Production Associate

Job Title: Production Associate

Job Description

This role focuses on material handling and machine operation in a metals recycling environment. You will load raw metal into a chopping machine, oversee the cutting and forming process, and offload and prepare the finished product for shipping. The position offers regular scheduled hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with occasional earlier starts on Fridays when needed.

Responsibilities

• Handle and move raw metal materials safely within an industrial recycling facility.
• Load pieces of raw metal into a chopping machine according to established procedures.
• Operate machinery to cut and form metal into small rounded pieces suitable for sale to manufacturing companies.
• Monitor machine operation to maintain consistent quality and throughput.
• Offload finished metal product from the machine and stage it for shipping.
• Prepare finished product for shipment, including organizing, stacking, and securing materials as required.
• Follow all safety protocols and wear required personal protective equipment at all times.
• Work both indoors and outdoors, including spending approximately 50% of the time outside.
• Maintain a clean and organized work area around machinery and material handling zones.
• Collaborate with team members and supervisors to meet production goals and respond to changing workload needs.
• Adjust to occasional schedule changes, including starting earlier on Fridays when requested.

Essential Skills

• Comfort working in an industrial environment with active machinery.
• Ability to operate or learn to operate production and metal processing equipment.
• Capability to perform general production and material handling tasks safely and efficiently.
• Willingness and ability to wear required PPE, including hard hat, safety glasses, high-visibility vest, steel-toed boots, and ear plugs.
• Comfort working outdoors approximately 50% of the time in varying weather conditions.
• Reliability in adhering to a Monday–Friday schedule from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with flexibility to start earlier on some Fridays.
• No prior experience required to be considered for this role.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience working in manufacturing or industrial settings is preferred.
• Previous machine operation experience in a production environment is a plus.
• Familiarity with metals recycling or similar heavy industrial processes is beneficial.
• Strong awareness of and commitment to workplace safety practices.
• Ability to follow written and verbal instructions and standard operating procedures.

Why Work Here?

You will join a long-established, family-owned organization that places a strong emphasis on caring for its employees and promoting safety. The role offers an excellent benefits package with annual union pay raises, affordable medical coverage with a low deductible, and dental and vision benefits. You can contribute up to 50% of wages to a 401(k) plan with a 15% company match, and you will also benefit from a pension with contributions made for every hour worked. Additional rewards include performance raises, profit sharing, quarterly bonuses, performance bonuses, and a retention bonus totaling $1,250, paid in two installments at key milestones in your employment.

Work Environment

The position is based in an industrial metals recycling facility operated by a long-standing family-owned business with over a century of history. The environment combines indoor and outdoor work, with approximately half of the time spent outside. Safety is a top priority, and all employees are expected to wear personal protective equipment, including hard hat, safety glasses, high-visibility vest, steel-toed boots, and ear plugs. The standard schedule runs Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with occasional earlier starts on Fridays as needed. The workplace emphasizes a strong safety culture within a traditional industrial setting.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Portland, OR.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $23.50 - $23.50/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:
• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Portland,OR.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on May 12, 2026.

About Aerotek:

We know that finding work is hard, and finding meaningful work is harder. Aerotek connects 180,000+ light industrial and skilled trades workers with 14,000+ employers each year, helping our workers navigate an evolving labor market and find jobs that meets their goals, skills and interests. Since 1983, we have provided a variety of career opportunities across North American industry – from short-term assignments at Fortune 500 companies where you can build your skills, to long-term opportunities where you can play a vital role solving for companies’ construction, manufacturing and maintenance challenges. Our 1,500+ experienced recruiters across 250+ offices work relentlessly to put our workforce in a position to thrive. Let us rise to meet your challenges and put our people-are everything spirit to the test as your career continues to grow.

Aerotek offers weekly pay, employee benefits including medical, dental & vision, life insurance, health advocacy and employee assistance programs, a 401(k) plan, and employee discounts.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

We know that finding work is hard, and finding meaningful work is harder. Aerotek connects 180,000+ light industrial and skilled trades workers with 14,000+ employers each year, helping our workers navigate an evolving labor market and find jobs that meet their goals, skills, and interests. Since 1983, we have provided a variety of career opportunities across North American industry – from short-term assignments at Fortune 500 companies where you can build your skills, to long-term opportunities where you can play a vital role in solving companies’ construction, manufacturing, and maintenance challenges. Our 1,500+ experienced recruiters across 250+ offices work relentlessly to put our workforce in a position to thrive. Let us rise to meet your challenges and put our people-are-everything spirit to the test as your career continues to grow.