How to hire cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
A job description you can copy, interview questions tied to the real work, and what to pay. Free.
$22.27U.S. median hourly pay
$38,870–$55,410Middle half, yearly
171,200People in this job in the U.S.
Job description template
Copy it, fill in the brackets, and remove anything that does not fit your job. Keep only must-haves you would really turn someone away for.
[Job title] at [Company name] [City, State] · [Full-time / Part-time] · [Pay range] About the role [Two or three sentences about your team, the work and why it matters.] What you will do • Examine completed workpieces for defects, such as chipped edges or marred surfaces and sort defective pieces according to types of flaws. • Load workpieces, plastic material, or chemical solutions into machines. • Measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers. • Read work orders or production schedules to determine specifications, such as materials to be used, locations of cutting lines, or dimensions and tolerances. • Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material. • Start machines, monitor their operations, and record operational data. • Test and adjust machine speeds or actions, according to product specifications, using gauges and hand tools. • Turn controls to set cutting speeds, feed rates, or table angles for specified operations. What you bring • [Required license, certification or years of experience, if any] • [Education, only if you truly need it. Typical to start in this job: High school diploma or equivalent] • Strong active listening, critical thinking, monitoring and speaking skills • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $22.27 an hour ($46,330 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
Ask every candidate the same questions, in the same order, and write down what they say. Questions about past work show what someone has actually done.
- Tell me about a time you had to examine completed workpieces for defects, such as chipped edges or marred surfaces and sort defective pieces according to types of flaws. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to load workpieces, plastic material, or chemical solutions into machines. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to read work orders or production schedules to determine specifications, such as materials to be used, locations of cutting lines, or dimensions and tolerances. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to understand a request or problem that was explained poorly. How did you make sure you got it right?
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Why this job, and why now? What would make you stay here for the long term?
Good answers name a real situation, what the person did themselves and what happened. Avoid questions about age, family plans, religion, health, national origin or anything else unrelated to the job.
What cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do
- Examine completed workpieces for defects, such as chipped edges or marred surfaces and sort defective pieces according to types of flaws.
- Load workpieces, plastic material, or chemical solutions into machines.
- Measure completed workpieces to verify conformance to specifications, using micrometers, gauges, calipers, templates, or rulers.
- Read work orders or production schedules to determine specifications, such as materials to be used, locations of cutting lines, or dimensions and tolerances.
- Set up, operate, or tend machines to saw, cut, shear, slit, punch, crimp, notch, bend, or straighten metal or plastic material.
- Start machines, monitor their operations, and record operational data.
- Test and adjust machine speeds or actions, according to product specifications, using gauges and hand tools.
- Turn controls to set cutting speeds, feed rates, or table angles for specified operations.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 2 to 4 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: -10.5% over ten years, declining · about 13,200 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
Pay depends a lot on where the job is. Highest and lowest median yearly pay by state:
| State | Median yearly pay |
|---|---|
| Oregon | $53,680 |
| Washington | $51,160 |
| Colorado | $50,790 |
| Minnesota | $49,770 |
| Wisconsin | $49,270 |
| Mississippi | $40,650 |
| Idaho | $39,580 |
| Florida | $39,440 |
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Post a job freePay by areaJob duties and skills: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Pay: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, May 2025. Interview questions and the job description template: JAI Bot, based on the duties and skills above.