Bio-Rad Laboratories makes equipment and supplies for life science research and clinical labs, and its corporate headquarters is in Hercules. The city’s 2025 financial report counts about 2,000 people working there, which makes Bio-Rad the largest employer in Hercules by far. Here is what its entry-level and skilled jobs look like, using Bio-Rad postings for Hercules open on October 2, 2026.
What gets made in Hercules
Hercules is not only offices. Bio-Rad’s careers site lists manufacturing, quality control and research jobs there alongside corporate ones, and a current maintenance posting describes a plant making PCR genomics products, multiplex assays, education kits and precast gels for protein research. The production jobs are listed as on site.
Jobs you can start without a degree
- Instrument Assembler: builds and tests instruments and parts from schematics and wiring lists, and keeps quality records. It asks for a high school diploma or GED and a year of assembly or manufacturing experience. Pay: $17.79 to $24.52 an hour.
- Instrument Assembler (temporary): fills, packages and assembles kits on production lines and inspects the product. A diploma is preferred, and it takes 0 to 3 years of experience. Same pay range. The posting lists a first shift of 6:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday, with overtime and weekends as needed.
- Material Handler: picks and moves materials to and from production, drives a forklift or stacker, and keeps the stock system matching the shelves. It asks for 3 years of related experience and lifting up to 45 pounds. Pay: $37,000 to $51,000 a year.
Several of these mention SAP, the inventory and ordering system the plant runs on, as a plus. You do not need it to apply, but if you have used it at a warehouse or plant, say so.
A skilled step up: maintenance
The Maintenance Technician II job keeps the plant’s robotic systems, fill lines and other equipment running. It asks for a high school or trade school diploma and 2 years of related experience, plus reading blueprints and wiring diagrams. Pay: $57,000 to $78,500 a year. Short trade and technical programs can get you there. See short certificates that lead to jobs and trades apprenticeships.
What else the postings say
- Benefits: the postings list medical plans, a 401(k) with profit sharing, an employee stock purchase plan, paid time off, paid parental leave and education benefits.
- Words that matter in manufacturing: GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices), GDP (Good Documentation Practices), 5S and line clearance come up again and again. If you have worked under any of them, at a food plant, a pharmacy or another factory, put that on your resume in the same words.
- Getting there: Hercules has no BART station, and I-80 is the main route in. Plan on driving or a bus connection.
How to apply
Bio-Rad posts its Hercules jobs on its own careers site. Apply there. Bio-Rad warns that people have been posing as its recruiters to get personal and financial information from applicants, so be careful with anyone who contacts you outside that site. Our guide to spotting a fake job posting covers the warning signs.
More: jobs in Hercules, is your pay fair?, and a job alert for new listings near you.