Global Welding & Materials SME

Houston, TX – Position available July 2026

Job Purpose

The Global Welding & Metallurgical Subject Matter Expert (SME) acts as STATS' technical authority, providing technical leadership, assurance, and governance in welding engineering, metallurgy, and materials performance. The role is responsible for the development and ongoing management of the global STATS welding and materials governance program, ensuring compliance with applicable codes, standards, and client specifications. It also provides technical leadership for STATS' in-service welding program, including weld procedure development, procedure qualification records, field support, and client-facing communication. The role supports global manufacturing through the development of new and specialized welding applications, material selection, testing and post weld heat treatment planning, collaboration with customer welding and materials SMEs, continuous improvement of fabrication and quality processes, and support for vendor audits and product acceptance.

Reporting Relationships

Directly Reports To: Global Manager of Quality

Internal Relationships: Manufacturing, Operations and Engineering Teams

External Relationships: Clients, Stakeholders, Vendors, along with Regional Manufacturing Managers, Engineering Leads, Quality Control Leads, and Project Managers

Responsibilities

• Technical Authority
  • Act as the technical authority for all welding and materials-related matters
  • Develop new Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) and review existing WPS
  • Provide weld procedure and material selection guidance for critical applications
  • Review and approval of internal and external welding and material deviation requests
  • Troubleshoot production and field-based welding problems including in-service welding
  • Provide expert input into:
    • Fitness-for-service assessments & failure investigations (RCA)
    • Corrosion mechanisms related to carbon steel and stainless steel
• Governance, Standards & Compliance
  • Develop global program-level governance for welding
  • Develop and maintain company technical specifications, material standards, and welding standards
  • Support internal, client, and third-party audits
  • Develop welding and materials training programs and competency frameworks for welding personnel, quality control personnel, and inspectors
• Fabrication Procedure Development & Continuous Improvement
  • Develop, review, and approve company material specifications as needed to support manufacturing and manufacturing procurement processes
  • Develop, review, and approve company non-destructive and destructive testing requirements as it relates to welding quality control procedures in support of manufacturing
  • Develop, review, and approve heat treatment procedures to support manufacturing
  • Support steel extrusion processes and procedure development
  • Support company welding regulatory certifications in different regions
  • Conduct technical reviews of third-party fabrication shops, heat treatment vendors, and material suppliers
  • Support supplier qualification and acceptance
  • Resolve non-conformances and production challenges
• Materials Engineering & Performance
  • Provide qualified expert input into:
    • Support heat treatment planning to achieve target yield strength
    • Interface with engineering simulation/modelling during design of equipment
• Failure Analysis & Continuous Improvement
  • Support investigations into weld failures, material defects, and code compliance violations
  • Develop or contribute to root cause analysis (RCA) reports, lessons learned, and corrective actions
• Project Support
  • Support projects, procurement, and sales teams during tendering (technical bid input, risk identification) as required
  • Support project execution through welding methods and material selection
• Sales Support
  • Support sales teams related to welding and fabrication during customer RFQs or contract award
• Industry Representation
  • Represent STATS at industry organizations, including API 1104 Committee, Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI), ASME, CSA, AWS, and other industry initiatives such as hydrogen materials and welding initiatives
• Individual Quality and Safety Responsibilities
  • Comply with all STATS and/or client quality, safety, and environmental management systems and procedures at all times
  • Immediately report all accidents, incidents, near misses, or hazards to your manager or foreman and complete the required documentation
  • Do not perform any task unless you have been properly trained and authorized to do so – when in doubt, stop and ask
• Internal Training Requirements
  • Complete a skills profile assigned at the time of hire, including:
    • Critical safety and compliance training
    • STATS induction training
    • Tool and equipment training relevant to your duties
    • Recommended development aligned with your position
  • Additional training requirements will be discussed with your line manager and may form part of the CPD process

Requirements

• Experience
  • 10–15+ years of experience in welding engineering and metallurgy
  • Demonstrated knowledge of industry codes and regulations
  • Deep knowledge of welding processes (SMAW, GTAW, FCAW, SAW, etc.) and heat treatment processes (PWHT, Q&T)
  • Familiarity with modern analysis tools
  • Desirable: Welding Inspector endorsement/qualification
  • Experience with:
    • Pipeline intervention / hot tapping / pressure containment
    • High-strength steels (e.g., 65–70 ksi+ applications)
    • Failure analysis and fracture mechanics
    • Transition fuels/products such as CO₂, Hydrogen, Ammonia, and others
• Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical Engineering or Welding Engineering (Master's degree preferred)
  • Alternatively, a Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical or Welding Engineering together with a recognized professional welding certification such as International Welding Engineer (IWE) or CWEE
• Skills
  • Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical subjects to senior leadership and C-suite
  • Ability to provide technical and material leadership in a strong matrix-based organization, with strong influencing and people management skills
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Sound risk-based decision-making
  • Ability to challenge constructively
  • Comfortable working in the boardroom, workshop, or field environment
  • Effective communication with cross-functional teams
  • Pragmatic, execution-focused mindset
  • Contributes to a respectful, inclusive, and team-oriented workplace aligned with STATS’ values

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• International travel is required
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid passport for travel to Canada, USA, South America, APAC, UK, Europe, and the Middle East
• Work may be performed in office, manufacturing, workshop, customer, supplier, and field environments