Manufacturing Operator Visa Sponsorship Jobs in California
California's manufacturing sector spans aerospace, semiconductors, food processing, and medical devices, with major employers like Northrop Grumman, Intel, and Boston Scientific operating across the Los Angeles Basin, Bay Area, and Central Valley. Companies in these industries regularly sponsor H-1B visa and other work visas for qualified manufacturing operators with specialized technical skills.
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Work Schedule
Standard (Mon-Fri)
Environmental Conditions
- Able to lift 40 lbs. without assistance
- Adherence to all Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Safety Standards
- Cleanroom: no hair products, jewelry, makeup, nail polish, perfume, exposed piercings, facial hair etc. allowed
- Cold Room/Freezers -22 degrees F/-6 degrees C
- Fluctuating Temps hot/cold
- Laboratory Setting
- Loud Noises (Equipment/Machinery)
- Some degree of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) required (safety glasses, gowning, gloves, lab coat, ear plugs etc.)
- Standing for full shift
- Warehouse
- Will work with hazardous/toxic materials
Job Description
Compensation: $18.30 - $24.40
Shift: 9:00 AM to 5:45 PM, Monday Through Friday
- Must be flexible to support overtime, weekend and swing shifts hours (4 PM-4 AM) as production demand requires.
- May require training for 6 months that is conducted from 6:00 AM - 2:45 PM (Mon - Fri)
Location/Division Specific Information:
This position is based at the Fremont, CA site within the Niche Diagnostics Division (NDX).
As part of the Thermo Fisher Scientific team, you’ll discover meaningful work that makes a positive impact on a global scale. Join our colleagues in bringing our Mission to life every single day to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We provide our global teams with the resources needed to achieve individual career goals while helping to take science a step beyond by developing solutions for some of the world’s toughest challenges, like protecting the environment, making sure our food is safe or helping find cures for cancer.
How Will You Make an Impact?
The Operator II position will interact and work closely with peers, senior operators, production leads and managers within Manufacturing Services department to support production demand and ensure achievement of company goals following the 4i values.
A Day in the Life:
- Read work orders, verify materials, and set up the production line with correct quantities and components per manufacturing SOPs
- Operate, monitor, and troubleshoot production equipment (fille/labeler), printers, and conveyors to maintain efficient workflow
- Manufacture and/or test complex products while completing required documentation and performing quality inspections throughout the process
- Fill, seal, label and organize products, including handling special arrangements as needed
- Perform line clearance, including reconciliation and disposal of materials for each job
- Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, glassware to maintain a safe and compliant environment
- Follow direction from production lead/management and collaborate with team members to complete assigned tasks, resolve issues, and keep production running smoothly
- Follow ISO/cGMP/GDP and Quality System Regulation to ensure all documentation is complete, workspace is organized, and key updates are communicated at the end of each shift
- Support process improvements, equipment validation, and Lean/PPI initiatives while working with cross-functional teams
- Perform other assigned duties as required
Education:
- High school diploma or equivalent required
Experience:
- Required: Minimum of 1 year of direct work experience in a manufacturing, operations, production, lab setting
- Preferred: Direct experience in a cGMP environment, Good Documentation Practices (GDP), and Good Warehouse Practices
- Preferred: Direct machine operation experience
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:
- Comfortable using MRP systems, electronic document systems, and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Strong attention to detail with batch records, SOPs, inventory transaction
- Clear communicator across peers, and management
- Ability to understand and adapt to changes in production priorities and schedules
- Ability to collaborate effectively within a team-based environment
- Ability to read/write English and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals; and carry out manufacturing instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form
- Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Knowledge of significant figure required
- Ability to handle multiple tasks and respond effectively to changing priorities and deadlines
Physical Requirements / Work Environment
- Able to lift up to 40 lbs. without assistance
- May work in cold environments (as low as -20C) and around loud-noise equipment
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) such as steel-toe shoes, lab coats, gloves, safety glasses, and ear protection required
- Controlled Substance Handling: This role involves handling, management, and oversight of controlled substances (Schedules I–V) in accordance with DEA, FDA, and Thermo Fisher guidelines
- Exposure to Controlled Substances: Proper safety protocols and protective measures must be strictly followed
- Safety Protocols: Adherence to all safety procedures is mandatory to ensure a safe working environment
What We Offer
Compensation
- Competitive Hourly Pay Rate
- Additional shift differential for 2nd shift and 3rd shift positions
- Annual performance-based bonus
- Annual merit performance-based increase
Excellent Benefits
- Medical, Dental, & Vision benefits-effective Day 1
- Paid Time Off & Designated Paid Holidays
- Retirement Savings Plan
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Employee Referral Bonus
- Career Advancement Opportunities
Compensation and Benefits
The hourly pay range estimated for this position based in California is $18.30–$27.45. This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:
- A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs
- Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement
- At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy
- Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan
- Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount
For more information on our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/global/en/total-rewards
Manufacturing Operator Job Roles in California
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Search Manufacturing Operator Jobs in CaliforniaManufacturing Operator Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies sponsor visas for manufacturing operators in California?
California employers that have sponsored work visas for manufacturing operator roles include aerospace and defense contractors such as Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, semiconductor manufacturers like Intel and Lam Research, medical device companies including Stryker and Edwards Lifesciences, and food and beverage producers concentrated in the Central Valley. Sponsorship patterns vary by facility, role complexity, and whether the position meets specialty occupation criteria.
Which visa types are most common for manufacturing operator roles in California?
The H-1B visa is the most widely used category for manufacturing operators in California when the role requires at least a bachelor's degree in a specific technical field, such as industrial engineering or materials science. The TN visa is available to Canadian and Mexican nationals in qualifying engineering and technical occupations. The H-2B visa covers temporary non-agricultural workers but applies to lower-skilled, non-specialty positions and has annual numerical limits.
Which cities in California have the most manufacturing operator sponsorship jobs?
The Los Angeles metro area, including Long Beach and El Segundo, concentrates aerospace and defense manufacturing hiring. The San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley see demand from semiconductor and clean technology manufacturers. Fresno and Stockton in the Central Valley anchor food processing and agricultural equipment manufacturing. San Diego has a notable medical device and biotech manufacturing presence, particularly in the Torrey Pines and Sorrento Valley corridors.
How to find manufacturing operator visa sponsorship jobs in California?
Migrate Mate lists manufacturing operator positions in California filtered specifically for roles open to visa sponsorship, saving you from sorting through listings that don't lead anywhere. Search by location to focus on hubs like Los Angeles, the Bay Area, or San Diego. Filtering by visa type helps narrow results to employers that have sponsored similar technical manufacturing roles before, which is a practical signal of willingness to go through the process again.
What state-specific considerations apply to manufacturing operator visa sponsorship in California?
California's prevailing wage requirements under state law often run above federal Department of Labor benchmarks, which affects the wage an H-1B sponsor must pay. The state's strong union presence in aerospace and automotive assembly can influence hiring timelines and job classifications. California's dense concentration of defense contractors also means many positions carry security clearance requirements, which can limit eligibility for foreign nationals regardless of visa status.
What is the prevailing wage for sponsored manufacturing operator jobs in California?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.