Manufacturing Technician Job Description: Duties, Template & Pay (2026)
A manufacturing technician keeps a production process running to spec: setting up and adjusting equipment, testing product at set points in the process, collecting data, troubleshooting quality and efficiency problems, and writing the procedures operators follow. It sits between production operators and engineers. The same job is often posted as process technician, and some plants use either title for a senior operator. This page has a manufacturing technician job description template, the process technician version, the FDA training rules for regulated plants, pay and interview questions.
What a manufacturing technician does
A manufacturing technician owns the process more than any one machine. They set up and qualify equipment, monitor and adjust it for quality and output, test product at stages in the process, investigate defects, and turn what they learn into better procedures and training for operators. In some plants they also support new product introductions, running trials and prototypes with the engineers.
BLS does not publish a separate occupation with this exact title. The closest match is industrial engineering technologists and technicians (SOC 17-3026), who, as BLS describes them, help engineers solve manufacturing and production problems. O*NET's sample of reported job titles for the occupation includes engineering technician, industrial technician, manufacturing coordinator and PLC technician. Pay and employment figures on this page describe that occupation.
Manufacturing technician duties
From O*NET's task list for industrial engineering technologists and technicians:
- Set up and operate production equipment in accordance with current good manufacturing practices and standard operating procedures
- Monitor and adjust production processes or equipment for quality and productivity
- Test selected products at specified stages in the production process for performance or adherence to specifications
- Calibrate or adjust equipment using tools such as calipers, micrometers and height gauges
- Compile and evaluate statistical data to maintain product quality and reliability
- Recommend corrective or preventive actions to assure or improve product quality
- Identify opportunities to improve quality, cost or efficiency of automation equipment
- Prepare production documents such as standard operating procedures, batch records and productivity reports
- Oversee equipment start-up, characterization, qualification or release
- Assist engineers in developing, building or testing prototypes, new products and processes
- Provide advice or training to other technicians and operators
Requirements and the training rules in regulated plants
There is no license for manufacturing technicians. BLS says workers in the occupation need “an associate's degree or a postsecondary certificate to enter the occupation,” offered through vocational–technical schools, technical institutes and community colleges. Many plants also promote experienced operators into the role.
If you make drugs or food, federal rules set a training floor that belongs in the posting and in onboarding.
- Drug manufacturing, 21 CFR 211.25(a): “Each person engaged in the manufacture, processing, packing, or holding of a drug product shall have education, training, and experience, or any combination thereof, to enable that person to perform the assigned functions.” Training must cover the employee's particular operations and current good manufacturing practice, and “shall be conducted by qualified individuals on a continuing basis and with sufficient frequency to assure that employees remain familiar with CGMP requirements applicable to them.”
- Food manufacturing, 21 CFR 117.4(b): each individual engaged in manufacturing, processing, packing or holding food, “including temporary and seasonal personnel,” or in the supervision thereof, must be a qualified individual and “Receive training in the principles of food hygiene and food safety, including the importance of employee health and personal hygiene, as appropriate to the food, the facility and the individual's assigned duties.”
In both cases, the rule is about training and documentation, not a credential at hire. You can hire someone without GMP experience as long as you train them and keep the records. This is general information, not legal advice.
Manufacturing technician job description template
Copy this into your ATS or job board, replace the bracketed fields and delete what does not apply. It is written for a process-owning technician on a production floor; the variations below cover process technician and regulated-plant versions.
Job title
Manufacturing Technician [/ Process Technician], [Shift], [Company name], [City, ST]
Summary
[Company name] makes [product] in [city]. We are hiring a manufacturing technician to keep our [line / cell / process] running to spec: setting up and adjusting equipment, testing product, solving quality problems with our engineers and training operators on the procedures you help write. You will report to the [manufacturing engineer / production manager] on [shift].
[Schedule and start time]. [Pay range]. [One sentence on what is good about working here.]
What you will do
• Set up, adjust and changeover [equipment] to procedures and specifications
• Test and measure product at set points using [gauges / test equipment]
• Monitor process data and act on trends before they become scrap
• Investigate defects and downtime, and recommend corrective actions
• Write and update standard operating procedures and work instructions
• Train operators on setup, quality checks and procedures
• Support trials, new product introductions and equipment qualification
• Follow [GMP / food safety / ISO] and plant safety requirements
What you need
• Associate's degree or certificate in [manufacturing / engineering technology / electronics / mechatronics], or [2+] years as a lead or senior operator
• Comfort with measuring tools: [calipers, micrometers, gauges]
• Basic computer skills for data entry, spreadsheets and [MES / ERP]
• Clear written documentation
• Able to [stand for the shift, lift 35 lb, wear required PPE]
Nice to have
• Statistical process control or problem-solving methods experience
• PLC or HMI familiarity
• Experience in a [GMP / FDA-regulated / ISO-certified] plant
What we offer
• [Pay range], [shift differential]
• [Benefits and eligibility date]
• [Tuition help]
• [Path: senior technician, process engineer]
How to apply
[One step. Say how fast you respond.]
Requirements: what to ask for, and what to drop
| Requirement | What to know |
|---|---|
| Associate's degree | BLS names it as the typical entry-level education. Accept lead-operator experience as an equivalent, or you shut out your own best internal candidates. |
| GMP or FDA experience | Nice to have. The rules require you to train people in GMP; they do not require experience at hire. |
| Measuring tools | Keep it, and ask about the specific tools you use. It is a quick, fair screen. |
| Statistics or Six Sigma certification | Drop it as a requirement for a technician. Ask instead whether they have used charts or data to fix a problem. |
| Bachelor's degree | Drop it. That is the engineer's requirement, and it pushes candidates toward engineering jobs. |
| Shift | State it. Technicians are often needed on every shift, and off-shift coverage decides who applies. |
Process technician job description
Process technician is a common alternative title, and in many plants it is the same job. Where the two differ, the process technician is focused on one continuous or batch process, such as molding, extrusion, chemical mixing, coating or semiconductor fabrication, and on the settings that control it: temperatures, pressures, speeds, recipes.
To adjust the template: name the process and the equipment in the title line (“Process Technician, Injection Molding”), move process parameters and recipe control to the top of the duties, and add start-up and shutdown of the process. In chemical and continuous-process plants, the role can be closer to a senior operator on a rotating 12-hour schedule; say so plainly. The production operator job description covers the operator role these technicians often come from.
Customizing it by setting
Medical device and pharmaceutical plants
Lead with documentation discipline: batch records, deviations and following procedures exactly. Mention cleanroom gowning if it applies. Quote the training commitment, since the rules require it anyway.
Food and beverage
Sanitation, changeovers and food safety training. Name the shift rotation and whether weekends are required.
Electronics and semiconductors
Test equipment, fine-pitch inspection, cleanroom work and equipment qualification. Ask for electronics coursework rather than general mechanical experience.
Automotive and metal parts
Changeovers, gauging and fixtures, often supporting robotic cells. The robotics technician job description covers the automation-heavy version of the role.
What manufacturing technicians earn
Industrial engineering technologists and technicians had a median wage of $66,120 a year, or $31.79 an hour, in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,300 and the highest 10 percent more than $99,150.
| Industry (May 2025) | Median annual wage |
|---|---|
| Chemical manufacturing | $78,100 |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | $74,380 |
| Transportation equipment manufacturing | $71,160 |
| Computer and electronic product manufacturing | $63,140 |
| Machinery manufacturing | $62,310 |
BLS counted 76,700 jobs in the occupation in 2025 and projects employment to grow 3 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 6,600 openings a year. Transportation equipment manufacturing and computer and electronic product manufacturing each employ 15 percent of these technicians. These figures cover engineering-support technicians; if your role is closer to a senior operator, compare against local operator pay as well.
Interview questions for a manufacturing technician
These six questions test problem solving, documentation habits and how the candidate works with operators.
1. Tell me about a quality problem you found and fixed. How did you find the cause?
A good answer walks through data, checking the obvious first, testing one change at a time and confirming the fix held. “We adjusted it until it worked” is weak.
2. An operator is skipping a step in the procedure because it slows them down. What do you do?
Look for listening first (the step may be wrong), then either fixing the procedure properly or coaching the operator, and documenting it. Candidates who go straight to discipline, or who shrug, are both concerns.
3. Which measuring tools and test equipment have you used, and how do you know a gauge is reading right?
Specific tools, calibration stickers and checking against a standard are good signs.
4. Walk me through a changeover you have done. How do you make sure the first parts are good?
Listen for setup sheets, first-piece inspection and sign-off before running.
5. Have you written a work instruction? What makes one good?
Good answers mention short steps, pictures, being written with the operator, and being updated when the process changes.
6. What would you do if a change you recommended made things worse?
Strong candidates roll it back, tell the engineer and operators, document it and learn why. Hiding it is the red flag in regulated plants.
What it costs to reach a manufacturing technician
Manufacturing and process technicians fall in the technician / mechanic role family in our 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark. On Meta it ran a median cost per applicant of $13.41, with the middle half of campaigns between $7.40 and $23.58, a blended figure of $8.35 and a 16 percent apply rate. If your role is really a senior operator, the warehouse / production family is closer: a $9.83 median at a 20 percent apply rate. The all-role median is $13.88. That is cost per applicant, not cost per hire.
Apply rate explains 70 percent of the variation in cost per applicant across the benchmark. Keep the form to a few disqualifying questions and call back quickly. See the full benchmark data.
The job description is not the job ad
The template is the document for your files and audits. The ad has to reach an operator who is ready for the next step, or a technician at the plant down the road.
- Lead with the title that fits, the pay and the shift.
- Say what the plant makes and the process. “Process technician, injection molding, days” gets the right people to stop.
- If you promote operators into the role or will train on GMP, say so; it widens the pool.
- Keep the form short and call back the same day.
More on the hiring side is in production recruiting and manufacturing interview questions.
Frequently asked questions
What does a manufacturing technician do?
A manufacturing technician keeps a production process running to specification. They set up and adjust equipment, test product at stages in the process, collect and review process data, investigate defects and downtime, recommend corrective actions, write standard operating procedures and train operators. Many also support engineers with trials, new products and equipment qualification.
What is a process technician?
A process technician is responsible for one production process, such as molding, extrusion, mixing or coating, and the settings that control it: temperatures, pressures, speeds and recipes. They start up and adjust the process, monitor quality and troubleshoot problems. In many plants the title is used interchangeably with manufacturing technician.
What is the difference between a manufacturing technician and a production operator?
A production operator runs equipment to produce product. A manufacturing technician owns how the process runs: setting up and qualifying equipment, testing product, solving quality problems, writing procedures and training operators. In some plants the technician title is used for a senior operator, so say in the posting which job you mean.
How much does a manufacturing technician make?
BLS does not publish a manufacturing technician wage under that title. The closest occupation, industrial engineering technologists and technicians, had a median of $66,120 a year, or $31.79 an hour, in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,300 and the highest 10 percent more than $99,150.
What qualifications does a manufacturing technician need?
No license is required. BLS says industrial engineering technicians need an associate's degree or a postsecondary certificate to enter the occupation. Many plants accept experience as a lead or senior operator instead, plus skill with measuring tools, clear documentation and basic computer skills. Regulated plants add GMP or food safety training after hire.
Do manufacturing technicians need GMP training?
In FDA-regulated drug plants, yes. 21 CFR 211.25(a) requires training in the employee's particular operations and in current good manufacturing practice, conducted by qualified individuals on a continuing basis. Food plants must train workers in food hygiene and food safety under 21 CFR 117.4. The rules require training, not prior experience at hire.
What skills should I look for in a process technician?
Look for a structured way of solving problems, comfort with process data, experience with the specific process or equipment you run, measuring and test equipment skills, and good documentation habits. The ability to explain a change to operators and get them to follow a new procedure matters as much as technical skill.
What interview questions should I ask a manufacturing technician?
Ask about a quality problem they found and fixed, what they would do if an operator skipped a procedure step, which measuring tools they use and how they check a gauge, how they verify first parts after a changeover, what makes a good work instruction, and how they handled a change that made things worse.
Is there a certification for manufacturing technicians?
No certification is legally required. Associate's degrees and postsecondary certificates in engineering or manufacturing technology are the usual training, and industry certifications exist. Rather than require one, ask for the skills behind it and, in regulated plants, train new technicians on GMP or food safety yourself as the federal rules require.
How much does it cost to recruit a manufacturing technician?
On Meta, the technician and mechanic role family in Boostpoint's 2026 benchmark ran a median of $13.41 per applicant, with the middle half of campaigns between $7.40 and $23.58 and a 16 percent apply rate. For operator-level roles the warehouse and production family ran a $9.83 median. Both are cost per applicant, not cost per hire.
Related job descriptions
Hiring manufacturing technicians?
The description is the document. Getting it in front of technicians and experienced operators near your plant is the part we do.
Wage, employment and projection data for industrial engineering technologists and technicians (SOC 17-3026): U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified 27 August 2026; wages are May 2025 OEWS, projections 2025–35. Tasks and reported job titles: O*NET OnLine 17-3026.00. Training rules: 21 CFR 211.25 and 21 CFR 117.4 on eCFR. General information, not legal advice. Cost-per-applicant and apply-rate figures: Boostpoint 2026 Social Job Advertising Benchmark, 891 managed campaigns and 1,334 campaign-months. Read at source 24 September 2026.