surface-mount technology machine operator
Surface-mount technology machine operators use surface-mount technology (SMT) machines to mount and solder small electronic components onto printed circuit boards to create surface-mounted devices (SMD).
surface-mount technology machine operator surface-mount technology machine operators use surface-mount technology (SMT) machines to mount and solder small electronic components onto printed circuit boards to create surface-mounted devices (SMD). The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include printed circuit boards, surface-mount technology, quality standards, electronics, interpret circuit diagrams.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £28,620 a year for Assemblers (electrical and electronic products) (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £25,997 to £34,441 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 8141). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Plant and machine operators and assemblers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only surface-mount technology machine operator, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 8. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Frequently asked questions
What does surface-mount technology machine operator do?
Surface-mount technology machine operators use surface-mount technology (SMT) machines to mount and solder small electronic components onto printed circuit boards to create surface-mounted devices (SMD).
What skills does surface-mount technology machine operator need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include printed circuit boards, surface-mount technology, quality standards, electronics, interpret circuit diagrams, monitor machine operations. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace surface-mount technology machine operator?
Our AI-durability model gives surface-mount technology machine operator a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.