How to hire extruding and drawing 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.
$22.94U.S. median hourly pay
$40,450–$56,840Middle half, yearly
60,840People 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 • Change dies on extruding machines, according to production line changes. • Determine setup procedures and select machine dies and parts, according to specifications. • Install dies, machine screws, and sizing rings on machines that extrude thermoplastic or metal materials. • Load machine hoppers with mixed materials, using augers, or stuff rolls of plastic dough into machine cylinders. • Measure and examine extruded products to locate defects and to check for conformance to specifications, adjusting controls as necessary to alter products. • Operate shearing mechanisms to cut rods to specified lengths. • Start machines and set controls to regulate vacuum, air pressure, sizing rings, and temperature, and to synchronize speed of extrusion. • Troubleshoot, maintain, and make minor repairs to equipment. 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 monitoring, critical thinking and speaking skills • Working knowledge of production and processing, public safety and security and mechanical • [Anything else you would really turn someone away for] Pay and benefits [Pay range]. For reference, the U.S. median for this job is $22.94 an hour ($47,720 a year). [Benefits, schedule and anything else candidates should know.] How to apply [Apply on JAI Bot. Every applicant hears back.]
Interview questions for extruding and drawing 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 change dies on extruding machines, according to production line changes. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to determine setup procedures and select machine dies and parts, according to specifications. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to install dies, machine screws, and sizing rings on machines that extrude thermoplastic or metal materials. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- Tell me about a time you had to load machine hoppers with mixed materials, using augers, or stuff rolls of plastic dough into machine cylinders. What did you do, and how did it turn out?
- How do you keep track of your own work quality during a busy shift or week? Give an example of catching a problem early.
- Describe a decision at work where the obvious answer was wrong. How did you work out the better choice?
- Explain something technical from your last job as you would to a new coworker.
- 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 extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic do
- Change dies on extruding machines, according to production line changes.
- Determine setup procedures and select machine dies and parts, according to specifications.
- Install dies, machine screws, and sizing rings on machines that extrude thermoplastic or metal materials.
- Load machine hoppers with mixed materials, using augers, or stuff rolls of plastic dough into machine cylinders.
- Measure and examine extruded products to locate defects and to check for conformance to specifications, adjusting controls as necessary to alter products.
- Operate shearing mechanisms to cut rods to specified lengths.
- Start machines and set controls to regulate vacuum, air pressure, sizing rings, and temperature, and to synchronize speed of extrusion.
- Troubleshoot, maintain, and make minor repairs to equipment.
Skills that matter most
Education, experience and outlook for extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders, metal and plastic
- Typical education to start: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS)
- Related work experience most have: 1 to 2 years (O*NET)
- Training on the job: Moderate-term on-the-job training (BLS)
- Job outlook: +0.7% over ten years, little or no change · about 5,400 openings a year (BLS)
What to pay extruding and drawing 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 |
|---|---|
| North Carolina | $53,330 |
| Nebraska | $52,360 |
| Minnesota | $51,830 |
| New Jersey | $51,180 |
| Pennsylvania | $51,150 |
| West Virginia | $44,510 |
| Mississippi | $44,220 |
| Florida | $39,730 |
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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.