Composites Manufacturing Technician
The Palmer Group · Orange City, IA
- Level
- Technician
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Degree
- Required
- Experience asked
- 3+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- Recently
The role in 30 seconds
A technician-level manufacturing role at The Palmer Group (industrial) in Orange City, IA. Provide shop floor support to resolve production issues, reduce scrap, and improve throughput.
- They ask for
- 3+ years · degree required
- Tools it names
- FMEA, Tooling, SolidWorks, CATIA / NX
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Manufacturing Technician roles in the US: typical posted base $60k–$95k.
Median of the low and high ends of 80 live postings that list pay, out of 1162 manufacturing technician openings in the US, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Iowa plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 13 other live manufacturing postings in Iowa.
Skills these teams ask for most
- ✓ Tooling 71%
- Team leadership 36%
- CNC 21%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for FMEA, New product launch, CATIA / NX, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at The Palmer Group
We found 1 person at this company and state: 1 recruiters. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Jordan → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: The Palmer Group in Orange City
1 other open role at this site · 1 person we found in manufacturing roles at The Palmer Group.
- Composites Manufacturing Engineer · Manufacturing
Full description from The Palmer GroupAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
What You Will Do
- ◆Provide shop floor support to resolve production issues, reduce scrap, and improve throughput
- ◆Lead new product introduction, including routing documentation and process setup
- ◆Develop and maintain work instructions, BOMs, and ERP manufacturing documentation
- ◆Own and improve composite compression molding and curing processes, including thermal profiles
- ◆Support process qualification, ensure compliance, and collaborate with customers on technical
requirements
- ✓Drive continuous improvement, conduct FMEA, and translate engineering drawings into efficient manufacturing methods, including tooling and cost considerations
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
This Composites Manufacturing Engineer role is driven by a surge in new and ongoing programs, creating immediate needs for skilled technicians who can make an impact. The team is expanding to support increased project work across UAV composite development, autoclave and thermal process improvements, and core production, with a focus on reducing scrap and addressing customer issues. This is a hands-on role for someone who can quickly integrate into a fast-paced manufacturing environment, own key projects, and help stabilize and improve operations. You’ll work across process development, continuous improvement, tooling, and shop floor execution with a strong focus on practical problem-solving in a build-to-print setting. Interested in making an immediate impact? Apply today or reach out to learn more!
Work Model
- •On-Site
to Be Successful
- •Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field
- •3+ years of manufacturing engineering experience in composites or similar environments
- •Strong experience with composite compression molding processes, autoclave thermal profiling, or composites production support
- •Proficiency with CAD tools such as SolidWorks, CATIA V5, or Inventor
Interested and qualified candidates can contact Aaron Christner at (319) 449-1200 or email achristner@thepalmergroup.com.