Plastics Technicians
Overview
Introduction
Plastics technicians are skilled professionals who help engineers, scientists, research groups, and manufacturers design, develop, manufacture, and market plastics products. They work in research and development or manufacturing. In these settings, technicians function at a level between the engineer or scientist in charge of a job, and the production or laboratory workers who carry out most of the tasks. Other plastics technicians handle mold and tool making, materials and machinery, sales and services, and related technical tasks....
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Plastics technicians earned $44,579 per year in March 2025, according to ZipRecruiter.com. Salaries ranged from $27,500 to $76,500 or more. It also provides the following average salaries by specialty:
- injection molding process technicians: $55,422
- plastic process technicians: $48,979
- injection molding operator: $36,834
Benefits for plastics technici...
Work Environment
Technicians will encounter a variety of working conditions. Research or test laboratories are clean, quiet, air-conditioned, and well lighted. Normal business hours are usually observed, although some overtime may be necessary. Some companies operate more than one shift. No more than normal physical strength is required for most of the work in this profession. High safety standards are uniforml...
Outlook
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) predicts that employment for industrial engineering technicians who work in plastics product manufacturing will grow by 6.8 percent from 2023 through 2033. This is faster than the average for all careers. There will continue to be opportunities for plastics technicians because the field is so large and plastics are used in so many products. More industries are...