What does a Production Worker do?
Production workers are employees who are usually seen in an assembly line in a company's factory. They are responsible for a specific part of the production of goods for the company. They ensure that production processes are being followed. Production workers are required to be efficient, detail-oriented, and organized. They should be able to uphold the quality standards set by the company and should be able to conduct quality control checks. Should they be working alongside machines, and they must know how to operate the machine as well as maintain it. Production workers should also be familiar with occupational safety and health guidelines and must be able to follow policies and procedures in place.
Production worker responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real production worker resumes:
- Manage and instruct workers in the art of food preparation as culinary team leader.
- Require to know safe food practices like HACCP, and knowing USDA and FDA guidelines when handling and storing foods.
- Use scribers, dividers, and squares to mark dimensions on material.
- Produce glace, demi-glace and elite culinary sauces.
- Handle parts that run off conveyors and are send for painting.
- Operate large grinders, run high heat ovens, inspect and paint parts, packaging.
- Work in many production capacities on a fast pace production line setting making fiberglass shingle roofing.
- Utilize various machines including a CNC router to cut, sand and trim wood to exact specifications.
- Pick, pack, and load product to meet company demands using RF scanner and lift equipment.
- work preparing work station and maintaining operation, and drive hi-lo pulling material, and inspecting material.
- Supervise employees engage in serving food and in maintaining the cleanliness of food service area and equipment.
- Demonstrate mechanical abilities and shop math skills, used logic or a specific method to solve problem.
- Assemble door panels for Chrysler and work in other areas of the plant assembling different parts for automobiles.
- Work in a clean room environment, follow GMP and FDA regulations, quality control all types of products.
- Preform LOTO (lock out tag out) procedures regularly along with wearing appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment )
Production worker skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Production Workers are proficient in Production Process, Safety Procedures, and Assembly Line.
We break down the percentage of Production Workers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Production Process, 15%
Maintained cleanliness of assigned area and proficiently used and operated machinery used in the production process.
- Safety Procedures, 10%
Required to follow safety procedures and regulations including wearing special protective gear and properly disposing of materials as regulated by law.
- Assembly Line, 10%
Completed production of medical equipment via assembly line.
- Basic Math, 10%
Read, spell, write and basic math skills.
- Quality Standards, 6%
Operated production equipment and contributed to the production of high quality products that met customer requirements and adhered to company quality standards
- Pallet Jack, 5%
Performed quality checks and temperature control on products, operated electric pallet jack
"production process," "safety procedures," and "assembly line" are among the most common skills that production workers use at work. You can find even more production worker responsibilities below, including:
The three companies that hire the most production workers are:
- Aerotek603 production workers jobs
- Ashley HomeStore180 production workers jobs
- TPI152 production workers jobs
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Compare different production workers
Production worker vs. General machine operator
A pack out operator is a manufacturing or packaging operation employee responsible for the final packaging of goods prior to shipping. Pack out operators come in at the last stage of the manufacturing process to ensure readiness. You will primarily work with machines and ensure that the right packaging standards and procedures are adhered to. The pack out operator oversees package labeling, branding, weighing, inspection and verification, and palletizing.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, production worker responsibilities require skills like "basic math," "safety policies," "machine operators," and "steel-toed boots." Meanwhile a typical general machine operator has skills in areas such as "math," "troubleshoot," "machine operation," and "tape measure." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
General machine operators tend to make the most money working in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $35,435. In contrast, production workers make the biggest average salary, $35,206, in the automotive industry.The education levels that general machine operators earn slightly differ from production workers. In particular, general machine operators are 0.2% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a production worker. Additionally, they're 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Production worker vs. Pack out operator
A stacker operates machines to fit lumber stacks. These machines include conveyer chains, mechanical hands, and rollers. They may also be required to burn off feather edges with a gas torch.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that production worker responsibilities requires skills like "safety rules," "safety policies," "machine operators," and "steel-toed boots." But a pack out operator might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "pallets," "math," "fda," and "haccp."
Pack out operators earn a higher average salary than production workers. But pack out operators earn the highest pay in the finance industry, with an average salary of $34,955. Additionally, production workers earn the highest salaries in the automotive with average pay of $35,206 annually.pack out operators earn similar levels of education than production workers in general. They're 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Production worker vs. Stacker
An assembly worker is an employee who is assigned to an assembly line in a manufacturing firm to fabricate parts and join them to construct a final product. Assembly workers follow instructions and diagrams to complete a particular task. They may use a combination of tools such as a punching machine, hammers, or welding equipment. An assembly line supervisor is directly in-charge of these assembly workers and will continuously monitor their work. Assembly workers can also work in different manufacturing firms that produce aircraft, automobiles, and electronics.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, production workers are more likely to have skills like "production process," "basic math," "pallet jack," and "safety policies." But a stacker is more likely to have skills like "pallets," "electric pallet jack," "stack boxes," and "stackers."
Stackers earn the highest salary when working in the manufacturing industry, where they receive an average salary of $32,074. Comparatively, production workers have the highest earning potential in the automotive industry, with an average salary of $35,206.Most stackers achieve a similar degree level compared to production workers. For example, they're 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Production worker vs. Assembly worker
Even though a few skill sets overlap between production workers and assembly workers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a production worker might have more use for skills like "basic math," "safety rules," "steel-toed boots," and "gmp." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of assembly workers require skills like "assembly process," "defective materials," "air tools," and "assembly problems. "
The automotive industry tends to pay the highest salaries for assembly workers, with average annual pay of $35,734. Comparatively, the highest production worker annual salary comes from the automotive industry.In general, assembly workers hold similar degree levels compared to production workers. Assembly workers are 0.1% more likely to earn their Master's Degree and 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of production worker
Updated January 8, 2025
