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How to hire an assembly specialist

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

  • There are currently 113,736 assembly specialists in the US, as well as 43,508 job openings.
  • Assembly specialists are in the highest demand in Columbia, MO, with 9 current job openings.
  • The median cost to hire an assembly specialist 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 specialist to become settled and show total productivity levels at work.

How to hire an assembly specialist, step by step

To hire an assembly specialist, consider the skills and experience you are looking for in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and post and promote the job opening to reach potential candidates. Follow these steps to hire an assembly specialist:

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

    The assembly specialist 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?

    Hiring the perfect assembly specialist also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

    This list presents assembly specialist salaries for various positions.

    Type of Assembly SpecialistDescriptionHourly rate
    Assembly SpecialistAssemblers 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.$7-36
    Fabrication TechnicianFabrication technicians are skilled employees who are responsible for using specialized equipment to assemble components for a variety of products or finished products. These technicians are required to perform inspections on the tools and mechanical equipment as well as provide maintenance and repair... Show more$12-22
    FabricatorA fabricator specializes in manufacturing and assembling equipment or devices, ensuring every product's quality and efficiency. There are instances when a fabricator is required to make multiple gears, conduct verification processes on product schematics and specifications, perform quality control inspections, and test the product in different environments... Show more$12-21
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Assembly Operations
    • Safety Procedures
    • Mechanical Assembly
    • Assembly Line
    • Assembly Process
    • Hand Tools
    • Dexterity
    • Safety Rules
    • Quality Standards
    • IPC
    • Test Equipment
    • Quality Checks
    • Assembly Drawings
    • Engineering Drawings
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Manage the flow of each pallet to ensure the group is able to produce the quality product.
    • Test & troubleshot final product at QC with outstanding no return record.
    • Work with engineering department to resolve issues and meet OEM, ISO and UL standards
    • wire harness and various other small electro-mechanical assemblies.
    • Develop excellent communication and leadership skills by constant interaction with employees and management.
    • Document all rework perform and maintain dailylog on all rework units.ISO certify
    More assembly specialist duties
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your assembly specialist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. An assembly specialist can vary based on:

    • Location. For example, assembly specialists' average salary in idaho is 49% less than in massachusetts.
    • Seniority. Entry-level assembly specialists 80% less than senior-level assembly specialists.
    • Certifications. An assembly specialist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in an assembly specialist's salary.

    Average assembly specialist salary

    $16.55hourly

    $34,414 yearly

    Entry-level assembly specialist salary
    $15,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 15, 2026

    Average assembly specialist salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Massachusetts$48,031$23
    2California$41,373$20
    3Nevada$37,191$18
    4Pennsylvania$34,041$16
    5North Carolina$32,159$15
    6Texas$31,718$15
    7Michigan$30,710$15
    8Alabama$30,198$15
    9Washington$30,145$14
    10Wisconsin$29,819$14
    11Colorado$27,782$13
    12Illinois$27,778$13
    13Virginia$27,545$13
    14Tennessee$27,515$13
    15Minnesota$27,486$13
    16Kansas$27,122$13
    17Florida$26,774$13
    18Georgia$26,286$13
    19Idaho$25,067$12

    Average assembly specialist salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Skyworks Solutions$130,427$62.718
    2Astronics$121,718$58.523
    3Waters$84,163$40.464
    4MultiTech$78,846$37.91
    5Infor$61,968$29.79
    6VIVA USA$51,957$24.98
    7Ball$50,187$24.13
    8Boeing$48,035$23.0930
    9Lockheed Martin$43,016$20.6834
    10Toyota Boshoku America$40,181$19.32
    11Dover$38,615$18.5627
    12Ultra Electronics$37,698$18.123
    13Columbus McKinnon$36,617$17.6013
    14Spirit AeroSystems$35,511$17.07
    15FCA US LLC$33,755$16.234
    16IDEXX$33,656$16.184
    17Advanced Assembly$33,340$16.03
    18Wichita Public Schools$32,564$15.661
    19Nor-Lake$32,428$15.59
    20Pyrotek$32,389$15.573
  4. Writing an assembly specialist job description

    A job description for an assembly specialist role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an assembly specialist job description:

    Assembly specialist job description example

    Salary Range: $18.50 Hourly Onwards
    Shift Premium: $2.00

    Second Shift (3:00PM-11:30PM) Monday-Friday


    Do you need a little help on gasoline for your car? We’re giving every employee an extra $25 per pay check to help offset the recent increase of gasoline prices. This extra incentive will likely run through the end of 2022 and we’ll evaluate the necessity for it after that time.

    NEW HOURLY MINIMUM STARTING WAGE INCREASED TO $18.00+ FOR THIS POSITION.

    Come work with us and experience our great work environment and company culture. We feel that great companies value their employees and those employees are vital to the overall success of the entire organization. We have quarterly employee appreciation events, holiday events and parties, Halloween costume dress up, “Ugly Sweater” contests, ice cream socials, free coffee machines, pizza parties, open house events for the employees and their family members, BBQ cook outs, company gifts, and various other events that show how much we truly appreciate our employees. NIC Global is a single-source manufacturer providing turn-key mechanical and electromechanical assembly, expert sheet metal fabrication, and global sourcing of metal and plastic components. We provide products to great customers such as Philips, PACCAR (Kenworth & Peterbilt), Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Physio Controls, and Leviton to name a few. Our growing company employs nearly 600 people in Washington, Tennessee, Ohio, and Texas. We are willing to completely train individuals that want to learn, have a good work ethic, positive attitude, and who are dedicated to consistent and reliable attendance. 2nd shift hours are 3:00pm – 11:30pm, 5 days a week (Monday – Friday). We offer a competitive compensation and benefits package which includes health, dental, and vision insurance after 60 days, 401(k) plan and tuition reimbursement after 6 months, and a free $10,000 life insurance policy. Visit us at www.nicglobalms.com to learn more. NIC Global is an equal opportunity employer.

    JOB SUMMARY
    Performs a variety of light assembly operations using drawing schematics and diagrams to assemble components or sub-assemblies.

    ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/DUTIES
    • Gathers parts, sub-assemblies, screws, bolts, rivets, nuts, and other fasteners and materials.
    • Uses general shop equipment such as huck guns, impact guns and tools, hammers, wrenches and a variety of other pneumatic hand-tools.

    •Build side walls, back walls, floor assembly, bunk assembly, router operation, and right hand drive floors.
    • Meets production and quality standards in fast-paced, repetitive environment.
    • Maintains a clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules and regulations.
    • Contributes to team effort be accomplishing related results as needed.
    • This job description reflects the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. Additional duties and responsibilities may be required, based upon business needs, at any time with or without notice.

    QUALIFICATIONS
    • High school level education or equivalent and specialized training which may be obtained in vocational courses or on the job.
    • Strong attention to detail able to follow written and verbal instructions.
    • Ability to meet production and quality standards.
    • Ability to work on assignments that are repetitive in nature and may be moderately complex.
    • Decision making and judgment is required to perform quality checks.
    • Positive attitude and the ability to function in a team environment.

    PHYSICAL DEMANDS
    Ability to lift 50lbs with or without accommodations and stand on feet for up to 8 hours.



  5. Post your job

    There are a few common ways to find assembly specialists for your business:

    • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
    • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
    • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
    • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.
    Post your job online:
    • Post your assembly specialist job on Zippia to find and recruit assembly specialist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting assembly specialists 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.

    Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 specialist

    Once you've selected the best assembly specialist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing 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.

    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 specialist?

Before you start to hire assembly specialists, 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 specialists pay close attention to the initial cost of hiring, ongoing costs are much more significant in the long run.

Assembly specialists earn a median yearly salary is $34,414 a year in the US. However, if you're looking to find assembly specialists for hire on a contract or per-project basis, hourly rates typically range between $7 and $36.

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