Metal Production Shop Assistant

Job Title: Metal Production Shop Assistant
Job Description

This temporary-to-permanent Metal Production Shop Assistant role supports a busy sheet metal trim manufacturing operation by assisting machine operators, handling materials, and helping prepare finished products for shipment. You will work closely with production staff to move sheet metal, operate forklifts after training, build shipping crates, and ensure products are accurately measured, packed, and ready to ship in a clean, well-organized shop environment.

Responsibilities

• Support machine operators as an extra set of hands to help meet daily production goals and maintain consistent product quality.
• Read and use a tape measure accurately to measure boards and cut them to size for building simple wood shipping crates.
• Build basic wooden shipping crates and frames used to ship finished sheet metal trim safely and securely.
• Learn and operate a forklift after receiving training and certification to move sheet metal around the shop.
• Use a forklift to move rolls of sheet metal into the slitter machine and transport finished products from bending machines to the shipping area.
• Assist on bending machines by helping load sheet metal flats onto the machine, removing pieces after bending, and stacking finished parts.
• Handle and move sheet metal pieces typically 10 feet long, with some pieces up to 12 feet long, and lift materials weighing up to approximately 30 pounds on a regular basis.
• Perform repetitive production tasks while maintaining focus on accuracy, safety, and efficiency throughout the shift.
• Follow production procedures and shop guidelines to help achieve daily output targets for trim parts.
• Maintain a clean and organized work area and support a safe, orderly production floor.
• Collaborate with team members and communicate effectively with machine operators and shipping staff to keep workflow smooth and on schedule.

Essential Skills

• Ability to accurately read and use a tape measure, including measuring boards and materials to precise lengths.
• Experience meeting production goals and maintaining product quality in a manufacturing or general production environment.
• Capability to perform general labor and general production tasks in a repetitive, fast-paced setting.
• Willingness and ability to be trained and certified on forklift operations and then safely operate a forklift in a production shop.
• Comfort working around sheet metal, including handling long pieces and performing material handling tasks.
• Physical ability to lift and move materials weighing up to approximately 30 pounds and to handle sheet metal pieces up to 10–12 feet long.
• Reliability in following instructions, adhering to safety procedures, and supporting machine operators with consistent assistance.
• Strong attention to detail to ensure accurate measurements, correct stacking, and proper preparation of shipping crates.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Sheet metal experience is a plus and will help you ramp up quickly in this environment.
• Previous experience with production, machine operation, or slitter machines is beneficial.
• Background in material handling or forklift operation is an advantage, even though full training and certification will be provided.
• Familiarity with working in a clean, well-organized manufacturing or industrial setting is helpful.
• Comfort working in a semi climate-controlled plant with air movers and a high-volume production target.
• Flexibility to adapt as the operation grows and production targets increase over time.

Why Work Here?

You join a stable manufacturing operation that invests in its employees through pay progression, strong benefits, and meaningful time off. As you transition from temporary to permanent, you can earn two pay increases within your first 9–12 months based on performance. The benefits package is competitive, including a 401(k) plan with a 5% match, and the company covers approximately 90% of medical, dental, and vision premiums for employees, with about 50% coverage on family plans. Paid time off grows with tenure, starting with 2 weeks of PTO at 6 months and increasing to 3 weeks at 2 years, supporting a healthy work-life balance. You work in a clean, well-organized plant where safety, teamwork, and steady production are core priorities, and where your contributions directly support a high-volume, specialized metal trim operation.

Work Environment

This role is based in a sheet metal trim manufacturing plant that produces trim for industrial metal buildings, primarily cold storage facilities, with no panel production—only trim made from sheet metal. The operation currently produces around 1,000 trim parts per day, with an ideal target of 1,500–1,800 parts per day. The shop is described as nice, very clean, and well laid out, with plenty of space to move around safely. The plant uses air movers and is semi climate-controlled, providing a more comfortable environment than many traditional industrial facilities. You will work a consistent Monday–Friday schedule from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., including two paid 15-minute breaks and a 30-minute unpaid lunch. The work is repetitive, with the same parts produced regularly, but your day is varied by rotating between helping on machines, building shipping crates, and running the forklift. The facility is currently located in Nashville and is planned to move to the South Columbia/Mt. Pleasant, TN area in November 2026. Dress expectations align with a typical production shop environment, focusing on safety and practicality while working around sheet metal, forklifts, and machinery.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Nashville, TN.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $20.00 - $22.00/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 Nashville,TN.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Jul 2, 2026.

About Aerotek

Aerotek® Inc. provides staffing and services solutions in manufacturing, logistics, construction, aviation, facilities and maintenance. We provide the expertise, solutions and people required to rise to the challenges of North American industry. Headquartered in Hanover, Md., Aerotek operates a unified network of over 200 offices across North America, supporting more than 18,000 clients each year. Aerotek is an Allegis Group company, the global leader in workforce and business solutions. To learn more, visit: Aerotek.com | 1-888-AEROTEK.

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.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance:
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector:
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.

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.