How to hire a fabrication technician

How to hire a fabrication technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step fabrication technician hiring guide:

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

What does a fabrication technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a fabrication technician, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A fabrication technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, fabrication technicians 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.

   Here's a comparison of fabrication technician salaries for various roles:

   Type of Fabrication Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Fabrication Technician	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.	$12-22
   Warehouse Assembler	A warehouse assembler takes on several responsibilities. They are responsible for preparing work that needs to be accomplished by studying and following assembly instructions to put together parts... Show more	$12-17
   Line 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... Show more	$12-20

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • Math
   • Customer Service
   • CNC
   • Calipers
   • OSHA
   • Engineering Drawings
   • Work Ethic
   • Preventative Maintenance
   • Grinders
   • Tape Measure
   • Good Communication
   • Safety Procedures
   • MIG

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Use of mig and tig welders, plasma cutter, chop see, band see and drill press.
   • Lift or move material and finish products using large over head cranes or hoists.
   • Weld with stick mig flux cor stainless rods.
   • Form, fabricate and assemble commercial HVAC duct work systems.
   • Train and operate several pieces of fab equipment, i.e.
   • Operate laser and turret machines to cut hoods for transformers.

   More fabrication technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the fabrication technician job description is a good way to get more applicants. A fabrication technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a fabrication technician in Indiana may be lower than in North Dakota, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level fabrication technician. Additionally, a fabrication technician with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average fabrication technician salary

   $35,582yearly

   $17.11 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level fabrication technician salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average fabrication technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$41,904	$20
   2	Massachusetts	$39,117	$19
   3	Wisconsin	$39,005	$19
   4	New York	$37,900	$18
   5	Arizona	$36,918	$18
   6	Washington	$36,862	$18
   7	Colorado	$36,540	$18
   8	Ohio	$36,143	$17
   9	Oregon	$35,846	$17
   10	Nebraska	$35,676	$17
   11	Virginia	$35,663	$17
   12	Utah	$35,361	$17
   13	Montana	$34,939	$17
   14	Missouri	$33,446	$16
   15	Minnesota	$32,882	$16
   16	Texas	$32,808	$16
   17	South Carolina	$29,752	$14
   18	Georgia	$28,161	$14
   19	Florida	$26,724	$13

   Average fabrication technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Westinghouse Appliances Australia	$75,178	$36.14	8
   2	BWX Technologies	$71,161	$34.21	6
   3	Baker Hughes	$47,280	$22.73	15
   4	IDEX	$47,140	$22.66	5
   5	Abiomed	$45,202	$21.73
   6	Exxon Mobil	$44,595	$21.44	9
   7	Cargill	$43,427	$20.88	166
   8	ON Semiconductor	$42,158	$20.27
   9	Belcan	$41,453	$19.93	14
   10	Ready Pac Foods	$40,606	$19.52	5
   11	Lockheed Martin	$40,548	$19.49	38
   12	Boeing	$40,467	$19.46	18
   13	Raytheon Technologies	$40,338	$19.39	30
   14	YKK AP America	$40,221	$19.34	16
   15	Textron	$40,013	$19.24	17
   16	Precision Valve & Automation	$40,011	$19.24	1
   17	Eaton	$39,608	$19.04	137
   18	Cranial Technologies	$39,226	$18.86
   19	Autocar Truck	$39,044	$18.77
   20	Wabtec Corporation	$38,891	$18.70	9

4. Writing a fabrication technician job description

   A good fabrication technician 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 a fabrication technician job description:

   Fabrication technician job description example

   Ferguson is the largest wholesale distributor of residential and commercial plumbing supplies and pipe, valves and fittings in the U.S. The company is also a major distributor of HVAC equipment, fire protection systems, waterworks and industrial products and services. Ferguson and its subsidiaries serve customers in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Caribbean.
   Ferguson is seeking a Fabrication Technician to join our team!
   
   Pay starting at $17 an hour! Pay can increase depending on experience
   Schedule: Monday - Friday | 8AM - 5PM
   
   Responsibilities
   Setup and maintain machines in the shop for plastics fabrication.Accurately measure, record, and add random pipe length.Measure and cut pipe with saw and fusing HDPE, pipe and fittings, using McElroy fusion equipment Move loose and /or bundled pipe from various locations within the pipe yard.Assemble pipe orders whether in single sticks or bundles and maintain work supplies in an organized manner.Observe vital safety precautions for fabrications, cutting, assembling, stacking and shipping of pipe for storage and transportation.Operate powered industrial equipment in accordance with OSHA guidelines and Ferguson safe operating procedures.
   
   Qualifications
   Prior Fabrication experience is preferred but not required, training provided.Outstanding math skills and the ability to calculate quantities of product on hand.Experience and training in operating machinery for the use of fusing plastic pipe Ability to remain results-focused in the fast-paced customer service environment.The ability to thrive in an inclusive environment.The ability to work in shop or field environment Valid Driver's license is required.
   
   Ferguson is dedicated to providing meaningful benefits programs and products to our associates and their families-geared toward benefits, wellness, financial protection, and retirement savings. Ferguson offers a competitive benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, retirement savings with company match, paid leave (vacation, sick, personal, holiday, and parental), employee assistance programs, associate discounts, community involvement opportunities, and much more!
   -
   The Company is an equal opportunity employer as well as a government contractor that shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-300.5(a), which prohibits discrimination against qualified protected Veterans and the requirements of 41 CFR 60-741.5(A), which prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability.
   
   Ferguson Enterprises, LLC. is an equal employment employer F/M/Disability/Vet/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity.
   
   Equal Employment Opportunity and Reasonable Accommodation Information

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting fabrication technicians 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 fabrication technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the fabrication technician 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.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new fabrication technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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 a fabrication technician?