How to hire a grinder

How to hire a grinder, step by step

Here's a step-by-step grinder hiring guide:

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

What does a grinder do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a grinder, 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 grinder's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, grinders 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 grinder salaries for various positions.

   Type of Grinder	Description	Hourly rate
   Grinder	Machinists and tool and die makers set up and operate a variety of computer-controlled and mechanically controlled machine tools to produce precision metal parts, instruments, and tools.	$12-19
   Outside Machinist	An outside machinist specializes in installing and repairing machinery and equipment in water vessels such as ships and submarines. They have a wide range of responsibilities, which typically include understanding blueprints and schematics, fixing and assembling parts, operating power tools, connecting pipe systems, conducting inspections, and providing support to staff as needed... Show more	$15-27
   Manual Machinist	A manual machinist specializes in developing tools and components through machinery. To make this possible, they must perform research and analysis, understand blueprints and schematics, identify the client or project's needs, develop prototypes and test structures, and subject products into various quality assurance procedures... Show more	$16-30

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Grinders
   • Hand Tools
   • Calipers
   • Grinding Machines
   • Grinding Wheels
   • CNC
   • Safety Procedures
   • Math
   • Quality Standards
   • Customer Specifications
   • Grinding Tools
   • Machine Operation
   • Machine Shop
   • PPE

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Machine carbide, harden tool steel, harden stainless steel, and ceramic.
   • Verify dimensional compliance using micrometers, calipers, ultrasonic testing and similar types of dimensional inspection devices.
   • Set up and run O.D.
   • Support for lathes and EDM (i.e.
   • Grind drills, end mills, taps etc.
   • Set up and run surface grinder at 200 to 300/ hour.

   More grinder duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the grinder job description is a good way to get more applicants. A grinder 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 grinder in West Virginia may be lower than in New Mexico, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level grinder. Additionally, a grinder with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average grinder salary

   $15.87hourly

   $33,001 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level grinder salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 18, 2025

   Average grinder salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Oregon	$39,780	$19
   2	Colorado	$39,198	$19
   3	Minnesota	$36,865	$18
   4	California	$36,803	$18
   5	North Dakota	$35,677	$17
   6	Utah	$33,483	$16
   7	Pennsylvania	$33,387	$16
   8	Ohio	$32,906	$16
   9	Michigan	$32,389	$16
   10	Connecticut	$32,241	$16
   11	Nebraska	$31,857	$15
   12	Texas	$30,740	$15
   13	Illinois	$30,301	$15
   14	Tennessee	$29,559	$14
   15	Oklahoma	$28,506	$14
   16	South Carolina	$27,449	$13
   17	Virginia	$27,428	$13
   18	Florida	$27,397	$13

   Average grinder salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Kennametal	$44,468	$21.38
   2	Grede	$43,924	$21.12
   3	Safe Fleet	$43,260	$20.80
   4	Nordson	$42,841	$20.60	1
   5	Sloan Valve	$42,429	$20.40
   6	SMT	$42,201	$20.29
   7	Carolina Sunrock Llc	$41,945	$20.17
   8	Columbia Steel Casting Co., Inc.	$41,539	$19.97
   9	Olympic Steel	$41,016	$19.72
   10	Freedman Seating	$40,929	$19.68
   11	Compunnel	$40,644	$19.54
   12	Amcor	$40,156	$19.31
   13	Applied Medical Resources	$39,661	$19.07	1
   14	ATI Physical Therapy	$39,470	$18.98	1
   15	II-VI	$39,195	$18.84
   16	QPS	$39,029	$18.76
   17	Francis Manufacturing	$39,000	$18.75
   18	Cargill	$38,970	$18.74	2
   19	Wabash National	$38,755	$18.63	9
   20	The Cook & Boardman Group	$38,665	$18.59	2

4. Writing a grinder job description

   A grinder job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a grinder job description:

   Grinder job description example

   PAY: $17-19

   SHIFT: 1ST

   BENEFITS INCLUDE: MEDICAL, DENTAL, VISION, WEEKLY PAY, LONG TERM OPPORTUNITY

   Description:

   Deburring role in the Machine Shop

   File parts, there are rough areas

   Knock on the parts to be able to balance the parts

   Shining, Sanding, Grinding the parts

   Packaging the parts

   Loading the parts into the pallets and trucks

   Lots of working with their hands

   Never lift more than 50lbs (they need to use lifts for anything heavier than that)

   There are baskets that they can use to move parts around vs. lifting by hand

   Training on 1st shift 7am - 5pm (10 hour day)

   Paid 30 minute lunch

   Skills:

   General Labor, Manufacturing, warehouse, labor, inspection, grinding, packing, loading, production, machine operation, cnc machine, grinder, quality assurance, grinding, hand tool, hand and power tools, warehouse operation, pallet jack, Assembly, Production, Cleanroom, Sanding, Finish, Grind, Packaging, Power tool, Metal finishing, General labor, Construction

   Top Skills Details:

   General Labor, Manufacturing, warehouse, labor, inspection, grinding, packing, loading, production

   Additional Skills & Qualifications:

   1. Good work history or strong work ethic

   2. Mechanically inclined, some experience working in manufacturing is ideal

   3. Strong attendance record

   Experience Level:

   Entry Level

   About Aerotek:

   We know that a company's success starts with its employees. We also know that an individual's success starts with the right career opportunity. As a Best of Staffing Client and Talent leader, Aerotek's people-focused approach yields competitive advantage for our clients and rewarding careers for our contract employees. Since 1983, Aerotek has grown to become a leader in recruiting and staffing services. With more than 250 non-franchised offices, Aerotek's 8,000 internal employees serve more than 300,000 contract employees and 18,000 clients every year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in talent solutions. Learn more at

   The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit grinders, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you 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 grinder

   Once you have selected a candidate for the grinder 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.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new grinder. 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 a grinder?