How to hire helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Assist pipe fitters in the layout, assembly, and installation of piping for air, ammonia, gas, and water systems. • Cut pipe and lift up to fitters. • Disassemble and remove damaged or worn pipe. • Fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools. • Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports. • Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes, and set sleeves or inserts to provide support for pipes. • Perform rough-ins, repair and replace fixtures and water heaters, and locate, repair, or remove leaking or broken pipes. • Requisition tools and equipment, select type and size of pipe, and collect and transport materials and equipment to work site. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Working knowledge of building and construction, customer and personal service, mechanical and mathematics • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $20.36 an hour ($42,360 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to assist pipe fitters in the layout, assembly, and installation of piping for air, ammonia, gas, and water systems. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to cut pipe and lift up to fitters. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to disassemble and remove damaged or worn pipe. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters do
- Assist pipe fitters in the layout, assembly, and installation of piping for air, ammonia, gas, and water systems.
- Cut pipe and lift up to fitters.
- Disassemble and remove damaged or worn pipe.
- Fit or assist in fitting valves, couplings, or assemblies to tanks, pumps, or systems, using hand tools.
- Measure, cut, thread and assemble new pipe, placing the assembled pipe in hangers or other supports.
- Mount brackets and hangers on walls and ceilings to hold pipes, and set sleeves or inserts to provide support for pipes.
- Perform rough-ins, repair and replace fixtures and water heaters, and locate, repair, or remove leaking or broken pipes.
- Requisition tools and equipment, select type and size of pipe, and collect and transport materials and equipment to work site.
Education, experience and outlook for helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +2.4% over ten years, about as fast as average · about 4,400 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Washington | $56,140 |
| New York | $52,000 |
| California | $47,130 |
| Maryland | $46,170 |
| Ohio | $45,760 |
| Florida | $37,560 |
| Alabama | $37,440 |
| Louisiana | $37,380 |
See helpers--pipelayers, plumbers, pipefitters, and steamfitters pay in every state
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Post this job on JAI Bot. Free to start: JAI Bot reads every applicant against your must-haves, shows the resume evidence behind each one, and helps you reply to everyone. People make every decision.
Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.