Manufacturing & Production Jobs in Tucson, AZ

Tucson's factory floors build missiles, diagnostics instruments, precision optics, aerospace bearings and irrigation products, led by Raytheon's plant south of the airport, the metro's largest private employer. The guides below cover every manufacturing and production role in Tucson, who is hiring, and what it pays.

Why Manufacturing & Production Work Is Different in Tucson

Tucson manufacturing is concentrated and specialized. Raytheon (RTX) designs and builds missiles on East Hermans Road beside Tucson International Airport, and aerospace and electronics suppliers work around it, including Sargent Aerospace & Defense on the northwest side and Celestica's ITAR-registered electronics facility. Roche runs regulated diagnostics manufacturing in Oro Valley and Marana, while Rain Bird and Edmund Optics add irrigation products and precision optics. Production occupations in the Tucson metro averaged $24.79 an hour in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What makes the work local is the rulebook. Defense roles require U.S. citizenship and often a Secret clearance, aerospace shops work to AS9100, and Roche answers to FDA device rules. Mining adds another layer: Freeport-McMoRan's Sierrita operation near Green Valley and Caterpillar's Tucson Proving Ground hire fabricators and maintenance technicians to keep heavy equipment running.

Top Manufacturing & Production Employers in Tucson

These employers hire across Tucson's production floors:

• Raytheon (RTX) - assemblers, manufacturing technicians, machinists, quality inspectors and maintenance technicians at the missile plant; union scale, U.S. citizenship and a Secret clearance required.
• Rain Bird - assemblers, machine operators, welder fabricators, inspectors and production supervisors at its Tucson irrigation products plant.
• Roche - manufacturing operators, process operators and shift supervisors in regulated diagnostics production.
• Sargent Aerospace & Defense - machinists and inspectors building aerospace bearings and components to AS9100.
• Celestica - production technicians, electronic testers and team leaders in aerospace and defense electronics.
• Edmund Optics - optical assembly leads and QA inspectors for precision optical components.
• Freeport-McMoRan - fab shop welders and crusher and conveyor repair crews at the Sierrita mine near Green Valley.

Manufacturing & Production Career Paths in Tucson

• Assembly and machine operation - Assembler, Electronics Assembler, Machine Operator. The entry points at Raytheon, Rain Bird, Celestica and Roche.
• Machining and fabrication - CNC Machinist, Fabricator. Skilled trades at Raytheon, Sargent, Rain Bird and the Sierrita fab shop.
• Quality and process - Quality Inspector, Process Technician. The roles that keep regulated output in tolerance and on record.
• Maintenance and leadership - Industrial Maintenance Technician, Production Supervisor, plus the Manufacturing overview guide for anyone still choosing a lane.

How to Start a Manufacturing & Production Career in Tucson

• Pima Community College, Downtown Campus - the Center of Excellence in Applied Technology runs the CNC Operator Certificate and Machining Inspection and Quality Assurance Certificate (1 year each), the Machine Tool Technology AAS, welding certificates and an AAS, and the one-semester Automated Industrial Technology Level I Certificate.
• Pima JTED - high school CNC and welding at JTED @ PCC Downtown, and welding at JTED @ The Bridges.
• ARIZONA@WORK Pima County - free job search services at its Tucson centers, including the Kino Veterans' Workforce Center on East Ajo Way.
• Citizenship and clearance - required by Raytheon and many defense suppliers; the clearance is sponsored by the employer, not earned on your own.
• MSHA training - federal mine safety training for work at Sierrita and other mine sites.

None of these is a state license: Arizona does not license machinists, operators, assemblers, inspectors or shop welders. Citizenship, clearances and MSHA training are legal conditions of specific jobs, while Pima certificates are employer preference.

Manufacturing & Production Salaries in Tucson

• Entry - roughly $17 to $22 an hour for assemblers, electronics assemblers and machine operators.
• Mid - roughly $22 to $32 an hour for CNC machinists, fabricators, quality inspectors and process technicians.
• Senior - roughly $32 to $42 an hour for lead machinists and senior maintenance technicians, and about $75,000 to $130,000 a year for production supervisors.

Raytheon's union scale is among the most transparent in town, with posted starting wages from $19.49 an hour for manufacturing technicians to $35.23 for maintenance electricians. Roche and Freeport-McMoRan also post ranges; many smaller shops do not. Off-shift work is common, and benefits vary widely between the large plants and small job shops. These are estimates that vary by employer and experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need a license to work in manufacturing in Tucson?

No. Arizona does not license general manufacturing or production work. A Pima Community College certificate helps for skilled roles, and many assembly and operator jobs train on the job. Defense plants add citizenship and clearance requirements, and mine sites require MSHA training.

Which Tucson employer hires the most manufacturing workers?

Raytheon (RTX), the metro's largest private employer with about 14,050 local workers in HUD's December 2024 count. Its missile plant hires assemblers, technicians, machinists, inspectors and maintenance staff, most of whom need U.S. citizenship and a Secret clearance.

How much do manufacturing jobs pay in Tucson?

Production occupations in the Tucson metro averaged $24.79 an hour in May 2025, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Entry roles run about $17 to $22 an hour, skilled machinists and technicians about $22 to $32, and supervisors $75,000 or more a year.

What is the fastest way into a manufacturing career in Tucson?

Apply for entry assembler or machine operator openings, which usually train on the job, or finish Pima Community College's one-year CNC Operator Certificate at the Downtown Campus to qualify for machining roles. Automated Industrial Technology Level I takes one semester and points toward maintenance work.

Do defense manufacturing jobs in Tucson require U.S. citizenship?

Yes. Raytheon and Sargent Aerospace & Defense require U.S. citizenship, and Raytheon adds a Secret clearance for most plant roles. Commercial plants such as Roche and Rain Bird generally hire without a clearance.

Ready to get started? Browse all current manufacturing and production job openings in Tucson, AZ on TucsonHIRED and apply today.