How to hire a process technician

How to hire a process technician, step by step

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

What does a process technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The process 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

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

   The following list breaks down different types of process technicians and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Process Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Process Technician	Industrial engineering technicians help industrial engineers implement designs to use personnel, materials, and machines effectively in factories, stores, healthcare organizations, repair shops, and offices. They prepare machinery and equipment layouts, plan workflows, conduct statistical production studies, and analyze production costs.	$14-24
   Manufacturing Operator	A manufacturing operator is primarily responsible for overseeing and controlling the performance of machines and equipment, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Their responsibilities revolve around monitoring production operations, conducting regular maintenance checks to ensure the accuracy and quality of machinery, performing corrective measures and adjustments as needed, and assessing the quality of finished products, all while adhering to deadlines and goals... Show more	$12-20
   Production Operator	A production operator is responsible for handling and monitoring manufacturing machines in a factory or similar establishment, ensuring that everything is running smoothly and according to schedule. Aside from assisting with the processing and packaging of goods, a production operator must also conduct necessary inspections to the machine or equipment that they are using to make sure that it is in good condition and is safe to use... Show more	$12-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Basic Math
   • Patients
   • OSHA
   • Math
   • Dexterity
   • Customer Service
   • Pathogens
   • Preventative Maintenance
   • Data Entry
   • Continuous Improvement
   • Specimen Handling
   • Safety Procedures
   • Quality Standards
   • Hand Tools

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage successful DCS upgrade projects.
   • Assist PMs in establishing effective project oversight and control, and in proactively identifying and managing project risks.
   • Manage a team of 16 technicians on all phases of the Fab start up: from process formation to manufacturing readiness.
   • Spearhead inspection and packaging equipment for pharmaceutical products per FDA regulations to achieve production goals ahead of schedule.
   • fire alarm system, air handlers, close loop chill water system, HVAC, and plumbing.
   • Programme VFDs, PLCs, HMI.

   More process technician duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, process technicians' average salary in south dakota is 39% less than in rhode island.
   • Seniority. Entry-level process technicians earn 41% less than senior-level process technicians.
   • Certifications. A process 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 process technician's salary.

   Average process technician salary

   $39,462yearly

   $18.97 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level process technician salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 20, 2025

   Average process technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$45,946	$22
   2	Illinois	$45,398	$22
   3	New Jersey	$44,889	$22
   4	Massachusetts	$44,734	$22
   5	Texas	$43,673	$21
   6	Washington	$42,933	$21
   7	Maryland	$42,733	$21
   8	Georgia	$42,028	$20
   9	Pennsylvania	$40,820	$20
   10	Colorado	$40,151	$19
   11	Michigan	$39,891	$19
   12	Oregon	$39,750	$19
   13	Kansas	$39,729	$19
   14	Missouri	$39,514	$19
   15	Oklahoma	$38,669	$19
   16	New York	$38,171	$18
   17	North Carolina	$37,313	$18
   18	Florida	$37,033	$18
   19	Nebraska	$36,962	$18
   20	Tennessee	$36,259	$17

   Average process technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	HP	$70,215	$33.76
   2	Everspin Technologies	$67,912	$32.65
   3	Photronics	$66,282	$31.87	9
   4	Jefferson Lab	$63,877	$30.71
   5	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$63,844	$30.69	16
   6	Dorsey & Whitney	$63,223	$30.40
   7	Transphorm	$62,650	$30.12
   8	Nektar Therapeutics	$62,213	$29.91
   9	Micron Technology	$60,058	$28.87	72
   10	Regeneron	$60,045	$28.87	9
   11	Lam Research	$59,914	$28.80	12
   12	Mccullough Hyde Memorial Hospital	$58,759	$28.25
   13	National Grid plc	$57,028	$27.42	1
   14	Chesapeake Regional Healthcare	$55,445	$26.66	2
   15	Applied Materials	$55,274	$26.57	80
   16	Church & Dwight Co.	$54,819	$26.36	4
   17	Ball	$54,254	$26.08	14
   18	OMNOVA Solutions	$54,184	$26.05
   19	FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies	$53,868	$25.90	17
   20	Integra LifeSciences	$53,104	$25.53	18

4. Writing a process technician job description

   A process 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. To help get you started, here's an example of a process technician job description:

   Process technician job description example

   Ingredion is hiring an Operating Technician who will be responsible to operate pilot scale equipment and follow technical instructions and basic laboratory procedures in support of Process Technology projects.
   Core Responsibilities:
   Support new product and process development by operating pilot scale equipment. Perform analytical tests independently and accurately.Recording accurate data and observations during batch processing.Carry out scheduled standardization and calibration of lab analytical equipment. Ensure that necessary laboratory supplies and equipment are available.Set up and operate pilot scale equipment of moderate complexity.Operate according to standard safety and GMP procedures/policies.Independently carry out assignments, review data for accuracy and communicate any concerns to batch owners.Effectively interact with batch owners and project teams through written and oral communications and maintain current understanding of overall project status.
   
   Qualified candidates will have:
   Associate degree in Chemistry, Bachelor's degree in a science discipline OR other appropriate technical qualification.Experience in operating process equipment on a lab, pilot or manufacturing scale. Have enthusiasm for pilot scale experiments and willingness to learn new skills.Strong commitment to understanding and following all safety rules and procedures.Ability to follow detailed processing and analytical procedures involving a sequence of related operations with minimal or no supervision.Computer skills with proficiency using MS Word and Excel.Strong communication skills both written and oral with attention to detail. Team player who can adapt to a dynamic work environment.Physically able to move drums and bags up to 75lbs around with hand trucks.Willing to work overtime occasionally during the week to complete experiments.Willingness to obtain certification to drive a forklift.Ability to pass respirator physical and respirator fit test and wear necessary Respirator equipment when need..
   
   Ingredion provides accommodations to job applicants with disabilities throughout the hiring process. If a job applicant requires an accommodation during the application process or through the selection process, we will work with the applicant to meet the job applicant's accommodation needs.
   #LI-JG1
   We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, military status, or disability status.
   
   Relocation Available:
   No

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right process 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 process technician job on Zippia to find and recruit process technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting process 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.

   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 process technician

   Once you've found the process 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 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 process 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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How much does it cost to hire a process technician?