How to hire a machines technician

How to hire a machines technician, step by step

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

What does a machines technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a machines 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

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a machines 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 machines technician that fits the bill.

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

   Type of Machines Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Machines Technician	Industrial machinery mechanics and maintenance workers maintain and repair factory equipment and other industrial machinery, such as conveying systems, production machinery, and packaging equipment. Millwrights install, dismantle, repair, reassemble, and move machinery in factories, power plants, and construction sites.	$14-25
   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
   Line Mechanic	A line mechanic specializes in installing and maintaining a variety of mechanical and electrical equipment. Their responsibilities typically include conducting inspections, troubleshooting problems, replacing parts, and performing necessary repairs... Show more	$17-28

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • CNC
   • Hand Tools
   • Calipers
   • Math
   • Good Communication
   • Safety Procedures
   • Preventive Maintenance
   • Grinders
   • Production Machines
   • Basic Math
   • Quality Checks
   • Machine Operation
   • SPC
   • Production Equipment

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Maintain numerous automate scripts to assist in managing Linux systems.
   • Train employees on all safety practices and PPE usage.
   • Follow lock out/tag out protocol, practice good PPE and GMP protocol, help production when need.
   • Install plumbing and electrical components.
   • Construct various components and integrate them into submarine modules Fab.
   • Conduct internal ISO audits and assist external auditors with semi-annual audits.

   More machines technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your machines technician job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A machines technician salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, machines technicians' average salary in district of columbia is 40% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level machines technicians earn 42% less than senior-level machines technicians.
   • Certifications. A machines 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 machines technician's salary.

   Average machines technician salary

   $39,754yearly

   $19.11 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level machines technician salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average machines technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$53,486	$26
   2	Utah	$50,443	$24
   3	Arizona	$50,141	$24
   4	Texas	$47,508	$23
   5	Washington	$47,329	$23
   6	Colorado	$45,667	$22
   7	South Dakota	$43,983	$21
   8	Missouri	$43,614	$21
   9	Massachusetts	$43,466	$21
   10	Florida	$42,156	$20
   11	Minnesota	$41,892	$20
   12	Tennessee	$40,180	$19
   13	Wisconsin	$40,007	$19
   14	Georgia	$39,252	$19
   15	Michigan	$39,168	$19
   16	Illinois	$38,844	$19
   17	Pennsylvania	$37,604	$18
   18	Iowa	$37,585	$18
   19	North Carolina	$36,602	$18
   20	Ohio	$36,409	$18

   Average machines technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	ABB	$50,300	$24.18	30
   2	Church & Dwight Co.	$49,346	$23.72	10
   3	Volvo Trucks	$47,514	$22.84	4
   4	Amphenol	$46,337	$22.28	2
   5	Fortune Brands Home & Security	$46,031	$22.13	6
   6	Cummins	$45,654	$21.95	21
   7	Siemens	$44,110	$21.21	16
   8	Shearer's Foods	$43,919	$21.11	12
   9	PPG	$43,532	$20.93	7
   10	Air Products	$43,299	$20.82	10
   11	ADM	$43,070	$20.71	65
   12	Nordson	$42,917	$20.63	12
   13	Northrop Grumman	$42,908	$20.63	42
   14	Perdue Farms	$42,427	$20.40	91
   15	Meritor	$42,287	$20.33
   16	Waste Connections	$42,204	$20.29	13
   17	Lucid Motors	$41,813	$20.10	10
   18	Fla-Vor-Ice	$41,728	$20.06
   19	MEAA	$41,614	$20.01
   20	Amcor	$41,572	$19.99	218

4. Writing a machines technician job description

   A machines technician 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 machines technician job description:

   Machines technician job description example

   Field
   Machining/Isolation/Bolting
   Technician
   General Summary
   TEAM's is a global best in class provider of field machining services to industrial sites and manufacturing facilities. This requires our technicians to align to these expectations. The general duties and major areas of responsibilities of the Field Machining technicians can be broken down into the following stages.
   Review of client job scope.Compliance with all safety procedures and job documentation.Accountability of job equipment and tooling prior to arriving job site.Achieve or exceed client quality expectations.Accomplish or exceed client production expectations.
   The Field Machinist is responsible for the set up and operation of a wide variety of portable machine tools to perform on-site machine work and repairs on location at client work sites.
   Primary role is to execute field machining operations in accordance with the approved site and company procedures.
   The technician is directly responsible for the execution of services in accordance with the requirements of the site and TEAM process and procedures.
   The technician undertakes the training and development to continuously improve their skills and levels of competence and knowledge.
   Trained and competent technicians will be required to lead technicians of a lesser on job sites.
   Essential Job Functions
   Job Qualifications
   
   Work Conditions
   Physical and Mental Requirements
   Maintains a safe, secure and healthy environment by adhering to Company/Customer safety standards and practices and to legal regulations, alerting others regarding potential hazards or concern Performs all duties as assigned and adheres to TEAM's Core Values.Performs field machining services on client work sites performing any of the following duties:Pipe cutting and beveling Flange resurfacing Drilling and tapping Milling motor or pump bases Line boring Key-way cutting Shaft turning Metal disintegration bolt removal Identifies circumstances that necessitate the use of proper safety procedures and equipment.Documents all field machining service activities as required.High school diploma or equivalent preferred. Technical school or relevant training preferred.Three (3) or more years of experience in field machining in an industrial setting required.Current HAZWOPER training certificate preferred.Travel Requirements: 0% - 27%Position is based out of a branch or site location.Field duties require indoor and outdoor work in a plant atmosphere Interaction with other crew employees, as well as supervisors and client personnel Working in plant and/or shop areas around production machinery with extreme noise levels Must be able to wear safety equipment as required by the safety department for personal protection May be at more than one job site in a day and must be able to tolerate climate changes May be required to travel out of town on a periodic basis Ability to lift and carry 75 pounds Must be able to walk and climb except when performing non-field duties Sufficient clarity of speech and hearing or other communication capabilities, with or without reasonable accommodation, which permits employee to communicate effectively Sufficient vision or other powers of observation, with or without reasonable accommodations, which permits employee to investigations Sufficient manual dexterity with or without reasonable accommodation, which permit the employee to perform routine office duties Sufficient personal mobility and physical reflexes, with or without reasonable accommodations to perform office duties and travel when necessary to off-site locations Sufficient personal mobility to maneuver within a refinery or plant environment to include the ability to gain access to elevated platforms via ladders and stairwells Ability to maintain focus and multitask effectively Excellent communication skills
   
   TEAM provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
   This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right machines technician for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your machines technician job on Zippia to find and recruit machines technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit machines technicians, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   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 machines technician

   Once you've selected the best machines technician candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

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