Process Technician Jobs in Tucson, AZ
Process technicians in Tucson keep molding presses, battery coating lines and diagnostic-kit production in spec. Roche lists $52,400 to $97,400 a year for a lead process operator, and Rain Bird hires molding process technicians at its Tucson plant. Current openings are below, followed by employers, pay and training.
Current Process Technician Openings in Tucson, AZ
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Process Technician Work in Tucson
Process technician titles in Tucson vary by plant, so search the function as well as the title. Rain Bird calls it molding process technician and wants people who can set molds, change materials and monitor injection machine parameters. Sion Power calls it coating technician and runs vacuum web and slot die coating for battery cells. Roche, in Oro Valley and Marana, posts lead process operators who run multiple GMP production lines, and Poly Print has posted process control technicians for overnight quality and calibration work. Raytheon, south of the airport on East Hermans Road, hires manufacturing technicians for microelectronic and electromechanical assemblies.
What ties them together is data and documentation. A Tucson process tech watches a line, reads the numbers, catches drift before it turns into scrap, and writes it up in a way that survives an FDA, food safety or defense audit.
Top Tucson Employers for Process Technicians
These Tucson-area employers hire process and manufacturing technicians:
- Rain Bird - molding process technicians who troubleshoot and maintain injection molding machines, handle mold changes and lead newer operators.
- Roche - lead process operators who oversee GMP production lines, coordinate equipment maintenance and drive lean improvements.
- Sion Power - coating technicians who operate, maintain and troubleshoot vacuum and slot die coating equipment for lithium battery development.
- Raytheon - union manufacturing technicians building microelectronic and electromechanical assemblies; U.S. citizenship and a Secret clearance required.
- Poly Print - process control technicians who handle calibration, audits and root-cause work on the overnight shift.
Process Technician Salaries in Tucson
- Entry level (manufacturing or process tech, 0-2 years): roughly $20 to $25 an hour.
- Experienced (3+ years, troubleshoots independently): roughly $25 to $32 an hour.
- Senior or lead process technician: roughly $32 to $40 an hour.
These are estimates that vary by employer and experience. Roche's range for a second-shift lead process operator was $52,400 to $97,400 a year, and Raytheon has posted manufacturing technicians at $19.49 an hour to start under its union contract. Regulated-line experience, molding or coating expertise, and lead duties move pay up; overnight shifts are common.
How to Become a Process Technician in Tucson
Arizona has no license for process technicians. Most Tucson employers hire on experience: Rain Bird asks for three years of injection molding, Roche asks for an associate degree and three years in a GMP setting for its lead role, and Raytheon asks for a year of manufacturing experience. Many techs move up from operator jobs.
For classroom training, Pima Community College's Automated Industrial Technology Level I Certificate at the Downtown Campus covers motor controls, electronic systems and troubleshooting in one semester full time, and its Machining Inspection and Quality Assurance Certificate covers measurement and inspection. The University of Arizona's systems and industrial engineering degree is the step up to engineering later.
What the Job Involves
You own a process rather than one machine. That means monitoring parameters, running changeovers, collecting and charting data, calibrating instruments and investigating when output drifts. When a batch fails you help find the root cause and document corrective action. Much of the job is on the floor next to operators, and some of it is at a terminal entering data.
Skills Employers Look For
- Reading process recipes, work instructions and equipment manuals
- Statistical process control and acting on a trend
- Instrument calibration and measurement
- Root-cause analysis and corrective and preventive action
- Good documentation practice in regulated settings
- Lockout tagout and equipment safety
- Comfort with second, third or rotating shifts
Career Path and Advancement
The Tucson ladder usually runs machine operator, process or manufacturing technician, senior or lead technician, then process engineer, quality engineer or production supervisor. Roche and Rain Bird both post lead roles above technician, and technicians who finish a degree while working can move into engineering. Those who prefer the equipment side often shift into industrial maintenance.
Related Careers in Tucson
These Tucson guides cover the closest alternatives for process technicians:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a process technician do in a Tucson plant?
A process technician monitors and adjusts a manufacturing process: tracking parameters, running changeovers, calibrating instruments and investigating deviations. At Rain Bird that means injection molding machines, at Sion Power battery coating equipment, and at Roche regulated diagnostic production lines.
Do you need a degree to be a process technician in Tucson?
Not always, and Arizona requires no license. Rain Bird asks for a high school diploma and molding experience, while Roche's lead process operator role asks for an associate degree. A Pima Community College Automated Industrial Technology certificate can shorten the path.
How much do process technicians make in Tucson?
Entry technicians earn roughly $20 to $25 an hour, and leads earn more. Roche's lead process operator range was $52,400 to $97,400 a year. These are estimates that vary by employer and experience.
Which Tucson employers hire process technicians?
Rain Bird, Roche, Sion Power, Raytheon and Poly Print have all posted process or manufacturing technician roles in Tucson. Titles vary, so search molding technician, coating technician and manufacturing technician too.
Do Tucson process technicians work night shifts?
Often. Roche posts second-shift lead roles, Poly Print's process control technician job ran 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m., and Raytheon asks manufacturing technicians to work any shift.
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