Job Title: Manufacturing Technician I Company: Graphic Packaging International, Inc. Location: Waco, TX (on-site) Pay: $26 – $42 per hour, depending on experience, with opportunities for advancement Benefits: Health, prescription, AD&D, vision, 401(k) matching, paid time off, tuition reimbursement Sign-On Bonus: $2,500 for new hires
Job Overview
As a Manufacturing Technician I, you will contribute to production through hands-on operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of manufacturing equipment in a high-performing, multi-skilled environment. You’ll also participate in process improvements and support quality standards.
I’d consider it if the starting rate’s closer to $30 with a shift diff and steady OT; $26 for rotating 12s feels light. Do they run a DuPont schedule there and how’s the safety culture?
I’d be in if it’s DuPont with a real shift diff and consistent OT; at $26 I’d want to see a solid safety record and off-shift maintenance support before jumping.
Ask for a quick off-shift walk-through before committing — doing that at a paper plant showed me their ‘DuPont’ was really rotating 12s with thin maintenance after 10 pm. If you see solid LOTO boards, near-miss logs posted, and a real shift diff spelled out, that’s a green flag.
Ask to see the downtime log and parts crib on nights - when I toured a carton plant at 11 pm, the red flag was one operator covering two die-cutters with no millwright until 6 am. If they’ve got a true 2-2-3 with a shift diff and a clear ladder to Tech II in about 12-18 months, $26 starts to pencil out.