How to hire a manufacturing test technician

How to hire a manufacturing test technician, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The manufacturing test technician 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

   A manufacturing test technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, manufacturing test technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents manufacturing test technician salaries for various positions.

   Type of Manufacturing Test Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Manufacturing Test Technician	Electrical and electronics engineering technicians help engineers design and develop computers, communications equipment, medical monitoring devices, navigational equipment, and other electrical and electronic equipment. They often work in product evaluation and testing, using measuring and diagnostic devices to adjust, test, and repair equipment... Show more	$16-35
   Technical Testing Engineer	A technical testing engineer is responsible for inspecting and reporting the quality of products across the production cycle. You will thoroughly check procedures, materials, and electrical and mechanical systems to produce high-quality products for customers... Show more	$29-60
   Instrument And Controls Technician	An instrument and controls technician is responsible for checking and inspecting the condition of production equipment and machinery, ensuring its stability to support business functions and manufacturing processes. Instrument and control technicians study schematics and blueprints of system components to assemble parts and analyze its features for measurement... Show more	$23-41

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Test Equipment
   • RF
   • Hand Tools
   • Test Data
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Test Procedures
   • Circuit Boards
   • QA
   • Power Meters
   • R
   • Test Results
   • Level Troubleshooting
   • ISO
   • Product Line

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Install and manage windows applications for the user, maintain servers and manage help desk operations.
   • Test, troubleshoot analog and digital microprocessor circuits to component level, update production to meet current revision requirements.
   • Design and test various prototype boards incorporating PIC Microcontrollers.

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, manufacturing test technicians' average salary in tennessee is 46% less than in hawaii.
   • Seniority. Entry-level manufacturing test technicians 52% less than senior-level manufacturing test technicians.
   • Certifications. A manufacturing test technician 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 manufacturing test technician's salary.

   Average manufacturing test technician salary

   $51,360yearly

   $24.69 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level manufacturing test technician salary

   $35,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 28, 2025

4. Writing a manufacturing test technician job description

   A good manufacturing test technician 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 manufacturing test technician job description:

   Manufacturing test technician job description example

   Infinera is the global supplier of innovative networking solutions. Our customers include the leading service providers, data center operators, internet content providers (ICPs), cable operators, enterprises, and government agencies worldwide, including 9 of the top 10 Tier 1 service providers and 6 of the top 7 ICPs. We design, develop and deliver hardware and software for fiber-based connectivity solutions that span access, aggregation, metro, long haul, and submarine network. Our industry-leading, trendsetting edge-to-core solutions provide the foundation for many of the world's largest and most demanding networks that generate billions in service revenue for our customers.
   Title: PIC Manufacturing Test Technician
   Location: Sunnyvale, CA
   
   Summary
   Individual contributor technician position responsible for building and maintaining optical device characterization systems during the pilot production and manufacturing phases of photonic integrated circuits
   
   Essential Functions / Key Responsibilities
   Full tool maintenance responsibilities for multiple device characterization test stations, including station build, quality control using statistical process control, standard maintenance, and custom troubleshooting and repair Work with the engineering team to implement hardware enhancements Work with operations team to develop and transfer operational procedures Responsible for tool quality and availability and supporting production
   
   Education / Experience
   Two-year College AA degree / trade school certificates and 3 ~5 years direct manufacturing test experiences in photonics, or laser-optics, or optical network, or semiconductor industry;or B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or Applied Physics
   
   Knowledge / Skills /Abilities
   Experiences in maintaining, troubleshooting, and repairing automated test equipment Strong work ethic and commitment to quality are essential Ability to work within a team environment is essential Working knowledge of statistical process control and station repeatability metrics / methodologies is preferred Working knowledge of standard passive and active optical device characterization is preferred
   Please note that Infinera has adopted a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy to safeguard the health and well-being of our employees. As a condition of employment, our employees are required to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless a reasonable accommodation for a medical/disability or religious basis is approved or as otherwise required by law. Candidates are not required to and must not furnish proof of vaccination or request an accommodation during the application process. Candidates will be required to do so only after a job offer has been extended and prior to their start date if they accept the job offer. A person is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if the person has received one dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine or two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine and two weeks have passed since receiving the final dose of the vaccine.
   
   #LI-SR2
   Infinera is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Infinera complies with all applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right manufacturing test 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 test technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit manufacturing test 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 test technician job on Zippia to find and recruit manufacturing test 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 manufacturing test 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 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 manufacturing test technician

   Once you've found the manufacturing test 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 manufacturing test 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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