Job Summary
Guardian Bikes is a leading direct-to-consumer kids' bike brand, known for its patented SureStop brake technology and a mission to build the safest kids' bikes in the industry. Guardian is building a vertically integrated, AI-driven manufacturing and commerce company - we design, manufacture, fulfill, and sell directly from our U.S. factory floor to the customer's door. The company has grown from a small startup into a major brand, selling over a million bikes to families across the country.
The Weld Robot Operator runs robotic welding cells that join laser-cut steel and aluminum tubes into kids' bike frames. You load fixtures, start and monitor weld cycles, inspect every frame against quality standards, and keep the cell running safely and on rate. Because every frame carries a child, weld quality is the job: you'll catch problems early and stop the line when something isn't right.
Key Responsibilities
Cell operation
- Load bent and laser-cut tubes into weld fixtures, clamp correctly, and unload finished frames
- Run start-of-shift checks: wire feed, shielding gas, torch, contact tips, nozzles and fixture condition
- Hit hourly production targets and record output, scrap and downtime
Quality
- Visually inspect welds for porosity, undercut, cold lap, burn-through, spatter and missed welds
- Check frame dimensions and alignment with gauges and checking fixtures at set intervals
- Tag and segregate nonconforming frames; flag repeat defects to the lead or weld technician
Maintenance and housekeeping
- Change consumables (contact tips, nozzles, liners, wire spools, gas cylinders) and run torch cleaning
- Keep the cell, fixtures and work area clean and organized (5S)
- Report robot faults and alarms; assist maintenance during troubleshooting and changeovers
Safety
- Follow lockout/tagout, cell guarding, light-curtain and fume-extraction procedures
- Wear required PPE and report hazards and near-misses right away
Qualifications
Required qualifications
- High school diploma or GED
- 1+ year in a manufacturing or production environment
- Basic understanding of MIG (GMAW) welding and what a good weld looks like
- Able to read work instructions, basic blueprints and measuring tools (tape, calipers, gauges)
- Comfortable with computer screens and touch-panel controls
- Reliable attendance and willingness to work the assigned shift and occasional overtime
Preferred qualifications
- Experience operating robotic weld cells (FANUC, ABB, Yaskawa/Motoman, KUKA or similar)
- Experience welding thin-wall steel tubing
- Familiarity with 5S, lean manufacturing or SPC
- Forklift certification
Physical requirements and work environment
- Stand and walk for a full shift (8–10+ hours)
- Lift and carry up to 50 lb repeatedly; frequent bending, reaching and twisting
- Good near vision and color perception to judge weld quality
- Work around welding arc light, heat, fumes, noise and moving automated equipment
- Wear required PPE at all times: safety glasses, hearing protection, steel-toe shoes, welding gloves and flame-resistant sleeves or clothing