osition Summary
The Craft Recruiter is responsible for sourcing, recruiting, screening, and coordinating the hiring of skilled craft professionals to support industrial construction, maintenance, turnaround, and project operations.
The Craft Recruiter works closely with Project Managers, Site Managers, Superintendents, Foremen, Human Resources, and Recruiting leadership to understand current and upcoming manpower requirements and develop effective recruiting strategies to meet project staffing needs.
This position requires a strong understanding of industrial craft classifications, project staffing requirements, candidate qualifications, and the ability to identify and attract qualified craft professionals in competitive labor markets.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Receive and review manpower requisitions from project and site management.
- Develop recruiting strategies based on project manpower requirements, start dates, duration, location, craft, and required qualifications.
- Source qualified candidates through:
- Job boards
- Social media
- Employee referrals
- Recruiting databases
- Direct sourcing/cold calling
- Trade schools and apprenticeship programs
- Career fairs and hiring events
- Industry and craft networks
- Recruit skilled craft professionals including:
- Pipefitters
- Welders
- Boilermakers
- Millwrights
- Electricians
- Instrumentation & Electrical Technicians
- Scaffold Builders
- Insulators
- Painters
- Carpenters
- HVAC Technicians
- Equipment Operators
- Crane Operators/Riggers
- General Laborers
- Other industrial craft classifications
- Review resumes and applications to determine whether candidates meet position and project requirements.
- Conduct telephone, virtual, and/or in-person interviews.
- Evaluate candidates based on trade experience, years of experience, certifications, industrial experience, safety qualifications, work history, and project requirements.
- Verify applicable licenses, certifications, credentials, and training.
- Identify candidates with relevant NCCER, OSHA, TWIC, welding, electrical, crane/rigging, and other industry certifications, when required.
- Maintain an active pipeline of qualified craft candidates for current and future projects.
- Maintain regular communication with candidates throughout the recruiting and hiring process.
- Present qualified candidates to the appropriate hiring manager or project leadership.
- Coordinate interviews and obtain hiring-manager feedback.
- Communicate selection decisions and employment offers to candidates in accordance with company procedures.
- Coordinate pre-employment requirements including:
- Background checks
- Drug testing
- Physicals/medical requirements
- Client-specific testing
- Required training
- Site access requirements
- Employment documentation
- Coordinate with HR and onboarding personnel to ensure candidates complete all required documentation prior to their start date.
- Follow up with candidates to ensure they are prepared for orientation and site mobilization.
- Communicate accurate information regarding pay rates, work schedules, job location, per diem, travel requirements, overtime opportunities, project duration, and job expectations.
- Maintain accurate applicant information and recruiting activity within the Applicant Tracking System.
- Track candidate status from initial contact through hire and mobilization.
- Provide regular recruiting updates to Recruiting Management and project leadership.
- Monitor open requisitions and communicate potential staffing delays or recruiting challenges.
- Develop and maintain relationships with skilled craft professionals to support future manpower requirements.
- Participate in career fairs, hiring events, trade school outreach, community recruiting events, and other recruiting activities.
- Research local labor markets to identify available craft labor and competitive wage and per diem rates.
- Assist with developing recruiting plans for major projects, turnarounds, outages, and high-volume hiring campaigns.
- Maintain confidentiality of candidate and company information.
- Ensure recruiting activities are conducted in accordance with company policies and applicable employment laws.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Craft Knowledge
The Craft Recruiter should have the ability to understand the basic qualifications and responsibilities associated with industrial craft positions and distinguish between levels of experience.
For example, the recruiter should understand the difference between:
- Helper/Apprentice vs. Journeyman
- Journeyman vs. Foreman
- Pipefitter vs. Boilermaker
- Industrial Electrician vs. Instrumentation Technician
- Millwright vs. Mechanical Technician
- Structural Welder vs. Pipe Welder
- Scaffold Builder vs. Scaffold Foreman
- General Laborer vs. Skilled Craft
The recruiter should also understand how certifications, work history, project experience, and client requirements affect a candidate's eligibility for a position.
Requirements
Qualifications
Required
- High school diploma or GED.
- 2+ years of recruiting experience, preferably in industrial construction, maintenance, energy, petrochemical, chemical, manufacturing, or staffing.
- Experience recruiting skilled trades or industrial craft personnel.
- Strong knowledge of sourcing and screening techniques.
- Excellent telephone and interpersonal communication skills.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple open requisitions simultaneously.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and applicant tracking/recruiting systems.
- Ability to maintain accurate records and confidential information.
Preferred
- 3–5 years of industrial craft recruiting experience.
- Previous experience supporting refinery, chemical, petrochemical, power, LNG, manufacturing, or industrial maintenance projects.
- Experience recruiting for turnarounds/outages.
- Knowledge of NCCER certification and craft credentialing.
- Familiarity with ISNetworld, DISA, Avetta, or similar contractor/client compliance systems.
- Bilingual English/Spanish.
- Experience recruiting candidates willing to travel or relocate for projects.
- Existing network of skilled craft professionals.
Key Performance Indicators
Success in this position will be measured by
- Time-to-fill open craft requisitions
- Number of qualified candidates presented
- Successful hires and mobilizations
- Candidate retention
- Quality of candidate screening
- Recruiting pipeline strength
- Requisition aging
- Hiring-manager satisfaction
- Candidate response and engagement
- Accuracy of recruiting documentation
- Ability to meet project staffing deadlines
Physical/Work Requirements
- Ability to work for extended periods at a computer and on the telephone.
- Ability to attend job fairs, recruiting events, project sites, and other recruiting activities.
- May require occasional travel to project sites and recruiting events.
- Ability to work extended hours, evenings, weekends, or other schedules when required to support project mobilizations or high-volume hiring.