How to hire an assembly associate

How to hire an assembly associate, step by step

Here's a step-by-step assembly associate hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an assembly associate job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new assembly associate
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an assembly associate do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The assembly associate hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an assembly associate to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an assembly associate that fits the bill.

   This list presents assembly associate salaries for various positions.

   Type of Assembly Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Assembly Associate	Assemblers and fabricators assemble finished products and the parts that go into them. They use tools, machines, and their hands to make engines, computers, aircraft, ships, boats, toys, electronic devices, control panels, and more.	$11-17
   Manufacturing Team Member	Manufacturing team members are employees who are part of the group or department that fulfills the manufacturing need of the company or plant. They are trained workers who are familiar with the needs of the organization... Show more	$11-19
   Production Team Member	A production team member is responsible for performing duties in manufacturing and industrial processes, conducting quality check procedures for the outputs, and inspecting the efficiency of items before distribution. Production team members operate various equipment and machinery, requiring them to ensure that the equipment works in the best state to avoid potential hazards and delay in operations... Show more	$10-17

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Math
   • Basic Math
   • Computer System
   • Electronic Components
   • Assembly Machines
   • Dexterity
   • Quality Standards
   • Safety Procedures
   • Pallets
   • Safety Policies
   • Troubleshoot
   • Quality Checks
   • Work Ethic

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Inventory and manage all stock products within a retail warehousing environment utilizing RF scanner and barcode readers to document material.
   • Follow OSHA and ISO standards.
   • Work with supervisors, technicians, and engineers to fix problems in systems, vehicles, and troubleshoot.
   • Inventory and manage all stock products within a retail warehousing environment utilizing RF scanner and barcode readers to document material.
   • Experience brazing, welding, operating a brake press and tow motor as well as working with galvanize steel.
   • Perform complete assembly of custom PLC controller and electrical panels.

   More assembly associate duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your assembly associate job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An assembly associate salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, assembly associates' average salary in south carolina is 39% less than in oregon.
   • Seniority. Entry-level assembly associates earn 38% less than senior-level assembly associates.
   • Certifications. An assembly associate with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an assembly associate's salary.

   Average assembly associate salary

   $14.05hourly

   $29,234 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level assembly associate salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average assembly associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	North Dakota	$29,846	$14
   2	Wisconsin	$28,951	$14
   3	Illinois	$28,532	$14
   4	Indiana	$28,262	$14
   5	Ohio	$27,833	$13
   6	Pennsylvania	$27,312	$13
   7	Connecticut	$27,234	$13
   8	Missouri	$26,695	$13
   9	Kentucky	$26,625	$13
   10	Rhode Island	$26,208	$13
   11	Texas	$24,876	$12
   12	North Carolina	$24,530	$12
   13	Georgia	$23,906	$11
   14	Florida	$23,741	$11
   15	Tennessee	$23,635	$11
   16	Virginia	$23,537	$11

   Average assembly associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	General Electric	$40,651	$19.54	17
   2	Triumph Group	$38,312	$18.42	6
   3	Cummins	$37,291	$17.93	3
   4	Alfa Laval	$36,717	$17.65	14
   5	BD	$36,488	$17.54	2
   6	Simpson Manufacturing Co	$36,079	$17.35
   7	Fortune Brands Home & Security	$35,469	$17.05	4
   8	Kinetico Corporate	$35,320	$16.98	2
   9	Safe Fleet	$35,242	$16.94	2
   10	Means Industries	$35,110	$16.88
   11	Health Alliance	$35,061	$16.86
   12	Boeing	$34,957	$16.81	12
   13	American Woodmark	$34,822	$16.74	13
   14	MasterBrand Cabinets	$34,424	$16.55	23
   15	Cardi's Furniture	$34,293	$16.49
   16	Dana Incorporated	$33,993	$16.34	2
   17	Cardinal Health	$33,823	$16.26	2
   18	Kubota Manufacturing of America Corporation	$33,460	$16.09
   19	Mercury Systems	$33,397	$16.06	10
   20	Marvin and	$33,267	$15.99	23

4. Writing an assembly associate job description

   An assembly associate job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of an assembly associate job description:

   Assembly associate job description example

   Burnsville Pro Staff is looking for an experienced Assembler for a Burnsville company! Here you will be part of the final steps in the production process. Ensuring paint, quality, and all parts are assembled correctly. This is not a light job and you will be lifting 50 lbs frequently lifting parts from paint rack to inspection table. Are you ready to get started with no drug or background screening. All that is required is job history/resume and interview.
   What are the hours? 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday through Friday What is the pay rate? $18 per hour 4 reviews a year with opportunity for pay increase at each review
   
   
   What will I be doing as an Assembly Associate?
   Perform final inspection on finished goods Assemble hardware packages
   Box assembled product
   Assemble product with hardware and identifying labels
   Responsible for hardware and box inventory
   May operate forklift for moving materials
   What are the requirements?
   1+ years of assembly or warehouse experience Ability to lift up to 50lbs repetitively Great attention to detail Ability to work in a fast pace environment What are the Perks?
   Weekly pay. Every. Single. Friday. Direct Deposit or Paycard options. Support from your awesome Pro Staff team to ensure your success! Bonuses for referring friends/family to any Pro Staff jobs! We offer benefits that are among the best you’ll find anywhere for temporary workers. Ask your recruiter to learn if you qualify for: Our 401(k) plan. Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options. Telemedicine visits. Short term disability insurance. Health Savings Account (HSA). Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Select paid holidays. Verizon Wireless discount. Skills training.
   
   **Pro Staff works closely with our companies to ensure that they have proper measures in place to prevent COVID-19!**
   Apply via our WorkNOW app! Scan the QR code to download the WorkNOW app for easy apply!
   
   #WorkNOW #Burnsville #Assembly #LoveYourJobWithProStaff
   
   Apply today and you could win in our $100k Giveaway for Job Fest 2022. This year’s Job Fest features weekly drawings for $1k, three $25k giveaways, and more. In total, we''re giving away $100k! Between September 12 and December 4, employees receive an automatic contest entry for every week you work 36+ hours on assignment with us. The more weeks you work, the better chance you have to win. To learn more and read the contest rules, visit www.worknowandwin.com. Apply now for a chance to win! Company DescriptionLet’s find your next job – together. Whether you’re looking for temporary work or a direct-hire job, Pro Staff will connect you to an opportunity that closely matches your interests and skills. Pro Staff is a proud member of Staffmark Group, an award-winning family of staffing brands with a national network of 450+ offices. We connect over 250,000 people to jobs each year, and we’re ready to put this expertise to work for you! Learn more at www.prostaff.com.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right assembly associate for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with assembly associates they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit assembly associates who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your assembly associate job on Zippia to find and recruit assembly associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting assembly associates requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new assembly associate

   Once you have selected a candidate for the assembly associate position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire an assembly associate?