The specific job requirements of a manufacturing technician can vary greatly depending on the type of products that are created or the research that is conducted at a company. This term is frequently associated with biotechnology work. Jobs in technology aren’t just limited to the biotechnological field. Manufacturing technician jobs can be found in a variety of fields, which accounts for the wide range of responsibilities that a technician may have.
In general, a manufacturing technician may implement processes to assist in the creation of products or the testing of materials. They usually do this under the guidance of an engineer, though this guidance does not have to be direct. Instead, the engineer could design the process, ensure that the technician understands how to complete it, and only check in as materials or results are produced.
The manufacturing technician must be skilled at reading technical instructions and capable of operating highly sophisticated machinery in order to complete a process. He or she may also be able to complete some processes with quality inspection, though this may be delegated to other employees. A job may include a variety of tasks, such as entering data into complex machinery and evaluating any components as processes are applied to them, as well as more physical tasks such as loading and unloading equipment from machines.
Manufacturing technician hierarchies exist in some companies, with more experienced workers ranked as Technician I, II, and III, and so on. Lower rankings could indicate a lack of experience. Rank is usually determined experience, but in some companies, unless a large amount of experience is available, higher-ranking techs are also expected to have completed a certain amount of schooling. Having an Associate of Arts degree (AA) or at least having studied calculus and physics is usually required.
Many companies will not hire employees for manufacturing positions unless they have an AA. Other companies don’t rank or care about an employee’s educational background as long as they demonstrate knowledge of the work they’re doing. Because many technicians continue their education in physics or engineering, the AA can help them advance in their careers.
As previously stated, the manufacturing technician’s work environment can be unpredictable. The biotechnology industry has a lot of these jobs. For example, techs might be in charge of making stents, which are used to keep blood vessels open. Optical coating, where special coatings are applied to things like computer screens, fiber optics components, and other equipment, is another area where manufacturing technician jobs may be available. Manufacturing techs may be employed in a variety of other fields of technology.
Remuneration varies, just like job requirements. Some techs are members of unions, which guarantee a set salary, while others work for start-up companies on a shoestring budget or for businesses that are struggling to stay afloat during difficult economic times. For the most experienced workers, this suggests a salary range of under $10 US Dollars (USD) to above $20 USD.