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10 Major Employers of US Underwater Welding Jobs

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On the career hunt for underwater welding jobs?

Underwater welding has a big reputation:

Reality Check:

These factors depend on your diving project responsibilities and the maritime company that employs you.

Most importantly, the majority of companies highly value their divers’ safety and skill level.

If they don’t, you should report it.


Underwater Welding Jobs in the US: Finding Stability

Because of the seasonal nature of their work, hyperbaric welders face challenges in finding steady, stable jobs. Many employers will hire out a diver for a few weeks, months or even a year via contract. After that, divers must move with the tide of economic and project demands (especially offshore).

We’ve compiled a list of some of the top employers who provide underwater welding jobs in the US. By “top”, I mean companies that meet the following criteria:

  • Employ multiple commercial divers
  • Provide opportunities for career growth and experience as a diver
  • Offer a variety of different marine services such as underwater welding, salvage and inspection
  • Have a large national/international presence in the water

Top 10 Diving Companies with Underwater Welding Jobs

1. Bisso Marine

Location: Houston, Texas

Bisso Marine goes back, way back.

They’ve been around since the 19th century, and they’ve expanded their operations significantly since then.

Bisso has a long list of clientele and an incredible portfolio of various types of projects, from deep depth to shallow, heavy lifting. They also have branches in several international locations, including Peru and Mexico.


2. Midco Diving & Marine

Location: Rapid City, South Dakota

Starting small in 2003, Midco Diving & Marine has grown from one to over 20 divers with offices in South Dakota and Colorado.

They’re organized as a “quick response” team, so they can mobilize and travel to a new location fast. Midco is still a young, expanding company which gives you opportunity to move up the ranks while you’re still a whippersnapper.


3. Dryden Diving, Inc.

Location: Woolwich Township, New Jersey

Since 1979, Dryden Diving has served the East Coast.

It’s expanded its services, operating in areas like water dredging, nuclear diving, ship surveys and – of course – underwater welding. It sets an extremely high standard for its wet welding projects, servicing in Class B on a consistent basis.

They train in three different tanks for these underwater welding jobs (Boston, Philadelphia and Las Vegas). Their results – and divers – are top-notch.

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4. Subsea Global Solutions

Location: Miami, Florida

Subsea Global Solutions has several marine organizations and personnel rolled into one conglomerate. They replace and repair ship parts, undergo load testing and welding.

The primary aspect that sets them apart is their research and development, which has helped them work more cost efficiently and with longer-lasting repairs.


5. Phoenix International (Underwater Welding Specialty)

Location: Bayou Vista, Louisiana

Don’t let the “Phoenix” part fool you – this company works across the globe in underwater construction, engineering, exploration and everything else you can think of.

They use some of the best, most modern marine equipment for their divers. They also have a department that specializes in underwater welding jobs. Their welder-divers are highly trained and up to code with all of the latest in wet and dry welding methods.


6. Dive-Tech International, Inc.

Location: Pinellas Park, Florida

Originally a simple underwater inspection firm, Dive-Tech International has a “no-marine-challenge-can-stump-us” mentality which keeps them ahead of the game.

They mainly work with phosphate mines and power plants, but their range of marine services is just as impressive as any other major marine company. They’ve worked with multiple government and engineering organizations.


7. US Underwater Services

Location: Mansfield, Texas

Inland or offshore, USUS provides a multitude of maritime services, including rig support, metal fabrication and of course underwater welding. In fact, they use specialized hyperbaric welding NEPSYS® technology that allows their welder-divers to work with high portability, low cost and produce permanent welds.

We actually spoke with them directly – you can see more information about them in our Biz Wave article.

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Image credit: Photo property of Uwe Aschemeier & Miami Diver

8. Logan Diving & Salvage

Location: Jacksonville, Florida

Logan Diving has a respectable history dating back over half a century.

Their client pool consists mainly of refineries, transmission pipeline operators and marine terminals. With a location in Jacksonville, many divers from CDA Technical Institute have the chance to work with them after graduating, which is an incredible opportunity.


9. Sea Sub Systems, Inc.

Location: Indian Rocks Beach, Florida

A leader in the southeastern region of the US, Sea Sub Systems has a large but close client base.

They operate with a high standard in safety and certification from their divers, and some even hold AWS 3.6 class “A” certification in several positions of underwater welding. Much of their US underwater welding jobs are focused on ship vessel repair and offshore operation.


10. C-Dive

Location: Houma, Louisiana

Don’t let the employee number fool you.

C-Dive operates mainly offshore, and their list of services could fill a lake. They provide work in everything from demolition like platform removal to testing through ultrasonic and non-destructive testing.

They perform underwater burning quite often – it’s a sought after service in the Gulf of Mexico. In everything, C-Dive employees credit their work to three things: preparation, hard work, and determination.


Other Major Companies with Underwater Welding Jobs

Obviously, this list can’t include everyone providing underwater welding jobs in the US. There are plenty more marine companies out there with promising employment.

Cameron Dekker
 

Cameron grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania, a once-proud steel town on the Lehigh River, where he got a taste of TIG welding in his high school shop class. He holds certificates for Certified WeldingEducator (CWE) and Certified Resistance Welding Technician (CRWT) from the American Welding Institute. His interests include scuba diving, sculpture, and kayaking.