Production Automation Technician

From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026

Manufacturing Technician roles in the US: typical posted base $60k–$92k.

Median of the low and high ends of 77 live postings that list pay, out of 1252 manufacturing technician openings in the US, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.

Kentucky plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →

How this role compares

Against 325 other live controls postings in the US.

Base pay

Not listed in this posting

Typical $71k–$97k, from 19 postings that list pay.

Experience asked

Not stated

Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.

Skills these teams ask for most

• PLC 63%
• ✓ Automation 63%
• Robotics 33%
• Team leadership 29%
• Root cause 22%

✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.

How to get in at this plant

Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.

1. 1

   Pick 2–3 people on the Controls team at Hitachi Astemo

   We found 1 person at this company and state: 1 in this kind of role. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓

2. 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 John → (free)
3. 3

   Turn a reply into a short call

   Questions worth asking about this team:

   • What does a normal week look like on your team?
   • How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
4. 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. 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: Hitachi Astemo in Harrodsburg

2 other open roles at this site · 1 person we found in controls roles at Hitachi Astemo.

• Sr. Supplier Quality Engineer · Quality · Senior
• Process Automation Technician · Controls · Technician