How to hire a Set Up Technician

How to hire a set up technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step set up technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a set up technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new set up technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a Set Up Technician do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a set up technician, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A set up technician's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, set up technicians from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of set up technician salaries for various roles:

   Type Of Set Up Technician	Description	Hourly Rate
   Set Up Technician	Computer support specialists provide help and advice to people and organizations using computer software or equipment. Some, called computer network support specialists, support information technology (IT) employees within their organization... Show More	$13-22
   Information Technology/Support Technician	An information technology (IT) support technician is a professional who is responsible for providing support and troubleshoots software and hardware problems faced by customers. As for larger organizations that have their own IT department, technicians must work together internally with their IT staff members... Show More	$14-31
   Information Technology Technician	An information technology technician, also known as an IT technician, is responsible for ensuring that all computer systems in a company or organization are running smoothly and efficiently. Their duties primarily revolve around installing and maintaining systems, including software and hardware, and resolving any issues... Show More	$13-39

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Hand Tools
   • CNC
   • Safety Procedures
   • Quality Standards
   • Preventative Maintenance
   • Math
   • Good Communication
   • Basic Math
   • Calipers
   • Auxiliary Equipment
   • Production Equipment
   • Work Ethic
   • Mold Changes
   • Plumbing

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage daily scheduling of production workload to be setup and run on machinery.
   • Follow OSHA, ISO, and FDA requirement and standards
   • Core team member in SPC and QSI introductions.
   • Set up machine and facilities for UV screen coating.
   • Maintain running UV press, flip paper, unload orders.
   • Set up and maintain extrusion equipment to run at maximum efficiency.

   More Set Up Technician duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your set up technician job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A set up technician salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, set up technicians' average salary in alaska is 38% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level set up technicians earn 39% less than senior-level set up technicians.
   • Certifications. A set up technician with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a set up technician's salary.

   Average set up technician salary

   $36,486yearly

   $17.54 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level set up technician salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated June 12, 2025

   Average set up technician salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	New Hampshire	$42,672	$21
   2	Connecticut	$41,692	$20
   3	Texas	$40,494	$19
   4	California	$38,634	$19
   5	Pennsylvania	$37,581	$18
   6	Florida	$37,233	$18
   7	Washington	$37,134	$18
   8	Michigan	$36,799	$18
   9	Minnesota	$36,536	$18
   10	Illinois	$36,146	$17
   11	Ohio	$35,638	$17
   12	Indiana	$35,324	$17
   13	Wisconsin	$35,320	$17
   14	Oregon	$35,184	$17
   15	Tennessee	$35,171	$17
   16	Virginia	$34,645	$17
   17	Kansas	$33,703	$16
   18	Colorado	$33,607	$16
   19	Missouri	$31,728	$15
   20	Alabama	$31,628	$15

   Average set up technician salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	Zoetis	$51,622	$24.82	13
   2	Igloo Coolers	$44,362	$21.33	4
   3	Sanmina	$43,975	$21.14	2
   4	Rich Products	$42,431	$20.40	1
   5	WeatherTech	$41,959	$20.17	2
   6	Nordson	$41,924	$20.16
   7	East Penn Manufacturing	$41,598	$20.00
   8	Pactiv	$41,206	$19.81	15
   9	Precision Castparts	$40,873	$19.65	8
   10	ProMed Molded Products	$40,780	$19.61
   11	Pacific Office Automation	$40,747	$19.59	7
   12	ICU Medical	$40,609	$19.52	7
   13	Stanley Black & Decker	$40,601	$19.52
   14	Greif	$40,433	$19.44	1
   15	A. O. Smith	$40,377	$19.41	1
   16	Silgan Holdings	$40,300	$19.38
   17	E.W. Grobbel Sons	$40,256	$19.35
   18	Cardinal Health	$39,856	$19.16	7
   19	Martinrea International	$38,724	$18.62
   20	Techtronic Industries TTI	$38,599	$18.56	10

4. Writing a Set Up Technician Job Description

   A set up technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a set up technician job description:

   Set Up Technician job description example

   Nashville Wire Products, an established local manufacturer of steel wire products for the material handling division, is growing and accepting resumes for Machine Setup Technician for Resistance Welding Equipment for our Overnight Shift at our Frankfort, Kentucky location.
   
   Full time benefits include medical, dental, and vision insurance availability first of month after 30 days of service, 40 hours vacation after 6 months of service, 80 hours vacation after 1 year of service, 10 hours of paid sick time every 90 days of service until you have completed 1 year of service, then 30 hours of paid sick time annually, 401k with 100% match following 1 year of service, 9 paid holidays, employer paid short and long term disability, and 1 year pay progression top out. We are currently offering a Double Time incentive for ALL overtime hours worked.
   
   This position typically works approximately 50 hours per week with occasional additional overtime as required to meet customer demands. Please note there is little to no opportunity to move to 1st shift when hired for 3rd shift positions.
   
   3rd shift base schedule 8:00 pm until 6:30 am Sunday through Thursday with additional OT as required to meet customer demands. Please note there is little to no opportunity to move to 1st shift when hired for 3rd shift positions.
   pay progression: $22.00 start, $23.00 at 90 days, $24.00 at 1 year. (Rates do not include $1.00/hour 3rd shift differential.)
   Applicants should have recent steady work history with recent experience performing machine set ups and running production jobs on PLC controlled machinery, hydraulic and mechanical stamping presses, or automated welding systems. Prior experience interpreting blueprints, reading tape measure, and computer knowledge required. Prior experience in metal fabrication or resistance welding a plus. This position regularly requires regular heavy lifting (up to 50 pounds).
   
   This position will set-up automated welding and metal forming equipment then run production jobs while meeting and/or exceeding established production, set up, and quality standards. This position regularly conducts quality inspections to verify all parts meet blueprint specifications and quality tolerances and are usable for next operations and performs necessary rework and minor repairs on non-conforming parts.
   
   Successful applicants must pass math test that includes adding and subtracting tape measure fractions, tape measure reading test, mechanical aptitude evaluation, drug screen, and 7-year background check for misdemeanors and felonies.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find set up technicians for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your set up technician job on Zippia to find and recruit set up technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with set up technician candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview set up technician candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new set up technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the set up technician position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new set up technician. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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