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How to hire an assembly leader

Assembly leader hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring assembly leaders in the United States:

  • In the United States, the median cost per hire an assembly leader is $1,633.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • Human Resources use 15% of their expenses on recruitment on average.
  • On average, it takes around 12 weeks for a new assembly leader to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an assembly leader, step by step

To hire an assembly leader, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire an assembly leader, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step assembly leader 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 leader job description
  • Step 5: Post your job
  • Step 6: Interview candidates
  • Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new assembly leader
  • Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist
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  1. Identify your hiring needs

    First, determine the employments status of the assembly leader you need to hire. Certain assembly leader roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

    Determine employee vs contractor status
    Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

    An assembly leader's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, assembly leaders from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

    This list presents assembly leader salaries for various positions.

    Type of Assembly LeaderDescriptionHourly rate
    Assembly LeaderAssemblers 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.$9-33
    Manufacturing Team MemberManufacturing 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
    Support Team MemberA support team member is responsible for assisting and connecting with the whole department group in meeting the company's goals and exceeding performance expectations. Support team members' duties generally include performing administrative tasks, familiarizing and adhering to the company's policies and procedures, providing recommendations for improving customer's experience, developing strategies to increase the company's revenue and profitability, and maintaining a positive work ethic... Show more$10-17
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Assembly Line
    • Hand Tools
    • Continuous Improvement
    • Safety Procedures
    • Dexterity
    • Quality Standards
    • Lean Manufacturing
    • Quality Products
    • Mechanical Assembly
    • Process Improvement
    • Production Schedules
    • Leadership
    • Quality Checks
    • Safety Policies
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Coach and mentore team leads, responsible for ensuring teams meet and exceed KPI's.
    • Assemble and test medical devices in accordance to GMP and ISO guidelines.
    • Assemble small cable wire harnesses that require a high level of manual dexterity and attention to detail.
    • Assemble pcb's according to BOM's and prints.
    • Operate CNC mill and lathe machines.
    • Machine operator experience, basic CNC milling knowledge.
    More assembly leader duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your assembly leader job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An assembly leader salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

    For example, the average salary for an assembly leader in Oklahoma may be lower than in California, and an entry-level assembly leader usually earns less than a senior-level assembly leader. Additionally, an assembly leader with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

    Average assembly leader salary

    $37,198yearly

    $17.88 hourly rate

    Entry-level assembly leader salary
    $19,000 yearly salary
    Updated December 26, 2025

    Average assembly leader salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1California$79,410$38
    2Massachusetts$61,296$29
    3New York$59,305$29
    4Rhode Island$56,696$27
    5Pennsylvania$52,878$25
    6Michigan$48,904$24
    7Oregon$46,492$22
    8Arizona$44,563$21
    9Washington$44,302$21
    10Virginia$43,175$21
    11Ohio$41,573$20
    12Texas$37,702$18
    13Colorado$36,016$17
    14Minnesota$35,527$17
    15New Mexico$35,143$17
    16Utah$33,737$16
    17Kentucky$33,036$16
    18Indiana$32,597$16
    19North Carolina$31,376$15
    20North Dakota$31,267$15

    Average assembly leader salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Zoetis$132,904$63.906
    2General Motors$125,877$60.5261
    3Sandia National Labs$83,285$40.04
    4Eaton$79,143$38.0577
    5Nikola Motor$78,672$37.82
    6AMETEK$64,257$30.8917
    7Bray International$60,832$29.253
    8Swagelok Company$53,337$25.643
    9Sumitomo Electric Wiring Systems$52,559$25.271
    10BARTON$50,926$24.48
    11Thermo Fisher Scientific$50,572$24.3110
    12Baxter International$49,505$23.801
    13Ball$45,067$21.67
    14Dover$43,131$20.7424
    15Safran$42,153$20.2714
    16NOV$41,793$20.096
    171-800-Flowers.com$41,736$20.071
    18Curtiss-Wright$40,303$19.388
    19Klein Tools$40,127$19.29
    20Ryder System$39,680$19.08
  4. Writing an assembly leader job description

    A good assembly leader job description should include a few things:

    • Summary of the role
    • List of responsibilities
    • Required skills and experience

    Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of an assembly leader job description:

    Assembly leader job description example

    Assembly Line Lead is responsible for supporting and managing assembly associates in safety and operational procedures, build schedule achievement, 5S, inventory and BOM accuracy, in a dynamic industrial manufacturing factory. Product lines are low volume high mix including build to order.

    This role is directly responsible for staff management, safety and performance of assembly line or cell.

    Essential Functions:

    The successful candidate has experience in leading a team in a lean manufacturing environment using an ERP system with an ability to be self-driven and go ahead with limited direction.

    Key requirements include:

    · Teach, train, support, motivate, manage and document staff performance and compliance.

    · Work with other team leads to manage and prioritize assignments to ensure customer demand and the production schedule are met.

    · Strong level of attention to detail.

    · Follow assembly instructions, processes and procedures as designated by the company's quality system.

    · Work closely with the support staff such as technicians, engineers, production supervisors to resolve issues.

    · Perform cycle counts to help manage inventory accuracy.

    · Assure all entries into the ERP system, such as part numbers, labor and inspection are accurate.

    · Provide leadership by demonstrating high standards of work practices and safety conscious behavior.

    · Maintain thorough knowledge of all processes and equipment.

    · Work with management to set goals and implement processes that will ensure goals are met.

    · Communicate and support goals in a manner that motivates the support and acceptance of others.

    · Maintain a clean and organized work area to facilitate manufacturing functions.

    · Maintain good communication with employees and other departments.

    · Strong conflict resolution, problem solving and interpersonal skills.

    · Maintain a positive attitude in stressful situations.

    Qualifications:

    · 2 or more years supervisory experience.

    · High school diploma or Associate's Degree.

    · Demonstrated mechanical and electrical aptitude.

    · Must have basic computer skills including typing, data entry and Email.

    Company DescriptionWanco is the industryʼs leading manufacturer of highway safety and traffic control products. Innovation and new product development have made us what we are, and will continue to carry our reputation forward, well into the future.

    Wanco provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
  5. Post your job

    To find the right assembly leader 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 leaders they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit assembly leaders 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 leader job on Zippia to find and recruit assembly leader candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting assembly leaders 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. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

    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 leader

    Once you have selected a candidate for the assembly leader 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.

    You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

    After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new assembly leader. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are 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 leader?

Before you start to hire assembly leaders, it pays to consider both the one-off costs like recruitment, job promotion, and onboarding, as well as the ongoing costs of an employee's salary and benefits. While most companies that hire assembly leaders pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

You can expect to pay around $37,198 per year for an assembly leader, as this is the median yearly salary nationally. This can vary depending on what state or city you're hiring in. If you're hiring for contract work or on a per-project basis, hourly rates for assembly leaders in the US typically range between $9 and $33 an hour.

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