9 of the Most Popular Manufacturing Jobs

These Manufacturing jobs have salaries between $23,500 and $93,500 per year.

Types of Manufacturing Jobs

• Mechanical Engineer

  Salary range: $66,000-$93,500 per year

  Mechanical engineering refers to one of the broadest areas in the engineering industry. These workers spend their time researching, designing, developing, building, testing, and inspecting mechanical devices. The devices a mechanical engineer works on may include engines, tools, thermal sensors, and large machinery apparatus.

• Instrument Technician

  Salary range: $39,500-$69,500 per year

  An instrument technician inspects, tests, calibrates, and repairs monitors devices. Instrument technicians closely observe readings of various devices using scientific and analytic software. Instruments may range from electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, or nuclear devices. This position requires a high school diploma, but an associate’s degree or higher is preferred.

• Cad Draftsman

  Salary range: $39,500-$51,500 per year

  A computer-aided design (CAD) draftsman is someone who utilizes CAD software to create plans and schematics for engineers, architects, and product manufacturers. CAD draftsmen collaborate with engineers to transform designs into technical drawings and must have outstanding listening and collaboration skills. A certificate in CAD drafting or an associate’s degree is preferred.

• Plant Operator

  Salary range: $33,500-$50,000 per year

  A plant operator is a supervisor who works in an industrial setting, usually in the oil, gas, or electricity industries. A plant operator should have significant experience in their field and be very safety conscious. Their job is to oversee the entire operation and ensure machines are working properly and employees are as productive as possible while remaining safe.

• Cnc Operator

  Salary range: $32,500-$43,000 per year

  A CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) operator is a highly skilled production and manufacturing worker who is skilled at using a CNC machine. A CNC operator must be able to read technical drawings and calibrate the machine to manufacture the desired product to specifications. The necessary skills and experience for this job can be gained through technical schools.

• Quality Control Inspector

  Salary range: $31,500-$44,000 per year

  Quality control specialists work in all types of manufacturing settings. While the specific duties will vary depending on the industry, the overall purpose is to ensure that products consistently meet or exceed the company’s standards. This is often achieved by spot checking products and monitoring manufacturing equipment. Some QC jobs provide training. Many require an associate degree.

• Industrial Painter

  Salary range: $32,500-$41,000 per year

  An industrial painter uses various painting techniques to paint industrial buildings and equipment. Industrial painters work under a supervisor and are expected to prepare and apply paints and maintain equipment. They must be able to apply paint, varnishes, and other coatings to metals, woods, and plastic surfaces. A high school diploma or equivalent and professional painting experience are preferred.

• Machine Operator

  Salary range: $28,000-$37,500 per year

  Machine operators can either be specialized or work on a variety of machines in a warehouse. Experienced machine operators have many skills including physical stamina and technical knowledge. They know how to operate their machines safely and maintain them correctly. They can problem solve and troubleshoot to ensure productions run accurately and on time.

• Assembly Line Worker

  Salary range: $23,500-$31,500 per year

  Assembly line workers work in the manufacturing field. They utilize various tools and machines to assemble parts according to plan in order to create the desired product with consistent quality. Duties may include reading technical drawings/instructions, calibrating machinery, welding, and using power tools. A degree is not usually required to be an assembly line 1orker; on-the-job training is sometimes available.

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