How to hire a production test technician

How to hire a production test technician, step by step

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

What does a production test technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a production test technician, 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?

   Yes

   No

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

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

   Type of Production Test Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Production 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	$14-25
   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:

   • Production Test
   • Hand Tools
   • RF
   • Test Results
   • Technical Problems
   • Test Procedures
   • Technical Reports
   • Production Equipment
   • Test Specifications
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • ESD
   • PC
   • Test Data
   • Test Fixtures

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Install and manage windows applications for the user, maintain servers and manage help desk operations.
   • Perform test, troubleshooting and calibration of system PCB's.
   • Follow stringent FDA and ISO standards for testing and documentation.
   • Test, troubleshoot and rework a variety of PCB products in production environment.
   • Task require intimate knowledge of communication standards for both PC"and the test equipment.
   • Test and troubleshoot motion control systems, PC boards, SMT boards, amplifiers and power supplies.

   More production test technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the production test technician job description is a good way to get more applicants. A production test technician salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a production test technician in Kentucky may be lower than in Hawaii, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level production test technician. Additionally, a production test technician with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average production test technician salary

   $41,059yearly

   $19.74 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level production test technician salary

   $31,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average production test technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$51,607	$25
   2	California	$49,787	$24
   3	Virginia	$48,824	$23
   4	Texas	$43,733	$21
   5	North Carolina	$43,524	$21
   6	Colorado	$42,332	$20
   7	Ohio	$39,213	$19
   8	Oregon	$37,724	$18
   9	Wisconsin	$37,688	$18
   10	Washington	$37,542	$18
   11	Pennsylvania	$37,362	$18
   12	Florida	$36,956	$18
   13	Missouri	$36,753	$18
   14	Utah	$32,758	$16
   15	Alabama	$31,574	$15

   Average production test technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Sanmina	$53,053	$25.51	31
   2	Donatech	$52,308	$25.15
   3	AMETEK	$52,299	$25.14	24
   4	Supermicro	$50,761	$24.40	10
   5	Northrop Grumman	$49,802	$23.94	187
   6	Curtiss-Wright	$49,556	$23.82	36
   7	Astronics	$49,216	$23.66	20
   8	L3Harris	$48,586	$23.36	123
   9	Fortinet	$47,275	$22.73	1
   10	FLIR Systems	$46,885	$22.54	40
   11	ADTRAN	$46,714	$22.46	1
   12	Ichor Systems	$46,143	$22.18	2
   13	Fortive	$45,650	$21.95	11
   14	Rockwell Automation	$45,390	$21.82	6
   15	Ultra Electronics	$45,128	$21.70	11
   16	FormFactor	$44,833	$21.55	2
   17	Danaher	$44,544	$21.42	49
   18	North Atlantic Industries	$44,170	$21.24	5
   19	CMP	$43,856	$21.08
   20	Viasat	$43,672	$21.00	3

4. Writing a production test technician job description

   A good production 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 production test technician job description:

   Production test technician job description example

   1. Analyze and interpret schematic diagrams, blueprints, test procedures and sample data, troubleshoot down to component level, record test results and data, compare findings with specifications to ensure product conformity to design standards.
   2. Repair or rework products/components using advanced electrical-mechanical assembly and soldering methods.
   3. Collect, calculate and document test data and results to verify final results adhering to functional specifications.
   4. A part of New Product Introduction Team (NPI) to comprehend product requirements, take a part in prototype assembly and troubleshooting directly under engineering instruction, and facilitate in product transition to Production.
   5. Identify and communicate issues related to production quality, efficiency and effectiveness, coordinate with cross-department teams to finalize resolutions and participate in implementations.
   6. Assist Sr. Production Technician to accomplish system level repair/rework tasks or assembly, including reliable SMT component or microchip replacement as needed.

   POSITION REQUIREMENTS
   Experience Required : Minimum 3 years of direct working experience in a fast-paced, high-mix and low-volume electronic manufacturing environment.
   Education Required : Minimum requirement: Associate degree in Electrical Engineering or Technology, Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering or relevant field is preferred.
   Skills/Competencies : Organizational skills; Communication and Interpersonal skills; Self-motivated with results-driven approaches; comprehension of electric circuit boards, microprocessors, and computer hardware and software applications; Time Management and Problem-solving skills; capability of operating various test equipment and tools.
   Work Environment : Production Floor
   Physical Demands : Ability to operate production and office equipment, sit, stand, bend, reach and on occasion lift a maximum of 40 lbs.
   Training Requirements : IPC-610, OSHA, FOD, ESD, GHS Awareness, General Safety

   
   
   Job Posted by ApplicantPro
   

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit production test technicians, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   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 production test technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the production test 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 also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new production test technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

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 production test technician?