Electron beam welder

About this occupation

Electron beam welders set up and tend machines designed to join separate metal workpieces together through the use of a high-velocity electron beam. They monitor the machining processes providing an alteration in the kinetic energy of the electrons that allows for them to transform into heat for the metal to melt and join together in a process of precise welding.

A specialisation of welder.

• Conduct pressure tests on vessels, such as boilers.
• Study blueprints to determine locations, relationships, or dimensions of parts.
• Examine boilers, pressure vessels, tanks, or vats to locate defects, such as leaks, weak spots, or defective sections, so that they can be repaired.
• Inspect assembled vessels or individual components, such as tubes, fittings, valves, controls, or auxiliary mechanisms, to locate any defects.
• Lay out plate, sheet steel, or other heavy metal and locate and mark bending and cutting lines, using protractors, compasses, and drawing instruments or templates.
• Bell, bead with power hammers, or weld pressure vessel tube ends to ensure leakproof joints.

Typical education (US)

High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)

Preparation

Job Zone 2 of 5

Interests

Realistic, Conventional, Investigative

Top skills: Operations Monitoring, Operation and Control, Critical Thinking, Equipment Maintenance, Troubleshooting, Repairing

US median pay: US$76,410 a year (2025), 10,190 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

Subjects this work relies on

How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).

• MetalworkO*NET: MechanicalVery important (4.2)
• English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.3)
• Mathematics or StatisticsO*NET: MathematicsImportant (3.2)

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Preparation needed

Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed

Most common education (US)

High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)

Education

Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience

Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Training

Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.