kind. We are recruiting an experienced Welding Supervisor to lead and control all site welding activities on the mechanical and piping installation scope, including tie-in and site welds on cryogenic and process pipework and the turbine train campaign.
Reporting to the Mechanical / Piping Superintendent, you will be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of the welding workforce, ensuring all welding is carried out to approved Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS), by appropriately qualified welders, in full compliance with ASME B31.3, BS EN 13480, BS EN 1090, ASME IX and PED requirements. You will work closely with the QA/QC team, the Piping/Mechanical Superintendents and the NDT subcontractor to deliver right-first-time welds and a clean inspection and test record.
Given the cryogenic and specialist materials on this project (including MAN-specified materials on the turbine train), you must understand the demands of low-temperature service, impact (Charpy) testing requirements, preheat and interpass control, consumable control and full weld traceability. The role is hands-on, safety-led and programme-focused.
Key Responsibilities
- Supervise and coordinate the daily activities of the site welding workforce (welders and pipefitters), allocating labour to the work fronts in line with the construction programme.
- Ensure all welding is carried out strictly to approved WPS, and that welders hold current, position- and process-relevant qualifications (ASME IX / BS EN ISO 9606) before work commences.
- Maintain the welder qualification register, weld map / weld register and consumable control records, ensuring full traceability of materials and consumables.
- Control welding consumables — issue, storage, baking and handling — particularly low-hydrogen and specialist consumables for cryogenic and alloy materials.
- Manage preheat, interpass temperature and any required post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) in accordance with the WPS.
- Carry out and document weld fit-up and pre-weld checks, and present completed welds to QA/QC and the NDT subcontractor for inspection.
- Liaise with QA/QC Inspectors and third-party / NOBO inspectors on weld audits, NDT results and the close-out of repairs and NCRs.
- Monitor weld quality and repair/rejection rates, identify trends and take corrective action with the welding team to drive down defects.
- Ensure all welding activities are carried out safely — hot work permits, fire watch, fume extraction, confined space and working-at-height controls — in line with the project HSEQ plan and CDM 2015.
- Read and interpret isometrics, GAs, P&IDs and welding documentation to confirm joints are welded as designed.
- Support material control, spool receipt and the management of site/tie-in welds where spools are free-issued.
- Attend daily coordination meetings and report welding progress, manpower and constraints to the Superintendent.
Essential Requirements
- Proven experience as a Welding Supervisor on large-scale mechanical / piping construction projects.
- Recognised welding qualification — CSWIP 3.1 Welding Inspector, or IWS / EWS (International / European Welding Specialist), or time-served senior welding background with supervisory experience.
- Strong working knowledge of ASME B31.3, BS EN 13480, BS EN 1090 and ASME IX, and the ability to read and apply WPS / PQR.
- Sound understanding of welder qualification, consumable control, preheat/interpass control and weld traceability.
- Ability to read and interpret isometrics, GAs, P&IDs and welding/NDT documentation.
- SMSTS or SSSTS (or willingness to obtain), with a strong, demonstrable commitment to site safety and hot-work controls.
- CCNSG Safety Passport.
- Result oriented, with a ‘right first time’ mentality — focused on weld quality, low repair rates and a clean inspection record accepted by QA/QC and the client.
If you wish to speak to a member of the recruitment team, please contact 01224 246246.
