What does an Assembly Worker do?

An assembly worker is an employee who is assigned to an assembly line in a manufacturing firm to fabricate parts and join them to construct a final product. Assembly workers follow instructions and diagrams to complete a particular task. They may use a combination of tools such as a punching machine, hammers, or welding equipment. An assembly line supervisor is directly in-charge of these assembly workers and will continuously monitor their work. Assembly workers can also work in different manufacturing firms that produce aircraft, automobiles, and electronics.
Assembly worker responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real assembly worker resumes:
- Follow company guidelines and motivate to accomplish goals and help to troubleshoot to get projects done.
- Inventory and manage all stock products within a retail warehousing environment utilizing RF scanner and barcode readers to document material.
- Perform basic math to compute ratio, rate and percent.
- Work with a team on line assembling HVAC parts for Honda and Toyota
- Work assembly line for manufacturing parts for Honda, help other lines complete their jobs
- Demonstrate excellent quality control on the assembly line for Toyota parts inspecting and assembling vehicle parts.
- Assemble the X5 and X6 BMW.
- Follow FAA guidelines and procedures.
- Operate and maintain the SMT machine.
- press and assemble panels for washers and dryers
- Assemble air ducts QA parts and they move between production
- Set up feeders for Fuji and Siemens SMT machines.
- Load and unload items from machine, carts, dollies.
- Work at the assembly line manufacturing RF and microwave filters.
- Attach leather and cloth fabric to seat assembly for Toyota Camry.
Assembly worker skills and personality traits
We calculated that 40% of Assembly Workers are proficient in Assembly Line, Safety Procedures, and Quality Standards. They’re also known for soft skills such as Computer skills, Dexterity, and Mechanical skills.
We break down the percentage of Assembly Workers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Assembly Line, 40%
Determined conditions impending flow of work on motor vehicle assembly line and notified responsible personnel that corrective action was necessary.
- Safety Procedures, 12%
Operate machinery following outlined guidelines and safety procedures.
- Quality Standards, 5%
Performed necessary tasks to produce required outputs to requested quality standards.
- Quality Checks, 5%
Managed special orders, performed quality checks and processed shipping/handling of products to ensure timely delivery of quality products.
- Pallet Jack, 4%
Load route trucks and semi-trailers with pallet jack or battery-operated forklift and moving product in and out of the warehouse.
- Assembly Process, 3%
Determined and examined all automotive parts before commencement of assembly process.
Most assembly workers use their skills in "assembly line," "safety procedures," and "quality standards" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential assembly worker responsibilities here:
Computer skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for an assembly 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 workers often use computer skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "worked with air tools, wrenches, and computers. "
Mechanical skills. assembly workers are also known for mechanical skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to assembly worker responsibilities, because "these workers must be comfortable with machines and have a good understanding of how all the parts work." An assembly worker resume example shows how mechanical skills is used in the workplace: "read engineering drawings, mechanical drawings to determine materials requirement and assembly process. "
Physical strength. A big part of what assembly workers do relies on "physical strength." You can see how essential it is to assembly 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 worker tasks: "administered quality checklist, physically operate and test drive each forklift for durance and accuracy before transferring for shipment. "
The three companies that hire the most assembly workers are:
- Kelly Services89 assembly workers jobs
- Stoughton Trailers40 assembly workers jobs
- Aerotek28 assembly workers jobs
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Assembly worker vs. Manufacturing operator
A manufacturing operator is primarily responsible for overseeing and controlling the performance of machines and equipment, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities revolve around monitoring production operations, conducting regular maintenance checks to ensure the accuracy and quality of machinery, performing corrective measures and adjustments as needed, and assessing the quality of finished products, all while adhering to deadlines and goals. Furthermore, it is vital to comply with the company's safety policies and regulations to maintain a safe and healthy work environment for everyone.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, assembly worker responsibilities require skills like "pallet jack," "assembly process," "defective materials," and "safety standards." Meanwhile a typical manufacturing operator has skills in areas such as "basic math," "gmp," "math," and "hand tools." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Manufacturing operators tend to make the most money working in the pharmaceutical industry, where they earn an average salary of $37,500. In contrast, assembly workers make the biggest average salary, $35,734, in the automotive industry.The education levels that manufacturing operators earn slightly differ from assembly workers. In particular, manufacturing operators are 2.8% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than an assembly worker. Additionally, they're 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Assembly worker vs. 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. They may handle machines or may also be assigned to work on their own using manual tools or their own hands, especially if such activities are not possible to do with a machine. Manufacturing team members work within manufacturing deadlines and ensure that products are made within the agreed timeline.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, assembly worker responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "safety procedures," "quality standards," "quality checks," and "assembly process." Meanwhile, a manufacturing team member has duties that require skills in areas such as "customer service," "cleanliness," "guest service," and "good communication." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, manufacturing team members earn a higher salary than assembly workers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, manufacturing team members earn the most pay in the retail industry with an average salary of $38,845. Whereas assembly workers have higher pay in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $35,734.In general, manufacturing team members achieve similar levels of education than assembly workers. They're 3.7% more likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Assembly worker vs. 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. They also maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of the production area, escalate any defects and malfunctioning components, and coordinating with the whole team to reach production goals and objectives.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, an assembly worker is likely to be skilled in "assembly line," "defective materials," "air tools," and "assembly problems," while a typical production team member is skilled in "work ethic," "strong work ethic," "customer service," and "cleanliness."
Production team members earn the highest salary when working in the transportation industry, where they receive an average salary of $36,333. Comparatively, assembly workers have the highest earning potential in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $35,734.Most production team members achieve a similar degree level compared to assembly workers. For example, they're 0.9% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.1% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Assembly worker vs. Production worker
Production workers are employees who are usually seen in an assembly line in a company's factory. They are responsible for a specific part of the production of goods for the company. They ensure that production processes are being followed. Production workers are required to be efficient, detail-oriented, and organized. They should be able to uphold the quality standards set by the company and should be able to conduct quality control checks. Should they be working alongside machines, and they must know how to operate the machine as well as maintain it. Production workers should also be familiar with occupational safety and health guidelines and must be able to follow policies and procedures in place.
Types of assembly worker
Updated January 8, 2025