Post job

How to hire a production associate

Production associate hiring summary. Here are some key points about hiring production associates in the United States:

  • There are a total of 280,490 production associates in the US, and there are currently 78,874 job openings in this field.
  • The median cost to hire a production associate is $1,633.
  • Small businesses spend $1,105 per production associate on training each year, while large companies spend $658.
  • It takes between 36 and 42 days to fill the average role in the US.
  • It takes approximately 12 weeks for a new employee to reach full productivity levels.
  • HR departments typically allocate 15% of their budget towards recruitment efforts.
  • Dallas, TX, has the highest demand for production associates, with 39 job openings.

How to hire a production associate, step by step

To hire a production associate, you need to identify the specific skills and experience you want in a candidate, allocate a budget for the position, and advertise the job opening to attract potential candidates. To hire a production associate, you should follow these steps:

Here's a step-by-step production associate hiring guide:

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

What does a production associate do?

The responsibilities of a Production Associate vary according to their chosen line of industry or work. A Production Associate is usually assigned to quality control in a Manufacturing setting, wherein they are required to oversee the process, materials, and workforce involved in each operation, ensuring they adhere to the standards and policies of the company. Furthermore, they must coordinate with other personnel or departments through daily reports, monitor the progress of activities, raise detected issues to managers, follow every protocol, and maintain necessary documentation.

Learn more about the specifics of what a production associate does
jobs
Post a production associate job for free, promote it for a fee
  1. Identify your hiring needs

    Before you start hiring a production associate, 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?

    A production associate's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, production associates 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.

    Here's a comparison of production associate salaries for various roles:

    Type of Production AssociateDescriptionHourly rate
    Production Associate$12-19
    Line OperatorA 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
    Manufacturing OperatorA 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
  2. Create an ideal candidate profile

    Common skills:
    • Basic Math
    • Customer Service
    • Math
    • Hand Tools
    • Pallets
    • Pallet Jack
    • Work Ethic
    • Assembly Line
    • Safety Procedures
    • Safety Rules
    • Quality Standards
    • Sales Floor
    • Quality Checks
    • Safety Standards
    Check all skills
    Responsibilities:
    • Accomplish collating training for revisions and charts.
    • Create template tool using HTML and JavaScript to assist change incorporation team with rapid planning deployment and reduce cost per job.
    • Follow safety regulations relating to OSHA or other company-relate regulations.
    • Support stringent cleanliness standards for production equipment and manufacturing space.
    • Maintain computer knowledge of basic applications such as PowerPoint and InDesign, and copier-specific software applications.
    • Create style guides, scripts and CSS files.
    More production associate duties
  3. Make a budget

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

    • Location. For example, production associates' average salary in rhode island is 30% less than in alaska.
    • Seniority. Entry-level production associates 38% less than senior-level production associates.
    • Certifications. A production associate 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 production associate's salary.

    Average production associate salary

    $15.60hourly

    $32,439 yearly

    Entry-level production associate salary
    $25,000 yearly salary
    Updated January 14, 2026

    Average production associate salary by state

    RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
    1Washington$36,828$18
    2North Dakota$36,743$18
    3Nevada$36,231$17
    4California$35,530$17
    5Wisconsin$35,396$17
    6Oregon$35,335$17
    7New York$34,462$17
    8Minnesota$34,453$17
    9Ohio$33,695$16
    10Nebraska$33,584$16
    11Colorado$33,321$16
    12Arizona$33,009$16
    13Utah$32,790$16
    14Kentucky$32,638$16
    15Michigan$32,514$16
    16Massachusetts$32,344$16
    17Indiana$32,326$16
    18Illinois$32,237$16
    19Tennessee$31,795$15
    20Missouri$31,468$15

    Average production associate salary by company

    RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rateJob openings
    1Bunge$40,715$19.5722
    2American Woodmark$39,755$19.1115
    3University of California-Berkeley$39,633$19.05
    4Commercial Metals$39,519$19.00
    5Olympic Steel$39,158$18.834
    6The Clorox Company$38,859$18.6813
    7General Electric$38,811$18.6655
    8Armstrong World Industries$38,659$18.5913
    9SenesTech$38,444$18.48
    10Koch Foods$38,418$18.476
    11Qep$38,401$18.461
    12Hoffmann-LA Roche Inc$38,324$18.43
    13Owens Corning$38,255$18.3916
    14PPG$38,227$18.3813
    15Reynolds American$38,207$18.372
    16Heinen's Grocery Store$38,164$18.352
    17Land O'Lakes$38,158$18.3539
    18Schreiber Foods$38,061$18.3012
    19Reckitt Benckiser$38,007$18.272
    20US Foods$37,952$18.2513
  4. Writing a production associate job description

    A production associate 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 production associate job description:

    Production associate job description example

    Salary for this position is $18.00 hr.

    **New location coming soon**

    6550 N. Loop 1604 East San Antonio Tx 78247

    Are you curious, motivated, and forward-thinking? At FIS you’ll have the opportunity to work on some of the most challenging and relevant issues in financial services. Our talented people empower us, and we believe in being part of a team that is open, collaborative, entrepreneurial, passionate and above all fun.

    About the team

    Our team of Card Production Associates are great to work with, and we have an awesome team of management professionals who are there to help guide you to success. We believe our clients are the most important aspect of our business. Our determination to be the best that FIS has to offer rings true with each team member through training, knowledge and a desire to excel.

    What you will be doing

    You’ll be working in a production environment where you’ll be responsible for the production of cards used in the financial world for the processing of payments and credit transactions. You’ll work with some of the most advanced card sorting and operations equipment on the market. Other duties and responsibilities will be assigned as needed.

    Operate production machines, inserters, printers and other general office equipment

    • Set up equipment, load materials and ensure malfunctions are cleared and production continues

    • Maintains productivity on all systems and delivers a quality product while meeting all production deadlines

    • Must be able to work with ease at repetitive task

    What you bring:

    • Some card production experience is preferred but not necessary

    • The ability to be flexible and able to change in work duties and to work in a fast-paced environment

    • High school diploma or GED required

    Able to work 3 day 12 hour shifts with 3 days on and 4 days off

    • Have the ability to work some overtime when needed

    What we offer you

    •A competitive salary with attractive benefits including private medical and dental coverage insurance

    •A multifaceted job with a high degree of responsibility and a broad spectrum of opportunities

    •A modern work environment and a dedicated and motivated team

    •A broad range of professional education and personal development opportunities

    •A work environment built on collaboration and respect

    .

    Privacy Statement

    FIS is committed to protecting the privacy and security of all personal information that we process in order to provide services to our clients. For specific information on how FIS protects personal information online, please see the Online Privacy Notice.

    EEOC Statement

    FIS is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, genetic information, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other protected characteristics. The EEO is the Law poster is available here supplement document available here


    For positions located in the US, the following conditions apply. If you are made a conditional offer of employment, you will be required to undergo a drug test. ADA Disclaimer: In developing this job description care was taken to include all competencies needed to successfully perform in this position. However, for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) purposes, the essential functions of the job may or may not have been described for purposes of ADA reasonable accommodation. All reasonable accommodation requests will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

    Sourcing Model

    Recruitment at FIS works primarily on a direct sourcing model; a relatively small portion of our hiring is through recruitment agencies. FIS does not accept resumes from recruitment agencies which are not on the preferred supplier list and is not responsible for any related fees for resumes submitted to job postings, our employees, or any other part of our company.

    #pridepass

  5. Post your job

    To find the right production associate 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 production associates they would recommend.
    • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit production associates 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 production associate job on Zippia to find and recruit production associate candidates who meet your exact specifications.
    • Use field-specific websites.
    • Post a job on free websites.
  6. Interview candidates

    Recruiting production associates 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 production associate

    Once you have selected a candidate for the production associate 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 production associate 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

How much does it cost to hire a production associate?

Recruiting production associates involves both the one-time costs of hiring and the ongoing costs of adding a new employee to your team. Your spending during the hiring process will mostly be on things like promoting the job on job boards, reviewing and interviewing candidates, and onboarding the new hire. Ongoing costs will obviously involve the employee's salary, but also may include things like benefits.

The median annual salary for production associates is $32,439 in the US. However, the cost of production associate hiring can vary a lot depending on location. Additionally, hiring a production associate for contract work or on a per-project basis typically costs between $12 and $19 an hour.

Find better production associates in less time
Post a job on Zippia and hire the best from over 7 million monthly job seekers.

Hiring production associates FAQs

Search for production associate jobs

Ready to start hiring?

Browse production and manufacturing jobs