When looking at the manufacturing jobs in cedar rapids, there are incredibly diverse opportunities in the Corridor. We looked at O*net’s database to determine the brightest outlook for manufacturing trends.

O*NET OnLine Bright Outlook in Manufacturing

Job Title: CNC Machinist, CNC Programmer (CAD, CAM)

What they do: Write programs in the language of a machine’s controller to help guide setup for a machine operator to build a widget properly.

Annual Median Salary:  $51,390

 

Job Title: Dental Lab Technician

What they do: Examine models or impressions to determine design of dental products to be constructed.

Annual Median Salary: $41,310

 

Job Title: Industrial Engineers

What they do: Use data sets to effectively estimate costs, saving methods, and design change expenditures to report to management teams.

Annual Median Salary: $78,700

 

Job Title: Welders, Solderers

What they do: Weld components together made from aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, and other alloys in different positions to build products.

Annual Median Salary:  $42,490

 

Job Title: Medical Lab Technicians

What they do: Build prosthetic or orthotic devices for consumers made of plastics, metal, or leather.

Annual Median Salary:  $40,690

 

Job Title: Production Workers

What they do: Load and unload items from machines or conveyors.  Operate machines and examine products for quality standards.

Annual Median Salary:  $33,260

 

Job Title: Maintenance Technician

What they do: Start machines and determine efficiencies, identifying any problems that could arise.

Annual Median Salary:  $48,850

 

Job Title: Biomedical Engineer/Technician

What they do: Research with others on engineering aspects of biological systems in humans and animals.  Design computer hardware or software for medical science use.

Annual Median Salary:  $67,110

 

This page includes information from the O*NET Career Exploration Tools by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY-ND 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

Cedar Rapids and Iowa City have a long history of manufacturing and industrial jobs energized by a strong base of employers in the manufacturing sector. Currently, the industry is poised to transform into a technology-enabled, 4.0 revolution.

Manufacturing Employers Near Cedar Rapids

Cedar Rapids has lots of manufacturing jobs in the area with many large and mid size employers.  Companies involved with Career Week include ESP International, ACP Inc, and JW Bell.

Job Titles in Manufacturing

You’ll find a variety of manufacturing jobs in the Food, Paper, Metal, Machinery, Computer, Appliances, and Components industry.  Within each of these industries, there are a lot of different job titles:

• Assemblers and Fabricators
• Processing
• Metal Workers
• Machinists and Tool and Die
• Lab Technicians
• Operators
• Quality Control
• Semiconductor Processors
• Slaughters and Meat Packers
• Welders Cutters, Solderers
• Woodworkers

What Employers Are Looking For

Manufacturing processes are changing, and so are the job and skills that are needed in each individual job.  While the number of jobs is expected to decline over the long haul, the jobs that are left will be extremely high paying vs the national average.  These jobs are expected to require more education and training, but not necessarily a 2 or 4-year degree.  Things we hear employers say they are looking for include:

• Work Ethic
• Attention to Safety
• Reliability
• Team-oriented
• Positive/Growth Attitude

Tired of Working in a Restaurant?

When you think about it, a restaurant is really a manufacturing plant for food. If you have experience as a line cook, server or other roles in food-service, you might consider transferring those skills to a (potentially better-paying) production environment.

Heavy Manufacturing

Many of our larger employers in Manufacturing are heavy duty manufacturers and labor intensive.  We have a high concentration of oat processing as 19% of the world’s oats are processed in the Iowa City and Cedar Rapids region.  As well as 1.1 million bushels of corn are processed daily, that equates to 61.5 million pounds of corn per day!

White Collar Manufacturing Jobs

With the technology shift in manufacturing taking place, manufacturing may be the unsung hero for upcoming college graduates with Engineering, Quality Control, Processing, Management, and Health Safety degrees. Internships and apprenticeships are also available. It truly is an exciting time to enter this industry, with many employers paying top dollar for talent and offering great benefits and upgrading their company cultures.

Learn more, or browse manufacturing jobs today.

This page includes information from the O*NET Career Exploration Tools by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY-ND 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

“Manufacturing Industry.” O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, www.onetonline.org/find/industry?i=31&g=Go. Accessed 9 February 2022.