Would You Take This Job – Manufacturing Technician II

Job Title: Manufacturing Technician II — Electrical & Mechanical Maintenance

Company: Umanist Staffing LLC

Location: St. Louis, Missouri

Schedule: Contractor; full-time hours (see posting for shift details)

Salary: $25.00 – $30.00 per hour

What You’ll Do:
Maintain, troubleshoot, and enhance automated production equipment; provide electrical, mechanical, and controls support; perform preventive and corrective maintenance; document maintenance activities and support continuous-improvement efforts; collaborate with production and engineering teams to minimize downtime and improve equipment performance.

Required Qualifications (high level):

  • Minimum ~3 years’ experience in manufacturing or technical services, especially with automated production equipment.

  • Strong electrical, mechanical, and control-systems troubleshooting skills.

  • Comfort reading wiring diagrams/schematics and using precision diagnostic tools.

  • Ability to work independently, manage time, and communicate clearly with team members.

  • High-school diploma or equivalent; technical certification preferred.

Why it’s unique:
Journeyman-level maintenance role on automated production lines—hands-on technical work with opportunities for skill growth, training, and meaningful impact on production reliability in a manufacturing-rich region.

Perks & Benefits (high level):
Health/dental/vision options, 401(k) opportunities, paid time off/holidays (benefits vary by contractor agreement), and professional-development support.

Here is the link to view more job details or apply.

Would You Take This Job?
Would you work as a journeyman-level maintenance technician focused on electrical, mechanical, and control systems for automated production—at $25–$30/hr with contractor status and benefits options? Why or why not?

I took a Tech II contractor role at $28/hr. It was worth it only because they covered tools and gave PLC laptop access; dealbreaker was unpaid on-call, so ask about callouts, shift differential, and whether PM time is protected.

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In a similar Tech II contract, the clincher was getting admin access to the PLCs and a dedicated maintenance laptop; without that, we were just button‑pushers waiting on an engineer. Also confirm OT is 1.5x after 40 and whether contractors get paid holidays - my last shop didn’t, and those unpaid holidays quietly shaved about 5-8% off my take‑home.

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Quick example: I only accepted a contractor maintenance role after they showed me the CMMS with a PM backlog under two weeks and a well-stocked parts crib — otherwise the night shift turns into a scavenger hunt. Ask @OP if you can tour and open the spares cabinets, and ask, ‘What’s the minimum callout guarantee and shift diff?’ $25–$30/hr is fine, but those two boxes make or break it.

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Ask “Who owns the schematics and PLC change control?” before you say yes. When I got a straight answer plus a controlled prints folder, the contractor rate made sense. If it’s fuzzy and standby isn’t paid, you’ll be the 24/7 fire crew even at $30.

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