What does a Machine Builder do?
A machine builder typically works as someone responsible for building machinery and equipment in a manufacturing, industrial, or processing facility. It requires labor as they often carry and work with heavy equipment and machine tools. They are the person who assembles parts, draws blueprint and sketches, and drills holes. They are also responsible for the construction of buildings with the use of either a hand tool or power tool.
Machine builder responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real machine builder resumes:
- Work with grinders, band see, drill press and MIG welder on a daily basis.
- Install water manifolds and float switches.
- Run and operate all manual mills, lathes and grinders.
- Machine parts for new construction and repair jobs on cranes.
- Condition, rework, TIG weld vibratory and centrifugal feeder bowls.
- Operate CNC mills and grinders, operate shaft presses and pin presses.
- Install numerous signal and high voltage transformers that facilitate the machines vocation.
- Used mills, grinders, band saws and MIG welders on a daily basis.
- Read blueprints metric and standard.Read mics, calipers, indicators and other measuring tools.
- Build precision multimillion dollar machines for aerospace, transportation, energy, and other heavy industries.
- Weld guards, chutes, and other materials using Tig, stud, and spot welders.
- Construct jigs, sharpen drill bits, re-tool machines, and maintain inventory of rod steal.
- Design and build all jigs, fixtures and tooling need to support CNC machinery, lathe or manual mill departments.
- Travel inside the states and internationally to set up equipment, install fixtures and prove out CNC programs for production.
- Install and wire various (PLC) controls and sub-assemblies on custom automation machines for the manufacturing industry.
Machine builder skills and personality traits
We calculated that 14% of Machine Builders are proficient in Hand Tools, CNC, and Mechanical Assembly. They’re also known for soft skills such as Color vision, Dexterity, and Physical stamina.
We break down the percentage of Machine Builders that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Hand Tools, 14%
Build to productivity and quality goals, proficient in the use of hand tools, air tools, and torque specs.
- CNC, 6%
Operated CNC equipment - Punch, Press Brake, and Shears used to manufacture the commercial refrigeration equipment - Sheet Metal.
- Mechanical Assembly, 5%
Performed all electrical and mechanical assembly and test operations including wiring to UL standards.
- Assembly Blueprints, 5%
Fit and assemble components according to assembly blueprints, manuals,engineering memos, and sketches.
- Mechanical Drawings, 4%
Worked from electrical and mechanical drawings.
- MIG, 4%
Weld as needed using mig welder, as well as soldering wiring as needed for electrical repair.
"hand tools," "cnc," and "mechanical assembly" are among the most common skills that machine builders use at work. You can find even more machine builder responsibilities below, including:
Color vision. One of the key soft skills for a machine builder to have is color vision. You can see how this relates to what machine builders do because "assemblers and fabricators who make electrical and electronic products must distinguish different colors, because the wires they often work with are color coded." Additionally, a machine builder resume shows how machine builders use color vision: "integrate robotics, plc controllers and sensors to develop complete parts handling and machining systems including vision inspection stations"
Dexterity. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling machine builder duties is dexterity. The role rewards competence in this skill because "assemblers and fabricators should have a steady hand and good hand–eye coordination, as they must grasp, manipulate, and assemble parts and components that are often very small." According to a machine builder resume, here's how machine builders can utilize dexterity in their job responsibilities: "operated overhead cranes and light fork-lifts. "
Physical stamina. This is an important skill for machine builders to perform their duties. For an example of how machine builder responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "assemblers and fabricators must be able to stand for long periods and do repetitive tasks." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a machine builder: "maintain hvac system, physical structures of plant, and electrical circuits. ".
Technical skills. machine builder responsibilities often require "technical skills." The duties that rely on this skill are shown by the fact that "assemblers and fabricators must understand technical manuals, blueprints, and schematics for manufacturing a range of products and machines." This resume example shows what machine builders do with technical skills on a typical day: "conduct machine repairs and provide technical support for out of state plants. "
Mechanical skills. Another common skill required for machine builder responsibilities is "mechanical skills." This skill comes up in the duties of machine builders all the time, as "assemblers and fabricators must have a working knowledge of basic machinery to use programmable motion-control devices, computers, and robots on the factory floor." An excerpt from a real machine builder resume shows how this skill is central to what a machine builder does: "worked from electrical and mechanical drawings. "
The three companies that hire the most machine builders are:
- Aerotek19 machine builders jobs
- Evoqua Water Technologies10 machine builders jobs
- Honeywell9 machine builders jobs
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Compare different machine builders
Machine builder vs. Compressor assembler
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between machine builders and compressor assembler. For instance, machine builder responsibilities require skills such as "mechanical assembly," "mechanical drawings," "mig," and "drill press." Whereas a compressor assembler is skilled in "calipers," "electrical controls," "cranes," and "manual machine tools." This is part of what separates the two careers.
On average, compressor assemblers reach similar levels of education than machine builders. Compressor assemblers are 1.1% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Machine builder vs. Motors assembler
Each career also uses different skills, according to real machine builder resumes. While machine builder responsibilities can utilize skills like "mechanical assembly," "assembly blueprints," "mechanical drawings," and "mig," motors assemblers use skills like "lean manufacturing," "motor assembly," "quality checks," and "safety regulations."
Motors assemblers earn similar levels of education than machine builders in general. They're 0.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Machine builder vs. Bearing ring assembler
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a machine builder is likely to be skilled in "hand tools," "cnc," "mechanical assembly," and "assembly blueprints," while a typical bearing ring assembler is skilled in "o-rings," "laser," "ran," and "gmaw."
Most bearing ring assemblers achieve a similar degree level compared to machine builders. For example, they're 1.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Machine builder vs. Large engine assembler
Even though a few skill sets overlap between machine builders and large engine assemblers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a machine builder might have more use for skills like "mechanical assembly," "assembly blueprints," "mechanical drawings," and "mig." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of large engine assemblers require skills like "assembly drawings," "planters," "brake press," and "blowers. "
The average resume of large engine assemblers showed that they earn higher levels of education compared to machine builders. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 5.0% more likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 0.0%.Types of machine builder
Updated January 8, 2025
