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What does an assembly line worker do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
What does an assembly line worker do

Assembly line workers are factory or production floor employees who work on putting together company products. They are assigned to work on a specific part of the product. Once they are done, they should hand it over to the next person on the line. They ensure the quality of the product by doing their part consistently. They also manage the inventory of the features they handle. Assembly line workers should work conscientiously so that the assembly line will remain unbroken. They should be familiar with occupational safety and health practices to ensure that the production floor remains safe for all the workers.

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Assembly line worker responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real assembly line worker resumes:

  • Follow company guidelines and motivate to accomplish goals and help to troubleshoot to get projects done.
  • Record SPC data for critical assemblies.
  • Work on assembly line and in the body weld department for the manufacturing on Toyota pick-ups and SUV.
  • Help build door s for Chrysler assembly plant assist with scanning in labels to make sure it fits proper door.
  • Position hardware such as locks, hinges, latches and swivels on frames and fasten hardware using runners and riveters.
  • Provide SPC data for customer specification standards.
  • Perform CNC precision sheet metal fabrication and structural modeling.
  • Clean and sanitize processing equipment in preparation for USDA inspections.
  • Provide SPC data for customer specification standards.

Assembly line worker skills and personality traits

We calculated that 35% of Assembly Line Workers are proficient in Assembly Line Production, Safety Procedures, and Production Process. They’re also known for soft skills such as Computer skills, Dexterity, and Mechanical skills.

We break down the percentage of Assembly Line Workers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Assembly Line Production, 35%

    Warehouse associate assembly line production worker

  • Safety Procedures, 18%

    Participate in education meetings to instruct employees in matters pertaining to occupation health accident prevention, equipment and safety procedures.

  • Production Process, 15%

    Ensured that proper spice distribution (per bottle) occurred during the production process; re-calculated weights when applicable.

  • Quality Checks, 6%

    Demonstrated ability to multitask several operations at once such as Drilling Screwing bolts and performing quality checks.

  • Pallet Jack, 6%

    Packaged products, palatalized finished products utilized pallet jacks to transport finished products.

  • Hand-Held Tools, 5%

    Use any hand-held tools that were necessary to complete the assigned the task.

"assembly line production," "safety procedures," and "production process" are among the most common skills that assembly line workers use at work. You can find even more assembly line worker responsibilities below, including:

Computer skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an assembly line worker to have is computer skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "metal and plastic machine workers must be able to use programmable devices, computers, and robots on the factory floor." Assembly line workers often use computer skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "assembled kits for kia and toyota vehicles shipping/receiving computer data entering stocking, electric wire testing, processing picking and unpacking"

Mechanical skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of assembly line workers is mechanical skills. This skill is critical to many everyday assembly line worker duties, as "these workers must be comfortable with machines and have a good understanding of how all the parts work." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "assemble mechanical units of all honda vehicles. "

Physical strength. A big part of what assembly line workers do relies on "physical strength." You can see how essential it is to assembly line worker responsibilities because "metal and plastic machine workers must be able to secure and tighten heavy fixtures into place." Here's an example of how this skill is used from a resume that represents typical assembly line worker tasks: "assembled automotive parts on the bmw line detected for physical defects to meet quality standards worked with robotic machines"

See the full list of assembly line worker skills

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Compare different assembly line workers

Assembly line worker vs. Production assistant

Production assistants are employees in show business, working behind the scenes. They work in film, television, or even theatre sets primarily to provide support. They usually work directly under directors or producers. Production assistants are responsible for ensuring that the day will run smoothly, be it for a television or film shoot or a performance at the theatre. They should be familiar with all the scenes, ensure that the cast and crew are ready, and cue them when it is their time to go on. They should also be able to anticipate needs that may arise and should be able to quickly mitigate any challenges. Production assistants should be flexible and have quick decision-making skills.

The annual salary of production assistants is $5,476 higher than the average salary of assembly line workers.Even though assembly line workers and production assistants are distinct careers, a few of the skills required for both jobs are similar. For example, both careers require production process, quality standards, and production equipment in the day-to-day roles and responsibilities.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, assembly line worker responsibilities require skills like "assembly line production," "safety procedures," "quality checks," and "pallet jack." Meanwhile a typical production assistant has skills in areas such as "video production," "teleprompter," "audio board," and "purchase orders." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Production assistants earn the highest salaries when working in the manufacturing industry, with an average yearly salary of $33,794. On the other hand, assembly line workers are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $33,465.On average, production assistants reach similar levels of education than assembly line workers. Production assistants are 3.3% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Assembly line worker vs. Lining machine operator

A line operator is responsible for assisting in warehouse and factory operations, usually assigned on doing heavy works for the production. Line operators' duties include operating manufacturing machines and equipment, placing products on the appropriate shelves, checking supplies and inventories, loading orders for shipments, inspecting products for any defects, labeling products accurately, adhering to the safety procedures to prevent product contamination, and observing sanitary regulations. A line operator must have comprehensive knowledge of the mechanical industry, as well as the ability to multi-task, especially on meeting deadlines and processing customers' orders.

A career as a lining machine operator brings a higher average salary when compared to the average annual salary of an assembly line worker. In fact, lining machine operators salary is $8,284 higher than the salary of assembly line workers per year.While the salary may differ for these jobs, they share a few skills needed to perform their duties. Based on resume data, both assembly line workers and lining machine operators have skills such as "safety procedures," "production process," and "quality checks. "

Each career also uses different skills, according to real assembly line worker resumes. While assembly line worker responsibilities can utilize skills like "assembly line production," "hand-held tools," "honda," and "air tools," lining machine operators use skills like "assembly line," "basic math," "product quality," and "machine operation."

Lining machine operators may earn a higher salary than assembly line workers, but lining machine operators earn the most pay in the automotive industry with an average salary of $39,210. On the other hand, assembly line workers receive higher pay in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $33,465.In general, lining machine operators achieve similar levels of education than assembly line workers. They're 0.0% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Assembly line worker vs. Line operator

An assembler is responsible for the arrangement of multiple parts to create an entirely new component, following the client's specifications or blueprint instructions. Assemblers must be able to interpret schematics well, as well as being able to operate mechanical equipment and hand tools to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the job. They should also monitor inventories and check the adequacy of supplies, verify the correct quantity of components, and inform the management of any needed assistance. An assembler must have a broad knowledge of the mechanical industry to perform tasks under certain conditions.

On average scale, line operators bring in higher salaries than assembly line workers. In fact, they earn a $6,591 higher salary per year.By looking over several assembly line workers and line operators resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "safety procedures," "production process," and "quality checks." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from assembly line worker resumes include skills like "assembly line production," "hand-held tools," "honda," and "air tools," whereas a line operator is more likely to list skills in "mechanical troubleshooting," "preventative maintenance," "ppe," and "basic math. "

Line operators earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $37,379. Comparatively, assembly line workers have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $33,465.line operators typically earn similar educational levels compared to assembly line workers. Specifically, they're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Assembly line worker vs. Production assembler

Production assemblers typically earn higher pay than assembly line workers. On average, production assemblers earn a $3,682 higher salary per year.While their salaries may vary, assembly line workers and production assemblers both use similar skills to perform their duties. Resumes from both professions include skills like "safety procedures," "production process," and "quality checks. "

Even though a few skill sets overlap between assembly line workers and production assemblers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, an assembly line worker might have more use for skills like "assembly line production," "hand-held tools," "toyota," and "eye coordination." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of production assemblers require skills like "hand tools," "part numbers," "assembly line," and "safety policies. "

In general, production assemblers earn the most working in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $35,037. The highest-paying industry for an assembly line worker is the technology industry.production assemblers reach similar levels of education compared to assembly line workers, in general. The difference is that they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of assembly line worker

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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