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What is a senior manufacturing technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
John Irwin EdD

Senior manufacturing technicians work for factories or industrial plants and are responsible for maintaining production machinery. They run assembly processes and monitor product quality. Documenting the results in detail according to company protocol is also their job.

Working in this position, you might be hired by a variety of industries, from automobile, or aircraft, to consumer electronics production, just to name a few. You will need mechanical as well as technical skills, as your job might have you using factory equipment, hand tools, or software for computer-operated production equipment.

The level of education you will need depends on the complexity of the tasks you will be hired to perform. Vocational training is the most likely expectation, with some places requiring engineering education. As a senior professional, however, you will have to prove ample working experience in the field. Average salaries for this position are around $25.79 an hour, adding up to $53,645 per year on average.

What general advice would you give to a senior manufacturing technician?

John Irwin EdDJohn Irwin EdD LinkedIn profile

Chair, Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Michigan Technological University

Engineering technology graduates are masters of technology, gaining a broad and deep understanding of the processes, systems, tools, and techniques necessary to construct, modify, operate, and maintain an engineering design. They act as technological integrators, bridging the gap between the skilled trades and engineering fundamentals. This is a great career path for those who enjoy engineering concepts but would rather spend time working with their hands solving specific technical issues than tackling broader, more complex design challenges.
ScoreSenior Manufacturing TechnicianUS Average
Salary
4.1

Avg. Salary $53,077

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.4

Growth rate 3%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.68%

Asian 11.66%

Black or African American 8.21%

Hispanic or Latino 16.06%

Unknown 4.85%

White 58.54%

Gender

female 19.23%

male 80.77%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress level
7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.4

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Senior manufacturing technician career paths

Key steps to become a senior manufacturing technician

  1. Explore senior manufacturing technician education requirements

    Most common senior manufacturing technician degrees

    Bachelor's

    44.7 %

    Associate

    37.7 %

    High School Diploma

    8.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior manufacturing technician skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Troubleshoot9.47%
    Harvest6.52%
    GMP5.00%
    Production Equipment4.67%
    Process Equipment4.66%
  3. Complete relevant senior manufacturing technician training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior manufacturing technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior manufacturing technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior manufacturing technician resumes.
  4. Research senior manufacturing technician duties and responsibilities

    • Manage unit operations HPLC, UFDF, centrifugation, and homogenization.
    • Manage a team of 16 technicians on all phases of the Fab start up: from process formation to manufacturing readiness.
    • Produce and prepare statistical process control documentation and reports for engineering evaluation in a GMP, FDA and ISO regulate environment.
    • Ensure procedural compliance; ISO9000, ESD, SPC, and OSHA regulations.
  5. Get senior manufacturing technician experience

    Generally, it takes 2-4 years to become a senior manufacturing technician. The most common roles before becoming a senior manufacturing technician include manufacturing technician, technician team lead and field service technician.
  6. Prepare your senior manufacturing technician resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior manufacturing technician resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior manufacturing technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable senior manufacturing technician resume templates

    Build a professional senior manufacturing technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior manufacturing technician resume.
    Senior Manufacturing Technician Resume
    Senior Manufacturing Technician Resume
    Senior Manufacturing Technician Resume
    Senior Manufacturing Technician Resume
    Senior Manufacturing Technician Resume
    Senior Manufacturing Technician Resume
    Senior Manufacturing Technician Resume
    Senior Manufacturing Technician Resume
    Senior Manufacturing Technician Resume
  7. Apply for senior manufacturing technician jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior manufacturing technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first senior manufacturing technician job

Zippi

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Average senior manufacturing technician salary

The average senior manufacturing technician salary in the United States is $53,077 per year or $26 per hour. Senior manufacturing technician salaries range between $38,000 and $73,000 per year.

Average senior manufacturing technician salary
$53,077 Yearly
$25.52 hourly

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Senior manufacturing technician reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019
Pros

Chemical procedure for making final product with approved formula Work with r&d people for validation batches

Cons

Nothing


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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