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How to hire a heat treat technician

Heat treat technician hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring heat treat technicians in the United States:

  • There are a total of 4,474 heat treat technicians in the US, and there are currently 8,130 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a heat treat technician is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per heat treat technician on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Edwardsville, IL, has the highest demand for heat treat technicians, with 3 job openings.

How to hire a heat treat technician, step by step

To hire a heat treat technician, 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 a heat treat technician:

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

    Before you start hiring a heat treat 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?

    You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a heat treat technician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a heat treat technician that fits the bill.

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

    Type of Heat Treat TechnicianDescriptionHourly rate
    Heat Treat TechnicianMetal and plastic machine workers set up and operate machines that cut, shape, and form metal and plastic materials or pieces.$13-21
    Furnace OperatorA furnace operator records time and production data, adjusts thermostats, and observes a pyrometer to maintain the temperature between specified limits. The operators set furnace control to regulate the temperature and heating time... Show more$13-21
    Molding TechnicianA Molding Technician specializes in molding materials such as plastic or metal. They are responsible for operating and calibrating machinery, adhering to product guidelines, conducting quality inspections on finished products, lifting heavy materials, and training new workforce members... Show more$15-24
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Facilities Upkeep
    • Industrial Maintenance
    • Safety Procedures
    • Heat Treating Furnaces
    • Aerospace
    • Aluminum
    • Temper
    • Hardness Testing
    • Brazing
    • CNC
    • Destructive Testing
    • Carbon Steel
    • Tempering Furnaces
    • Stress Relief
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Repaint and labeling of furnaces.
    • Execute customer PPAP and APQP requirements.
    • Produce sand cores for internal structures for aluminum castings.
    • Prepare for and ensure successful AS9100 and NADCAP audits.
    • Use of robotics systems, materials hoists, and hand trucks.Forklift Certification receive
    • Position stock in furnaces, using tongs, chain hoists, and pry bars.
  3. Make a budget

    Including a salary range in your heat treat technician job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A heat treat technician salary can vary based on several factors:
    • Location. For example, heat treat technicians' average salary in florida is 25% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level heat treat technicians earn 38% less than senior-level heat treat technicians.
    • Certifications. A heat treat technician with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
    • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a heat treat technician's salary.

    Average heat treat technician salary

    $36,202yearly

    $17.40 hourly rate

    Entry-level heat treat technician salary
    $28,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 23, 2026
  4. Writing a heat treat technician job description

    A job description for a heat treat technician 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 a heat treat technician job description:

    Heat treat technician job description example

    Note - This position will require travel to work sites. We pay OT after 8 hours worked each day M-F and all day on weekends.

    ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS and RESPONSIBILITIES

    · Wrap insulation to meet code and specification as required by the supervisor and/or QC department

    · Deploy equipment and materials associated with heat treating industry (cables, heaters supplies etc...)

    · Ability and willingness to accept and follow orders and to work cooperatively with clients and fellow employees.

    · Must demonstrate dependability, enthusiasm to learn and potential to become certified technician.

    · A willingness to travel and work non-standard hours. (24 Hour Call)

    · A Trainee shall complete a six to twelve month training program under the instruction of a certified Technician and/or Mgr

    · Must be able to pass drug screens on a random basis. (DISA certification) and meet all safety requirements

    · Must have a good driving record, current driver’s license and remain in good standing

    · In some roles, a CDL license, DOT Certification and/or Annual Physical may be required.

    · Other duties may be assigned as needed.

    Note: The trainee may be reviewed by the District Operations Manager after 90 days. Upon satisfactory review, a pay increase may be initiated. However, 90 days must be spent at this position before full time status can be achieved. Upon completion and satisfactory testing at the Trainee level, employee will be eligible for a Level I Tech position.

    COMPETENCIES

    · Must be dependable and demonstrate the ability to follow directions

    · Must be a team player

    · Basic math skills

    · Ability to operate equipment associated with the industry

    · Ability to work effectively under short lead-times and deadlines

    · Detail-oriented

    EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

    High school diploma or general education degree (GED); training from related trade school preferred. Some electrical or industrial experience preferred but not required. Minimum of 6 months work experience required, preferable in the Heat Treating or other similarly related industry. Good knowledge of OSHA and DOT regulations.

    PHYSICAL DEMANDS

    The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

    Work requires physical effort and use of motor skills requiring manual dexterity. While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to sit, stand, walk, climb, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl, push/pull, or balance weight for extended periods of time. The employee must be able to frequently lift, move, and/or carry between 60 to 100 pounds. With mechanical assistance, employee will occasionally move up to 800 pounds. Employee will regularly drive a company truck and must be able to enter and exit the truck throughout the day. Will regularly operate equipment associated with the heat treatment industry that requires manual dexterity and use of industrial tools requiring some coordinated movements. Activities include using a forklift or pallet jack to move material and parts; and tools to assemble, install or repair industrial materials.

    • Pull and Carrying Cables - Approximately 60-100 Pounds
    • Climbing , Bending , Pulling , Kneeling on a continual basis
    • Carry Heaters on a continual basis - 5 Pounds Each
    • 24 Hour On Call-7 Days a Week, Must be able to work overtime as needed

    · Position Heat Treating machine up to 800 pounds on coaster wheels including vehicles and work sites

    · Work requires correct use of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

    WORK ENVIRONMENT

    The work environment characteristics described are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

    Works is in a safety sensitive industrial environment. Work tasks may expose employee to physically unpleasant or hazardous conditions associated with the industry

    · The noise level is usually moderate to high.

    · Work In extreme heat and cold weather conditions both inside and outside

    · Working in confined space

    · Some work may be performed on ladders, scaffolding or at high elevations.

    · Employee works with hand tools and electrical equipment on a daily basis.

    · Use of proper safety procedures will eliminate any potential hazards.

    Company DescriptionAnalytic Stress has provided TRAINED, CERTIFIED heat treating technicians to industry for more than 42 years.

    Our team of experienced technicians execute quality critical, schedule critical heat treatments each and every day; using reliable, proven technology. While receiving support from certified field supervision and management with decades of experience, our technicians become valued members of client turnaround/outage teams.

    Since 1979, Analytic Stress has been driven to help plant owners and contractors in the refining, petrochemical, power generation, fabrication, off-shore, and pulp & paper industries enjoy the highest levels of customer satisfaction, based on our consistently safe, reliable, and high quality performances.

    With more fixed base furnaces, heat treating consoles and mobile rigs at our disposal than any of our competitors, Analytic Stress is well positioned to continue our systematic growth. As we expand our company to support the demands of industry, we continue to hold fast to our core principles that place safety, customer satisfaction, and respect for our fellow workers at the forefront of everything we do.

    More Equipment, More Technicians, More Experience. ANALYTIC STRESS.
  5. Post your job

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

    Recruiting heat treat 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 heat treat technician

    Once you've found the heat treat technician candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

    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.

    To prepare for the new heat treat technician first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

  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 heat treat technician?

Hiring a heat treat technician comes with both the one-time cost per hire and ongoing costs. The cost of recruiting heat treat technicians involves promoting the job and spending time conducting interviews. Ongoing costs include employee salary, training, benefits, insurance, and equipment. It is essential to consider the cost of heat treat technician recruiting as well the ongoing costs of maintaining the new employee.

The median annual salary for heat treat technicians is $36,202 in the US. However, the cost of heat treat technician hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a heat treat technician for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $13 and $21 an hour.

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