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Manufacturing Production Technician  What They Do

Just the Facts


Sets up, tests, and adjusts manufacturing machinery or equipment, using any combination of electrical, electronic, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or computer technologies.

This career is part of the Manufacturing cluster Manufacturing Production pathway.


A person in this career:

  • Sets up and verifies the functionality of safety equipment.
  • Adheres to all applicable regulations, policies, and procedures for health, safety, and environmental compliance.
  • Calibrates or adjusts equipment to ensure quality production, using tools such as calipers, micrometers, height gauges, protractors, or ring gauges.
  • Monitors and adjusts production processes or equipment for quality and productivity.
  • Inspects finished products for quality and adherence to customer specifications.
  • Troubleshoots problems with equipment, devices, or products.
  • Tests products or subassemblies for functionality or quality.
  • Provides advice or training to other technicians.
  • Selects cleaning materials, tools, or equipment.
  • Sets up and operates production equipment in accordance with current good manufacturing practices and standard operating procedures.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

  • You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
  • Work in this occupation involves use of protective items such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, a hard hat, or personal flotation devices
  • Exposure to pollutants, gases, dust, fumes, odors, poor ventilation, etc.
  • Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
  • Exposed to hazardous equipment such as saws, machinery, or vehicular traffic more than once a month
  • Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
  • Sound and noise levels are loud and distracting
  • Work in this occupation involves standing more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

  • Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
  • Seeing clearly up close
  • Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
  • Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

  • Regular working hours and limited travel

Specialty and Similar Careers

Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:

  • Engineering Technician -- Solves technical application oriented problems, for example the technician makes sure things, such as circuits or transportation systems, work.
  • Experimental Machining Lab Manager --
  • Final Operations Technician --
  • Metallurgical Lab Technician --
  • Quality Assurance Technician -- Monitors the production process to determine if the parts or products are meeting quality specifications.
  • Quality Technician --
  • Service Technician --
  • Support Technician --
  • Tool Room Supervisor --
  • Value Stream Manager --