Welding QA/QC Lead

Position: Welding QA/QC Lead
Location: Afungi, Mozambique
Duration: 12 months renewable
Rotation: 28/28
Start date: April

Activities
•            Champion Safety Leadership: Foster a strong safety culture among Client, Contractors, and Subcontractors by providing advanced guidance on HSE, proactively leading by example, and driving continuous improvement in welding safety standards and hazard mitigation initiatives.
•            Oversee HSE Compliance: Ensure implementation and continuous improvement of HSE policies related to welding and fabrication. Audit site practices, set performance targets, and intervene as needed to maintain a healthy and safe work environment.
•            Monitor and Evaluate Welding Performance: Review, analyze, and report on the overall welding performance of Contractors and Subcontractors. Identify systemic risks or deviations, initiate root cause analyses, and direct the development and implementation of corrective action plans.
•            Ensure Regulatory and Code Adherence: Lead the verification of compliance with applicable welding standards, codes (e.g., ASME, AWS), and project specifications. Provide technical direction to resolve complex compliance issues and support the development of welding procedures.
•            Manage Stakeholder Relationships: Establish and maintain effective relationships with Contractors, Subcontractors, and third-party inspectors while ensuring robust quality controls and alignment with project welding quality objectives.
•            Escalate and Resolve Project Risks: Oversee the identification and reporting of welding activities with potential adverse impacts on quality, schedule, or cost. Facilitate escalation and resolution through the Area Management Team and Project Leadership.
•            Coordinate Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Guide and facilitate collaboration across disciplines (NDT, piping, mechanical, construction) to optimize project quality assurance and control strategies related to welding.
•            Ensure Transparent Communication: Keep Project Management and Area Managers fully informed of all critical events and developments affecting welding-related project goals, proactively providing expert recommendations.
•            Act as Senior QA/QC Authority: Serve as the primary QA/QC/Inspection representative for welding, ensuring Contractor and Subcontractor compliance with all Company and project QA/QC and welding inspection requirements.
•            Lead Documentation Review: Oversee the review and approval of contractors’ welding quality plans, ITPs, WPS, PQR, WQR, and all supporting documentation, ensuring alignment with project and regulatory requirements.
•            Verify Inspector and NDT Competency: Ensure that Contractors and Subcontractors maintain adequate and qualified welding inspection and NDT personnel. Conduct periodic competency assessments and organize supplemental training as needed.
•            Manage Nonconformities and Trends: Oversee the resolution of welding-related nonconformities, monitor and analyze defect trends, and provide strategic recommendations to management for continuous improvement.
•            Direct QA/QC Interface Management: Supervise interface management for site QA/QC and welding inspection activities, ensuring that Company and Project standards and procedures are consistently applied and updated as required.
•            Facilitate and Lead Meetings: Lead and participate in daily, weekly, and monthly meetings, ensuring that welding QA/QC topics are prioritized and that action items are tracked to closure.
•            Oversee Reporting Activities: Supervise the preparation and submission of all welding discipline reports (daily, weekly, monthly), ensuring data accuracy (e.g., weld status, NDT results, repair rates) and timely distribution to stakeholders.
•            Advise Project Leadership: Provide expert advice to Project Managers, Discipline Superintendents, and other stakeholders on all QA/QC and welding inspection matters, including best practices and lessons learned.
•            Supervise QA/QC Welding Activities: Direct and control all QA/QC welding and inspection activities performed by Contractors, Subcontractors, and the supply chain, ensuring construction in accordance with COMPANY specifications, codes, procedures, and drawings.
•            Oversee Welder Qualification: Supervise and witness welder qualification tests, verify documentation, and authorize only qualified welders for project work as per contract and code requirements.
•            Control WPS Implementation: Monitor and enforce the implementation of qualified Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS), ensuring all welding parameters and procedures are adhered to throughout fabrication and erection.
•            oversee all Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) activities related to welding, review and approve results, and ensure proper documentation and follow-up of findings.
•            Ensure Traceability and Materials Control: Ensure traceability of welding consumables, materials, and weld joints, overseeing compliance with project and code requirements and implementing robust material management processes.
•            Resolve Technical Queries and NCRs: Lead the resolution of welding-related technical queries and Non-Conformance Reports (NCRs), coordinating with relevant parties and ensuring timely closure and lessons learned dissemination

Accountabilities
•            Primary objective is to be the referent and focal point in all project welding QA/QC related activities, assuring they are conducted in a manner compliant with Project requirements with EPC Contractor as per project rules including project objectives for HSE, Quality, Schedule and Cost aspect.
•            Monitor contractors and subcontractors’ personnel to ensure the required standards are met.
•            Coordination with other departments for the safe and on‐time execution of the work, to deliver a fit‐for‐purpose facility.

Qualifications/Experience required
•            Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering (preferably Mechanical, Metallurgical, or Welding Engineering) or equivalent in a related discipline. Advanced post-qualification specialization in QA/QC, Inspection, or Welding/Metallurgical discipline is required. Additional formal training in quality management systems is highly desirable, preferably within Oil & Gas.
•            Experience: Minimum of 15 years’ experience in welding QA/QC or related disciplines, with at least 8 years in supervisory or lead roles within the oil and gas industry. Demonstrated expertise in managing complex welding operations and QA/QC teams on major oil & gas or LNG projects.
•            Specific Experience: At least eight (8) years of direct experience in welding inspection and QA/QC leadership, including responsibility for overseeing multiple inspectors and ensuring compliance to project welding standards on large-scale projects.
•            Project Knowledge: Comprehensive and in-depth understanding of all aspects critical to welding success in major projects: safety, environment, project organization, scheduling, reputational risk, and quality assurance strategies.
•            HSE Leadership: Proven ability to instill and maintain a strong HSE (Health, Safety, and Environmental) culture. Demonstrated leadership in promoting and enforcing safety standards in welding environments.
•            Communication Skills: Excellent command of written and verbal English. Proficiency or working knowledge of Portuguese or French is an asset. Ability to produce clear reports and lead technical discussions with multinational teams.
•            Continuous Improvement: Demonstrated ability to lead the collection, validation, and implementation of ‘lessons learned’ and drive continuous improvement in welding QA/QC processes across multiple projects and teams.
•            Certifications: Certified Welding Inspector, or equivalent senior-level welding inspection qualification.

With over 90 years' combined experience, NES Fircroft (NES) is proud to be the world's leading engineering staffing provider spanning the Oil & Gas, Power & Renewables, Chemicals, Construction & Infrastructure, Life Sciences, Mining and Manufacturing sectors worldwide. With more than 80 offices in 45 countries, we are able to provide our clients with the engineering and technical expertise they need, wherever and whenever it is needed. We offer contractors far more than a traditional recruitment service, supporting with everything from securing visas and work permits, to providing market-leading benefits packages and accommodation, ensuring they are safely and compliantly able to support our clients.