Tire Builders
Production
Semi-raw rubber treads are built onto buffed tire casings so the tires are ready for vulcanization in a recapping or retreading process. Excess rubber and imperfections are trimmed during that work, and cuts or holes are filled with hot rubber. Operating the machines that put those layers together is part of the same job. People who like repeating a physical sequence and spotting defects in the rubber as they go tend to fit this work.
Typical education: High School Diploma or GED
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$57'390
Median Wage Market Position
$57'390
What you might do
- Operate machines that build complete tires
- Build rubber treads onto buffed tire casings
- Prepare recapped tires to be vulcanized
- Fill cuts and holes with hot rubber
- Trim leftover rubber from the new tread
- Cut imperfections out of the retread
Skills that matter
- Building rubber treads onto casings
- Trimming excess rubber from retreads
- Filling tire cuts with hot rubber
- Controlling the tire-building machine
- Judging how to repair damaged casings
- Talking through retread issues with others
AI & the future of this role
Tire building remains physical work with specialized machines and materials that need careful handling. Automation could absorb more repetitive assembly steps, while quality checks and machine upkeep still rely on experienced operators on site.
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Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details