Once you’ve decided to join the manufacturing industry workforce, a world of opportunities is available to you. With so many brilliant minds and unique individuals needed to complete the job, there’s plenty of manufacturing job titles to choose from.
The manufacturing industry has a significant impact on the United States as one of the country’s top sectors. Every item that can be used or bought is manufactured somewhere, making it one of the most in-demand careers that employ over 12 million Americans. Several industries within the manufacturing world encompass most of the US’s gross domestic products, including food, beverages, coal, paper, oil, textiles, electronics, and many more.
In recent years, manufacturing job titles have gone up a substantial number, including a 1.7% jump to over 11 million jobs between 2017 and 2018. The value of shipments has also significantly increased, creating more demand for these types of employment. We’ve compiled a list of popular jobs for every experience level in the manufacturing industry. Continue reading to see our manufacturing job title picks.
*Disclaimer: All salaries and education levels can be found on Indeed.
Entry-Level Manufacturing Job Titles
In every manufacturing industry, there are certain roles that translate from business to business. These are entry-level manufacturing job titles that are essential for the everyday function of a manufacturing company. Let’s take a look at what these jobs entail and why they’re so significant industry-wide.
Production Worker
Production workers operate the production equipment and machines, control line processes, and assist the entire production process to completion. In this line of work, people are responsible for quality control checks of the items, delivering raw materials to the line workers, packaging finished products, and transporting them to the finished goods yard. They report to the Production Manager regularly.
In the production worker line, employees are expected to work safely and efficiently while keeping their area clean. They may also be asked to get certified to drive a forklift, fork truck, and other heavy equipment. Most often, no previous training or skills are required as they are taught on-site after getting hired.
Median salary: $33,830/year
Education level: High school diploma is not universally required but can be beneficial
Welder
Welders spend the majority of their days handling metal equipment and managing a variety of machinery. These individuals are responsible for cutting and welding together materials such as pipelines and automobile parts. Though interested candidates typically receive on-the-job training, it can be beneficial to have an eye for detail and the ability to read blueprints before starting a career with this manufacturing job title.
Median salary: $42,319/year
Education level: High school diploma or equivalent
Assembler
If you’ve ever wondered who places final products together, you’ll want to take a look at the assembler position. These manufacturing employees can typically be found in manufacturing plants, reading through instructions and carefully crafting final products. Since assemblers use designated tools and engineering machines in their day-to-day operations, it may be beneficial to have some background knowledge of these tools before applying.
Median salary: $31,649/year
Education level: High school diploma or equivalent
Quality Control Inspector
A crucial manufacturing job title is that of a quality control inspector. Before a product is released from the manufacturing plant, it must be checked to ensure that it is up to standards and follows all safety protocols. That’s where a quality control inspector steps in. These inspectors must have an eye for detail, a thorough understanding of each product, and be able to quickly problem-solve when a standard is not met.
Median salary: $47,633/year
Education level: High school diploma or equivalent
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
Automotive service technicians and mechanics have the duties of inspecting, maintaining, and repairing cars and light trucks. Many people who work in this department work in well-ventilated and well-lit repair shops using computers to fix automotive issues and tools with greasy parts. Many employers prefer that automotive service technicians and mechanics complete a postsecondary program to gain the skills needed for this workplace.
Some of the other duties that come with this career include repairing and replacing worn parts, following a checklist to ensure that all critical parts are examined, performing primary care and maintenance for vehicles, and identifying problems using computerized diagnostic equipment. This manufacturing position is also responsible for explaining automotive issues and repairs to their clients.
Median salary: $42,090/year
Education level: Postsecondary nondegree award
Material Moving Machine Operators
Material moving machine operators are responsible for using the machinery to transport various objects. Due to materials being shipped 24-hours per day, some operators work overnight shifts.
People under this manufacturing job title have many different duties: setting up and inspecting material moving equipment, moving material according to a plan or schedule, signaling workers to load, unload, and position materials, and making minor repairs to their equipment. Material moving machine operators can also operate forklifts and conveyor belts, but training and education are offered once hired.
Median salary: $36,770/year
Education level: High school diploma or equivalent
Mid-Level Manufacturing Job Titles
Mid-level manufacturing jobs may vary from industry to industry, but they typically require a higher level of education. However, these positions also have a higher rate of pay as well. We’ll discuss just a few mid-level manufacturing job titles below.
Robotics Technician
A robotics technician operates, configures, troubleshoots, and tests robotic equipment. Part of the job may require them to install a new robot and take responsibility for maintaining it, too. Robotics technicians also help with robotic design, production, and development of the company robots by collaborating with other engineers. Many people in this position work in technology, communications, and aerospace industries.
This job is a stable career that requires at least 40 hours a week. It is driven by the ever-changing world of technology, artificial intelligence, adaptive computing, and vision systems.
Median salary: $56,740/year
Education level: Associate’s degree in electrical engineering technology or mechanical engineering technology.
Line Installers and Repairers
Line installers and repairers fix and install electrical power systems and telecommunications cables, including fiber optics. People considering a career in this field should be aware that this job may require being exposed to severe hazards, including working with high-voltage electricity and extreme heights. A career as a line installer and repairer may be physically demanding; however, most employees work regular business hours with occasional nights, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
Other duties of an electrical line installer and repairer include testing and inspecting auxiliary equipment and power lines. The worker is also responsible for detecting any defective devices, switches, voltage regulators, and transformers.
Median salary: $65,700/year
Education level: High school diploma or equivalent
Production Planner Clerk
Production planner clerks are in charge of expediting the flow of work and materials between departments of an establishment according to a production schedule. Some of the duties of this position include reviewing and distributing production, work, and shipment schedules.
In addition to the above duties, a production planner clerk also calculates figures such as required amounts of labor and materials, costs, wages, using pricing schedules, adding machines and computers.
Median salary: $50,460/year
Education level: High school diploma or equivalent
Executive Manufacturing Job Titles
Engineers are the heart and soul of the manufacturing industry. They compile all of the research, use innovative brainstorming tactics to create new products, and build all necessary parts of the product. We’ll take a look at a few of the different roles engineers in executive manufacturing job titles play in the world of manufacturing.
Mechatronics Engineer
Mechanical engineers are the ones who design, develop, build, and run tests on mechanical and thermal sensors and devices. Many of these engineers work in regular offices and occasionally visit worksites elsewhere that have a problem or piece of equipment that requires attention.
Mechanical engineers work mainly in engineering services, research and development, and manufacturing.
Median salary: $88,430/year
Education level: Bachelor’s degree
Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical engineers are in charge of maintaining all the mechanical equipment throughout the manufacturing plant. They frequently run tests and inspections on all equipment to ensure that everything is running smoothly. If machinery malfunctions, mechanical engineers troubleshoot the problem and fix the equipment as quickly and efficiently as possible. This manufacturing job title requires a high level of skill and qualifications to effectively complete every task needed to keep a plant up and running.
Median salary: $80,262/year
Education level: Bachelor’s degree
Environmental Engineer
Environmental engineers create solutions to environmental problems by using engineering, soil science, biology, and chemistry. People in this career work in many different settings, such as offices and a construction site, due to the nature of the work.
Environmental engineers’ duties include designing technology for pollution control, collecting and analyzing data, studying human influences on the environment, and improving environmental conservation management. In addition, these types of engineers have also been known to write reports on their environmental investigations.
Median salary: $88,860/year
Education level: Bachelor’s degree
Computer Programmers
Computer programmers’ main tasks are writing and testing code that allows computer applications and software programs to function correctly. Programmers usually work in offices, most often in the computer systems design and related services industry.
A computer programmer’s duties are knowing computer languages, writing computer programs, updating computer programs, troubleshooting programs, testing software programs, and working together with other programmers.
Median salary: $86,550/year
Education level: Bachelor’s degree
Information Technology Manager
As IT gurus, Information Technology Managers are responsible for coordinating and implementing company-wide computer technology. Individuals with this manufacturing job title spend their days researching the best technologies for their industry and ensuring that the company’s current technology is up to date.
Median salary: $88,937/year
Education level: Bachelor’s degree
Want to learn how TruPath can help you find the most qualified manufacturing professionals? With plenty of experience in the manufacturing recruiting industry, we know just how to find the right candidates for you. Contact the TruPath team and discover a personalized recruiting solution that fits your needs.