Manufacturing & Production Jobs in Arlington, TX

Arlington is one of the most important auto-manufacturing cities in the country: General Motors' Arlington Assembly plant is the exclusive builder of GM's full-size SUVs - the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade - running multiple shifts with thousands of production workers, and GM has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into retooling it. That single plant, plus a dense network of suppliers and other manufacturers along the Great Southwest Industrial District, makes production associate, assembler, and machinist among the most abundant good-paying jobs in the city. This hub pulls together every LocalJobPage guide in the field so you can find a role, see who is hiring, and apply.

Why Manufacturing Hiring Is Strong in Arlington

Manufacturing is the backbone of Arlington's economy in a way it isn't for most Texas cities. GM's Arlington Assembly plant is the anchor, building the company's most profitable full-size SUVs on multiple shifts and employing thousands of production operators, assemblers, and skilled trades - and its repeated multi-hundred-million-dollar investments keep hiring strong even through model changeovers. Surrounding the plant is a large ecosystem of automotive suppliers, plastics and packaging makers, and industrial firms clustered in the Great Southwest Industrial District straddling Arlington and Grand Prairie, one of the largest industrial parks in the nation. That concentration means constant demand for CNC machinists, quality control inspectors, tool and die makers, and production supervisors, with clear ladders from entry-level line work into skilled and leadership roles.

Top Manufacturing & Production Employers in Arlington

These are the largest and most active manufacturing employers in and around Arlington. Each link runs a live search combining the employer with a common role so you land on relevant openings:

• General Motors (Arlington Assembly) - The city's manufacturing anchor; hires production operators, assemblers, and skilled trades on multiple shifts.
• Poly-America - Large Grand Prairie plastics manufacturer near Arlington; production associates, machine operators, and quality inspectors.
• Siemens - Industrial technology employer with DFW operations; production, assembly, and quality roles.
• Mrs Baird's / food producers - Large-scale food manufacturers in the area; production operators and line associates.
• Area machine shops and job shops - Automotive and aerospace suppliers; CNC machinists, tool and die makers, and quality control inspectors.
• Bell (Textron) - Fort Worth aerospace manufacturer near Arlington; assemblers, machinists, and production roles.
• Lockheed Martin - Major Fort Worth defense manufacturer near Arlington; assemblers, machinists, and production technicians.

Manufacturing & Production Career Paths in Arlington

The 9 guides in this hub group into three functional buckets, so you can start where your experience and timeline fit:

• Entry-level production and assembly: Production Associate, Production Operator, Assembler, Electronics Assembler.
• Skilled machining trades: Machinist, CNC Machinist, Tool and Die Maker.
• Quality and leadership: Quality Control Inspector, Production Supervisor.

How to Start a Manufacturing & Production Career in Arlington

Many manufacturing jobs in Arlington are open to candidates with a high school diploma and offer on-the-job training, while skilled machining roles reward technical certificates:

• Entry-level production - production associate, operator, and assembler roles at plants like GM and Poly-America typically require only a high school diploma or equivalent, with paid training on the line.
• Tarrant County College - offers machining, CNC, welding, and manufacturing technology programs and certificates at low in-county tuition.
• NIMS certifications - National Institute for Metalworking Skills credentials are the standard for machinists and CNC operators and boost pay and hireability.
• Apprenticeships - tool and die maker and machinist apprenticeships let you earn while training over several years toward journeyman-level skills.
• Quality and lean credentials - Six Sigma, lean manufacturing, and quality certifications help for inspector and production supervisor tracks.

No state license is required for manufacturing and production roles in Texas; hiring is driven by reliability, hands-on skills, and technical certifications rather than licensure, which makes entry-level production one of the most accessible good-paying paths in the city.

Manufacturing & Production Salaries in Arlington

Pay rises with skill level and shift differentials. These are local estimate tiers to help you plan:

• Entry level (production associate, production operator, assembler, electronics assembler): roughly $32,000 - $45,000 per year.
• Mid level (machinist, CNC machinist, quality control inspector): roughly $45,000 - $65,000 per year.
• Senior level (tool and die maker, production supervisor, lead machinist): roughly $65,000 - $95,000+ per year.

These figures are estimates that vary by employer, shift, and overtime, and union roles at GM often come with premium pay and benefits. Larger employers like General Motors, Siemens, and Poly-America typically add benefits such as health insurance, retirement matching, shift differentials, and overtime opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need experience or a degree to work in manufacturing in Arlington?

Not for entry-level roles. Production associate, operator, and assembler jobs at plants like GM's Arlington Assembly and Poly-America typically require only a high school diploma or equivalent, with paid on-the-job training. Skilled roles like CNC machinist and tool and die maker reward technical certificates from Tarrant County College or NIMS credentials, but no state license is required for any manufacturing role in Texas.

Which employer hires the most manufacturing workers in Arlington?

General Motors' Arlington Assembly plant is by far the largest, building GM's full-size SUVs on multiple shifts and employing thousands of production workers, with hiring waves tied to its ongoing plant investments. A dense network of suppliers, plus Poly-America, Siemens, and nearby Bell and Lockheed Martin, adds thousands more manufacturing jobs in the area.

How much do manufacturing and production jobs pay in Arlington?

Entry-level production associates, operators, and assemblers generally start around $32,000 to $45,000 per year, mid-level machinists and quality inspectors land in the $45,000 to $65,000 range, and tool and die makers and production supervisors commonly earn $65,000 to over $95,000. Union positions at GM often include premium pay, shift differentials, and overtime that push earnings higher.

What is the fastest way into a manufacturing career in Arlington?

The quickest path is applying directly for entry-level production operator or assembler roles at large plants, which hire on reliability and a high school diploma and provide paid training. From there you can add a CNC or machining certificate from Tarrant County College or a NIMS credential to move up into higher-paying skilled machining and supervisor roles.

What is the difference between a machinist and a CNC machinist?

A machinist operates and sets up machine tools - lathes, mills, and grinders - to cut and shape metal parts, often using manual and semi-automatic equipment. A CNC machinist specializes in computer numerical control machines, programming and running automated equipment from digital designs to produce precise parts at volume. CNC skills are in especially high demand at Arlington's automotive and aerospace suppliers and often command higher pay.

Ready to get started? Browse all current manufacturing and production job openings in Arlington, TX on LocalJobPage.