How to hire a senior production associate

How to hire a senior production associate, step by step

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

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The senior production associate 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

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   Hiring the perfect senior production associate also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of senior production associates and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Senior Production Associate	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Production Associate		$17-44
   Leader	Leaders pave the way for a company to achieve certain goals. They are in charge of bringing the organization to greater heights... Show more	$23-73
   Lead Operator	Lead operators are responsible for the direction and supervision of the day-to-day activities in facilities. As machine operators, they control machines and take charge of industrial operations... Show more	$25-68

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Quality Standards
   • Hand Tools
   • Computer System
   • Lean Manufacturing
   • Quality Checks
   • Quality Procedures
   • GMP
   • Production Control
   • CNC
   • ISO
   • Customer Orders
   • Customer Specifications
   • QA
   • Production Schedules

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Lead targeted decision-making across fast-pace production operations for this growth-orient USDA food factory producing quality meat products.
   • Supervise and run production lines assuring quality in GMP codes and lot dates for food products.
   • Record data per run per BOM and FDA.
   • Utilize skills in molding, splicing and soldering and brazing.
   • Circulate packing and shipping manuals for instructions to agents and troubleshoot any issues.
   • Use JIRA to kick-off development tasks, track stages of production, kick off QA efforts, and document bugs.

   More senior production associate duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior production associates' average salary in alaska is 48% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior production associates earn 60% less than senior-level senior production associates.
   • Certifications. A senior production associate 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 senior production associate's salary.

   Average senior production associate salary

   $59,051yearly

   $28.39 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior production associate salary

   $37,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 23, 2026

   Average senior production associate salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$79,921	$38
   2	Massachusetts	$76,279	$37
   3	New York	$74,777	$36
   4	Texas	$64,189	$31
   5	North Carolina	$62,092	$30
   6	West Virginia	$61,236	$29
   7	South Carolina	$55,016	$26
   8	Missouri	$53,506	$26
   9	Virginia	$52,621	$25

   Average senior production associate salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	ORIX USA	$118,002	$56.73	5
   2	MSCI	$90,245	$43.39
   3	JPMorgan Chase & Co.	$82,555	$39.69	9
   4	Sigma-Aldrich	$80,454	$38.68
   5	Cummins	$75,471	$36.28	18
   6	Celanese	$70,431	$33.86	10
   7	New York Life Insurance	$65,536	$31.51
   8	Eaton	$62,018	$29.82	55
   9	AgReliant Genetics	$59,146	$28.44	7
   10	Robert Half	$59,125	$28.43	16
   11	University of Southern California	$58,381	$28.07
   12	Avantor	$58,293	$28.03	2
   13	L3Harris	$58,068	$27.92	27
   14	Cibus	$57,761	$27.77
   15	Raytheon Technologies	$57,706	$27.74	37
   16	Kelly Services	$55,478	$26.67	64
   17	Steve Madden	$51,167	$24.60	2
   18	Campbell University	$38,068	$18.30
   19	Bimbo Bakeries	$37,894	$18.22

4. Writing a senior production associate job description

   A job description for a senior production associate role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a senior production associate job description:

   Senior production associate job description example

   Candidate position is for a technician in Goleta, California, involved in the packaging of IR detectors for high reliability space, military and commercial applications. The successful candidate will train to become an operator in a variety of processes as assigned by management.
   
   Operators will train under a senior operator, operator lead, or process engineer depending on the skill set requirements and sensitivity of the operation involved. The successful candidate will work well with others and be able to effectively communicate in English with other operators, management/supervision, process engineers, and other support staff.
   
   Rigorous attention to detail and the ability to read and follow work instructions in English is required.
   
   A self-motivated, self-disciplined individual is the ideal candidate for this position. Ability to work with individuals and teams outside the department will be required. Tasks may include working with chemicals (epoxies, adhesives, solvents, etc.) and following rigorous disciplined methodologies and instructions. Operators will be expected to wear company provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and strictly follow all safety related processes, procedures, and protocols.
   
   Most work will be performed during normal shift hours, but occasional overtime and weekend support may be required in order to meet customer/program needs. The exact hours worked will be negotiated with the employee and management to obtain an acceptable work-life balance. This is a full-time (minimum 40 hours per week) position.
   This is a 2nd shift position.
   Required Skills:
   The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 4 years post high school work experience in a position requiring customer support, attention to detail and compliance with verbal and written direction from management. Operators are required to communicate in English and must be able to understand written and verbal instructions in English. Operators are required to wear Personal Protective Equipment (safety glasses, coveralls, latex or equivalent gloves, etc.) and be able to work extended periods of time in an environmentally controlled area. Other PPE may be assigned for special processes such as placing parts into or taking them out of a curing oven or working with cryogenic liquids. Safety training is provided by the company for all hazardous operations. All PPE will be provided by Raytheon and must be worn or used in accordance with company policies and practices.
   Operators must be able to use a microscope and small hand-held tools (tweezers, screw drivers, etc.), often using both hands at the same time. Additionally, tasks may require the ability to push a cart, extend arms above shoulder height, and be able to visually inspect small parts.
   The ability to use a computer to access work instructions, perform data entry, and complete on-line training is required.
   Desired Skills:
   Previous experience working in a cleanroom and around ESD sensitive parts is a plus. Understanding of FOD and FOD reduction methods and concerns would be a big plus.
   Prior work experience with adhesives is highly desired.
   Required Education:
   A high school diploma or GED is required for this position. Operators are required to communicate in English and be able to understand written and verbal instruction in English. Raytheon Technologies is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting senior 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.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete 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 senior production associate

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior 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 also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new senior production associate. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

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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