How to hire a manufacturing lead technician

How to hire a manufacturing lead technician, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the manufacturing lead technician you need to hire. Certain manufacturing lead technician roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   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 manufacturing lead 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 manufacturing lead technician that fits the bill.

   This list presents manufacturing lead technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Manufacturing Lead Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Manufacturing Lead Technician		$10-36
   Technician	Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with... Show more	$11-27
   Product Technician	Product technicians are skilled professionals who are responsible for evaluating manufactured goods to ensure quality and functionality before they are marketed to the general public. These technicians are required to perform equipment setup and adjustments while conducting minor preventative maintenance tasks to test for safety and productivity before they are put into production... Show more	$17-59

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • GMP
   • Harvest
   • Production Equipment
   • Production Schedules
   • Safety Regulations
   • Test Procedures
   • FDA
   • R
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Technical Support
   • ISO
   • PLC
   • Clean Room Environment
   • Data Entry

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage logistics, assembly and testing for the shop floor.
   • Perform adjustments to CIP equipment and run computer programs in order to automate the cleaning and sanitizing of the equipment.
   • Clean room and ISO certify.
   • Perform various manufacturing tasks within FDA regulate laboratories ad clean rooms.
   • Perform risk analysis and lead FMEA exercises with project teams to identify issues early in the development process.
   • Assist first shift manufacturing lead in developing and implementing training to all manufacturing employees to increase safety and GMP compliance.

   More manufacturing lead technician duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, manufacturing lead technicians' average salary in oklahoma is 52% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level manufacturing lead technicians earn 71% less than senior-level manufacturing lead technicians.
   • Certifications. A manufacturing lead 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 manufacturing lead technician's salary.

   Average manufacturing lead technician salary

   $40,997yearly

   $19.71 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level manufacturing lead technician salary

   $22,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 17, 2025

   Average manufacturing lead technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$73,512	$35
   2	New York	$59,086	$28
   3	New Jersey	$57,384	$28
   4	Massachusetts	$53,461	$26
   5	Pennsylvania	$51,721	$25
   6	Washington	$51,524	$25
   7	Utah	$41,912	$20
   8	Arizona	$40,993	$20
   9	New Mexico	$38,693	$19
   10	Colorado	$35,508	$17
   11	Missouri	$34,990	$17
   12	Ohio	$34,877	$17
   13	Texas	$34,499	$17
   14	Florida	$32,431	$16
   15	Georgia	$29,994	$14

   Average manufacturing lead technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Microsoft	$136,222	$65.49	2
   2	Bristol-Myers Squibb	$85,829	$41.26	19
   3	Corning Incorporated	$70,432	$33.86	34
   4	FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA	$70,415	$33.85	50
   5	New Jersey Institute of Technology	$64,317	$30.92
   6	Quidel	$59,737	$28.72
   7	Sanmina	$55,538	$26.70	11
   8	Thermo Fisher Scientific	$49,933	$24.01	92
   9	Iovance Biotherapeutics	$49,789	$23.94	1
   10	CTG	$43,510	$20.92
   11	P&G	$43,110	$20.73	24
   12	James Avery Artisan Jewelry	$39,779	$19.12	1
   13	Westerwood	$38,573	$18.54
   14	Randstad North America, Inc.	$36,385	$17.49
   15	Glaukos	$35,705	$17.17	3
   16	NSK Americas, Inc.	$35,156	$16.90	5
   17	American Red Cross	$34,735	$16.70	18
   18	Fujifilm Holdings America Corporation	$33,737	$16.22	24
   19	ERYTECH Pharma	$33,350	$16.03	1
   20	PDS Tech	$33,219	$15.97	1

4. Writing a manufacturing lead technician job description

   A job description for a manufacturing lead 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 manufacturing lead technician job description:

   Manufacturing lead technician job description example

   Quidel's mission is to provide patients with immediate and frequent access to highly accurate, affordable testing for the good of our families, our communities and the world. We are a leading manufacturer of point of care diagnostic solutions. Quidel's comprehensive product portfolio includes tests for a wide range of infectious diseases, cardiac and autoimmune biomarkers, as well as a host of products to detect COVID-19.
   
   We are excited to announce that Quidel Corporation is now becoming QuidelOrtho! This transaction will bring together two world-class teams and complementary product portfolios to serve patients around the world. During this transition period, we encourage you to continue visiting our career site and also check out more career opportunities at Careers at Ortho Clinical Diagnostics | Ortho Clinical Diagnostics jobs Join our journey as we become one global diagnostics leader!
   
   Under minimal supervision, this position is responsible for a variety of assembly and non-assembly functions in support of manufacturing goals. This position is responsible for following all GMP's, safety, manufacturing and quality system procedures directly related to the manufacturing process and filling out the required supporting documentation associated with the products produced.
   #LI-AH1
   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:Responsible for completing set-up operations and maintenance for assembly, packaging and prep operations in compliance with approved documentation and QSR. This will include but not limited to line clearance, inspection, bulk packaging, sampling, product measurement and testing, equipment cleaning and maintenance, and housekeeping Responsible for providing on-going training and guidance for other manufacturing technicians and operators Responsible for the ongoing FDA/ ISO compliant, cost-effective manufacture of specific products or sub-products Responsible for the fulfillment of daily/ weekly production schedules. Responsible for ensuring that the manufacturing processes are set-up and operating in accordance with established procedures Responsible for performing quality checks throughout the manufacturing process Responsible for the completion and accuracy of documentation associated with the manufacturing runs and equipment maintenance May be required to comprehensively review documents and sign for final review check Responsible to organize, schedule and lead other technicians and/or operators in daily manufacturing tasks; ensure compliance with safety, Lean Initiatives, quality and manufacturing procedures Responsible for recognizing/trouble shooting product and or equipment problems that arise during the manufacturing process Responsible for supporting new equipment installation and validation May act in a supervisory role when supervisor is absent Works on assignments that are complex in nature where considerable judgment and initiative are required in resolving problems and making recommendations Responsible for Lean Initiatives, e.g. Kaizen event leader, etc.Manages performance of staff towards department and Company goals, including feedback on performance Carries out duties in compliance with established business policies.Perform other duties & projects as assigned.
   Education and ExperienceHigh school diploma or equivalent required4-6 year of related experience required. 2 of those years in a Lead capacity preferred
   Skills and KnowledgeKnowledgeable of federal and other regulations, e.g. QSR's, ISO, ISO 13485, CMDRExperience with semi-automated equipment required Knowledge of MS Office and software systems used in manufacturing required Ability to perform manufacturing operations with a high degree of quality, skill, and efficiency. Basic understanding of manufacturing systems (documentation, compliance, inventory control, production scheduling/ controls) Solid understanding of the product and manufacturing processes Strong knowledge of GMP, Documentation PracticesDemonstrates commitment to the development, implementation and effectiveness of Quidel Quality Management System per ISO, FDA and other regulatory agencies.Demonstrates commitment to the development, implementation and effectiveness of Quidel Quality Management System per ISO, FDA, and other regulatory agencies.Understands and is aware of the quality consequences which may occur from the improper performance of their specific job. Has awareness of device defects that may occur in their area of responsibility, including product design, verification and validation, manufacturing and testing activities.
   Before you apply, please make sure you share Quidel' s values. We pride ourselves on keeping these values in mind every day as we execute on goals and plan for the future. We are seeking employees who share the same mindset and commitment to be customer driven, focused on execution, and new product oriented. We succeed by being determined, optimistic team players.
   
   Quidel is proud to be an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer (Minorities/Women/Disabled/Veterans). We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting manufacturing lead 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.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 manufacturing lead technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the manufacturing lead technician 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 equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new manufacturing lead 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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