Production · Holland code RC
Tire Builders
Operate machines to build tires.
Also called: Retread Technician, Tire Builder, Tire Retreader, Tire Technician, Buffer, Recapper, Retread Associate, Retreader.
O*NET 51-9197.00
At a glance
- US median annual pay
- $57,390
- Middle half earn $47,900 to $64,380. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
- Most common education
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
- 66% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
- Preparation needed
- Job Zone 2 of 5
- Some preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.
What the work involves
The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.
- Place tires into molds for new tread.
- Fit inner tubes and final layers of rubber onto tires.
- Buff tires according to specifications for width and undertread depth.
- Build semi-raw rubber treads onto buffed tire casings to prepare tires for vulcanization in recapping or retreading processes.
- Brush or spray solvents onto plies to ensure adhesion, and repeat process as specified, alternating direction of each ply to strengthen tires.
- Start rollers that bond tread and plies as drums revolve.
- Align treads with guides, start drums to wind treads onto plies, and slice ends.
- Inspect worn tires for faults, cracks, cuts, and nail holes, and to determine if tires are suitable for retreading.
Skills and knowledge it leans on
Skills
- Active Listening3.0 / 5
- Critical Thinking3.0 / 5
- Monitoring3.0 / 5
- Speaking2.6 / 5
- Reading Comprehension2.3 / 5
- Writing2.0 / 5
Knowledge areas
- Production and Processing3.7 / 5
- Administration and Management3.4 / 5
- Mechanical3.2 / 5
- English Language2.9 / 5
- Engineering and Technology2.8 / 5
- Public Safety and Security2.8 / 5
Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.
Who tends to enjoy it
How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.
- Realistic100
- Investigative21
- Artistic0
- Social2
- Enterprising0
- Conventional46
The same work abroad
Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.
European occupation titles (ESCO)
- automotive brake technician · DE Kraftfahrzeugmechatroniker für Bremsanlagen/Kraftfahrzeugmechatronikerin für Bremsanlagen · FR technicien en système de freinage automobile/technicienne en système de freinage automobile
- tyre fitter · DE Mechaniker für Reifen- und Vulkanisationstechnik/Mechanikerin für Reifen- und Vulkanisationstechnik · FR monteur en pneumatique/monteuse en pneumatique
- rubber products machine operator · DE Gummiverarbeiter/Gummiverarbeiterin · FR conducteur d’équipement de formage des plastiques et caoutchoucs/conductrice d’équipement de formage des plastiques et caoutchoucs
- belt builder · DE Treibriemenmacher/Treibriemenmacherin · FR agent de fabrication de courroies et bandes transporteuses/agente de fabrication de courroies et bandes transporteuses
- foam rubber mixer · DE Latexschäumer/Latexschäumerin · FR conducteur de mélangeurs en caoutchouc/conductrice de mélangeurs en caoutchouc
- rubber cutting machine tender · DE Gummischneider/Gummischneiderin · FR opérateur de coupeuse de caoutchouc/opératrice de coupeuse de caoutchouc
Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)
- Assemblers and routine operatives n.e.c. (8149)26,300 employed
- Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians (5231)165,500 employed
- Tyre, exhaust and windscreen fitters (8145)12,600 employed
Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.
Pay across Europe, for the whole group
Median annual earnings of all employees in “Plant and machine operators and assemblers”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.
| Country | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Belgium | €39,630 |
| Netherlands | €37,567 |
| Austria | €37,304 |
| Sweden | €36,005 |
| Germany | €34,433 |
| Ireland | €32,617 |
| France | €28,550 |
| Italy | €28,330 |
| Spain | €24,409 |
| Portugal | €11,309 |
| Poland | €10,259 |
Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.
Exposure to AI
This occupation sits in the lower third of the 774 occupations scored, with an exposure score of -1.61. The scores are standardized across those occupations, so 0 is the average and a score of 1 is about one standard deviation above it.
Our note on reading it: the dataset links AI applications to the abilities that occupations require, so the score reflects overlap between the two. It is a comparison between occupations, not a forecast about jobs. It does not say whether exposure means tasks are replaced or workers get more done with the tools, and it says little about one employer or one role.
Source: Felten, E., Raj, M., & Seamans, R. (2021). Occupational, industry, and geographic exposure to artificial intelligence: A novel dataset and its potential uses. Strategic Management Journal, 42(12), 2195-2217. Matched to this page by 6-digit SOC code (51-9197).
Related careers
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