How to hire a manual machinist

How to hire a manual machinist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step manual machinist hiring guide:

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

What does a manual machinist do?

Post a manual machinist job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The manual machinist hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   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 manual machinist 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 manual machinist that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of manual machinist salaries for various roles:

   Type of Manual Machinist	Description	Hourly rate
   Manual Machinist	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.	$16-30
   Tool Technician	Tool technicians are skilled professionals who are responsible for repairing a variety of pneumatic and hand tools as well as disassemble defective electrical equipment in a manufacturing firm using these hand tools. These technicians are required to coordinate with other areas of the company to schedule and perform preventive maintenance duties... Show more	$13-29
   Grinder	Depending on the industry, a grinder has a diverse range of duties. Typically, they oversee setting up and operating bearing grinders, cam grinders, and CNC lathes... Show more	$12-19

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Grinders
   • Calipers
   • CNC
   • ID
   • Machine Shop
   • Hand Tools
   • Math
   • Manual Machines
   • Drill Press
   • Cranes
   • Horizontal Boring Mills
   • Aerospace
   • Aluminum
   • Print Specifications

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Measure and assemble sewing control panel frames of various material (stainless steel, carbon and aluminum).
   • Set up and operation of Bridgeport mills, lathes and surface grinders to produce details for precision ball screw assemblies.
   • Complete fabrication and machine shop work with MIG, TIG and stick welders, manual and CNC mills and lathes.
   • Operate towmotor, and mig welder
   • Perform quality GTAW welding in various positions.
   • Start working for SKF in 2010 and are introduced the aerospace industry.

   More manual machinist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your manual machinist job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A manual machinist can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, manual machinists' average salary in south carolina is 38% less than in new mexico.
   • Seniority. Entry-level manual machinists 45% less than senior-level manual machinists.
   • Certifications. A manual machinist with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a manual machinist's salary.

   Average manual machinist salary

   $48,038yearly

   $23.10 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level manual machinist salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average manual machinist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$57,206	$28
   2	Oregon	$54,678	$26
   3	Washington	$53,932	$26
   4	Missouri	$51,707	$25
   5	Connecticut	$50,118	$24
   6	Idaho	$49,750	$24
   7	Illinois	$48,115	$23
   8	Pennsylvania	$47,800	$23
   9	Michigan	$47,176	$23
   10	Utah	$46,992	$23
   11	New York	$46,952	$23
   12	Ohio	$45,821	$22
   13	Texas	$45,259	$22
   14	Wisconsin	$40,861	$20
   15	Kansas	$40,771	$20
   16	Alabama	$40,287	$19
   17	Florida	$39,641	$19
   18	Tennessee	$38,166	$18
   19	Oklahoma	$36,669	$18

   Average manual machinist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Empower Media Marketing	$68,269	$32.82
   2	Curtiss-Wright	$66,736	$32.08	43
   3	Enterprise Electronics	$62,524	$30.06
   4	Fluor Corporation	$61,752	$29.69	2
   5	Emerson	$60,281	$28.98	21
   6	Silgan Holdings	$59,741	$28.72	1
   7	Alfa Laval	$57,583	$27.68	1
   8	Kaiser Aluminum	$57,311	$27.55	3
   9	Smiths Group	$57,275	$27.54	4
   10	Dana Incorporated	$55,741	$26.80
   11	Barry-Wehmiller	$54,705	$26.30	4
   12	Flowserve	$54,367	$26.14	23
   13	North American Lighting	$53,982	$25.95	1
   14	TechnipFMC	$53,941	$25.93
   15	Ducommun	$53,200	$25.58	2
   16	Dover	$52,218	$25.10	27
   17	Pentair	$51,954	$24.98	4
   18	Raytheon Technologies	$51,274	$24.65	22
   19	Applied Industrial Technologies	$51,166	$24.60	3
   20	Fortive	$50,561	$24.31	3

4. Writing a manual machinist job description

   A good manual machinist 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 manual machinist job description:

   Manual machinist job description example

   The Shop Machinist is responsible for the set-up and operations of a variety of machine tools to produce precision parts and instruments to engineering specifications.
   Essential Job Functions
   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.Operates machine tools such as lathes, milling machines, and grinders to produce precision parts and instruments.Reviews engineering specifications for a work order and performs calculations to determine the right tools, materials, and sequence of cutting and finishing operations.Measures, examines and tests completed units in order to detect defects and ensure conformance to specifications, using precision instruments.Aligns and secures holding fixtures, cutting tools, attachments, accessories and materials onto machines.Monitors the accuracy of machining work.
   Job Qualifications
   High school diploma or equivalent preferred.Previous experience with CNC machines and manual lathes or relevant industry experience preferred.Ability to read a Calipers and Micrometers preferred.Ability to provide all hand tools as needed to complete daily tasks specified by the Shop Foreman.Travel Requirements: 0% - 25%
   Work Conditions
   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
   Physical and Mental Requirements
   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 a few common ways to find manual machinists for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with manual machinist candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of 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 manual machinist

   Once you've decided on a perfect manual machinist candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your 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.

   To prepare for the new manual machinist 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.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a manual machinist?