Senior Metallurgist / Welding Inspector

What you'll do

The work is accept or reject, with reasons. You look at metallographic microstructures, heat treatment records, weld macro etches, coating inspections and cross-sections from additive builds, decide whether each conforms, and write down why.

The standards named give a sense of the range: AMS 2750 and ASTM E112 for heat treatment and grain size, CWI acceptance criteria for welds, NACE/AMPP and SSPC for coatings, plus NADCAP, AWS, ASTM and AMS across the lot. The additive manufacturing piece is specifically laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), dispositioning defects from build and cross-sectional data, which is a newer specialism than the rest.

Your written and spoken explanations become training data for AI models, so the reasoning trail (which standard, which feature, which limit) is the actual product.

Who fits

• Eight or more years making high-stakes accept/reject calls on micrographs, weld macros, fracture surfaces, coatings or LPBF builds
• Advanced knowledge of ASTM, AMS, AWS, NADCAP, NACE/AMPP and SSPC standards
• A current or past AWS Certified Welding Inspector credential, or an equivalent metallurgical certification
• Hands-on metallographic analysis, heat treatment evaluation, weld inspection and coating assessment
• Familiarity with LPBF processes and their defect mechanisms
• Clear technical writing and the self-direction to deliver remotely

No AI background is needed.

What it pays

$80–130/hour, micro1's published band. The $80 floor is the highest among its current industrial expert listings, and the ceiling ties with the aviation inspector role. The ad does not describe how pay is calculated, how many hours are available or how long the project runs.

Worth knowing

Good:

• The best floor in micro1's current industrial set
• 20 openings, flagged as high demand
• Uses the full breadth of a metallurgist's toolkit rather than one narrow test
• Remote; US residence is preferred, not required

Less good:

• The combination of CWI, coatings and LPBF is broad; few people are deep in all three, and the ad does not say which matters most
• Standards are mostly US-centric, though international ones are mentioned
• Pay mechanics, hours and duration are not stated
• The customer is described only as advanced manufacturing and materials engineering
• Contractor engagement: no benefits, no notice period, your own tax to manage

About this listing

Posted by micro1 on its own jobs portal and read on 29 September 2026. The $80–130/hour band, the 20 openings and the named standards and skills are micro1's own text. Location is remote with a preference for US-based applicants; no country is required. See micro1.