Windsor and Essex County sit at the center of Canada's automotive manufacturing revival, anchored by a major Stellantis assembly plant, a large-scale EV battery facility, and a dense network of parts suppliers, all hiring at the same time. If you are searching for automotive assembly jobs in Windsor, this guide walks through the plants, the roles, the wages, and the concrete steps to get your application in front of the right hiring manager.
Quick takeaways
- The Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant builds the Chrysler Pacifica and has historically produced the Dodge Grand Caravan, and it remains one of the largest direct employers of production workers in the region.
- NextStar Energy, the Stellantis and LG Energy Solution joint venture EV battery plant in Windsor, has opened up a new wave of manufacturing, process, and technician roles alongside traditional vehicle assembly work.
- Unifor Local 444 represents production employees at the Windsor Assembly Plant, and the 2023 Big Three pattern agreement pushed the top production wage rate past 33 dollars an hour.
- In-demand roles span assembly line production, skilled trades and maintenance, quality and materials handling, and team lead or supervisory positions.
- Manufacturing hiring in the corridor extends beyond Windsor, including EV battery plant jobs in Oakville and automotive plant hiring across the rest of Ontario's auto sector.
Why Windsor-Essex Is Ontario's Automotive Assembly Hub
Windsor earned its reputation as Canada's automotive capital because of its border location across from Detroit and its decades-long relationship with the Big Three automakers. That legacy is still very much active today. Essex County's manufacturing base includes final assembly, stamping, tooling, and a wide layer of tier one and tier two suppliers that feed parts directly onto the line.
What has changed in recent years is the addition of large-scale EV supply chain investment on top of the traditional assembly base. That combination means job seekers in Windsor now have two overlapping hiring waves to watch: ongoing hiring at the established vehicle assembly plant, and new hiring tied to battery and EV component production.
Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant
The Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant has been a fixture of the local economy for generations, building minivans for the North American market. The plant currently produces the Chrysler Pacifica and has, over its history, also built the Dodge Grand Caravan. Production at this scale requires a constant flow of assemblers, material handlers, quality inspectors, and skilled trades workers to keep the line running across multiple shifts.
Because the plant runs on a unionized production model, most hourly positions here follow a structured hiring, onboarding, and wage progression process rather than a typical retail-style application. Understanding that structure ahead of time will help you apply with realistic expectations about timelines and pay progression.
The NextStar Energy EV Battery Plant Effect
NextStar Energy, a joint venture between Stellantis and LG Energy Solution, built its EV battery manufacturing facility in Windsor to supply battery cells for electric and hybrid vehicle production. This is a distinct operation from the Windsor Assembly Plant, but it draws from the same regional labor pool and has meaningfully expanded the range of manufacturing careers available locally.
Battery cell manufacturing involves different processes than traditional vehicle assembly, so the plant has been hiring for production technicians, process and quality technicians, equipment operators, and maintenance and electrical trades familiar with automated manufacturing equipment. For job seekers with a background in manufacturing, electronics, or process control, this is one of the more significant new entry points into the Windsor-Essex manufacturing economy.
Types of Automotive Assembly Jobs Available in Windsor
Automotive assembly hiring in Windsor is not limited to one job title. Plants and suppliers across the region typically hire across several distinct role categories, each with its own entry requirements and career path.
Production and Assembly Line Roles
These are the core hourly positions on the assembly line: installing components, operating assembly tools, performing scheduled tasks at a fixed station, and meeting line takt time. Most production roles do not require a specific trade certification, but they do require the ability to work a physically active job on a set shift schedule, follow safety procedures precisely, and maintain consistent quality at pace.
Skilled Trades and Maintenance
Assembly and battery plants depend heavily on skilled trades to keep equipment running: millwrights, industrial electricians, tool and die makers, and general maintenance mechanics. These roles typically require a recognized trade certification or apprenticeship background, and they tend to carry higher wage rates than general production positions because of the specialized skill involved.
Quality and Materials Roles
Quality technicians, inspectors, and materials or logistics coordinators keep parts moving correctly through the plant and catch defects before they reach the next station. These roles suit candidates who are detail oriented and comfortable using measurement tools, tracking systems, or basic quality documentation.
Supervisory and Team Leader Positions
Experienced production workers often move into team lead, group leader, or shift supervisor roles over time. These positions typically require prior plant floor experience, strong communication skills, and the ability to coordinate a team against daily production targets.
Wages and Union Representation: What to Expect
Most production jobs at the Windsor Assembly Plant fall under a collective agreement, which shapes both wages and how new hires progress toward full pay.
Unifor Local 444 Wage Tiers
Unifor Local 444 represents production workers at the Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant. Wages under the union contract are set through structured tiers rather than individual negotiation, which means every worker in a given classification and seniority level is paid on the same scale. This structure gives job seekers a clear, predictable picture of what a role pays rather than having to guess or negotiate.
The Path to Top Rate
The 2023 Big Three pattern bargaining agreement, negotiated across the major automakers, delivered significant wage gains for unionized auto workers, pushing the top production wage rate in these plants past 33 dollars an hour. New hires typically start below that top rate and progress upward over a defined period as they gain seniority, a structure often referred to as the wage grow-in. Understanding where you would land on that scale as a new hire, and how quickly you would progress, is a reasonable question to ask during the hiring process.
How to Apply for Automotive Plant Jobs in Windsor and Essex County
Getting hired at a major assembly or battery plant usually involves a more structured process than a typical retail or service job application, so preparation matters.
Preparing Your Application
Before you apply, gather proof of any relevant certifications, a clear work history that highlights manufacturing, warehouse, or physically active roles, and references who can speak to your reliability and attendance. If you are applying to a skilled trades posting, make sure your trade certificate or apprenticeship documentation is ready to submit alongside your resume.
Job seekers can browse current listings and set up alerts for openings across Windsor-Essex and the wider Ontario auto corridor through the ManufacturingJobHub.ca job seekers page, which is built specifically around manufacturing and production roles rather than general job postings.
What Employers Look For
Manufacturers hiring for assembly and plant roles generally prioritize a strong attendance record, the ability to work rotating or off shifts, comfort with repetitive physical tasks performed safely and consistently, and a demonstrated respect for workplace safety procedures. If you have any prior manufacturing, warehouse, or automotive experience, make sure it is front and center on your resume, since it directly signals plant floor readiness to hiring teams.
Beyond Windsor: Manufacturing Jobs Across Ontario's Auto Corridor
Windsor is the best known automotive hub in the province, but it is one part of a much larger Ontario manufacturing corridor that stretches across the southwest and into the Greater Toronto Area.
EV Battery Plant Jobs in Oakville and the Broader EV Supply Chain
Oakville has also become a focal point for the province's shift toward electric vehicle production, with automotive investment in the area positioning local plants for EV-related manufacturing work. As with Windsor's battery plant, this kind of investment tends to create openings for production technicians, quality staff, and skilled trades who are comfortable working with newer manufacturing processes tied to electric vehicle components. Job seekers open to relocating or commuting within the golden horseshoe region should keep an eye on openings in this area alongside Windsor-Essex postings.
Supplier and Tier-1 Plant Hiring Around Windsor-Essex
Behind every major assembly plant sits a network of parts suppliers that also hire steadily, often with slightly different scheduling and application processes than the flagship plant itself. These supplier roles can be a practical entry point into automotive manufacturing, since they sometimes have shorter hiring timelines and can serve as a stepping stone toward larger plant opportunities later. For a broader view of what is currently available across the region, ManufacturingJobHub.ca aggregates postings from assembly plants, battery facilities, and suppliers across Ontario's manufacturing corridor.
Tips for Landing Your First Automotive Assembly Role
If you are new to plant floor work, a few practical steps can meaningfully improve your chances.
Physical and Shift Readiness
Assembly and production roles are physically demanding and often run on rotating shifts, including nights and weekends. Being upfront with yourself about your ability to handle standing, lifting, and repetitive motion across a full shift, and your flexibility around scheduling, will help you target roles you are genuinely ready for and avoid an early exit once you are hired.
Building Transferable Skills
If you do not have direct automotive experience, look for ways to highlight transferable skills from warehouse work, food production, construction labor, or other physically active jobs. Forklift certification, basic mechanical aptitude, and prior experience working to a quality standard are all worth calling out, since they translate directly to what assembly and battery plant employers are screening for.
FAQ
What qualifications do I need for automotive assembly jobs in Windsor?
Most entry-level production roles do not require a specific certification, but employers generally look for a stable work history, reliability, and the physical capacity to handle repetitive, active work across a full shift. Skilled trades and technician roles typically require a recognized trade certificate or relevant technical background.
How much do automotive assembly jobs in Windsor pay?
Wages at unionized plants like the Windsor Assembly Plant follow a structured tier system negotiated by Unifor Local 444, with the top production rate under the 2023 Big Three agreement set above 33 dollars an hour. New hires typically start below that rate and progress upward over time based on the contract's wage grow-in schedule.
Is NextStar Energy hiring for battery plant jobs?
NextStar Energy, the Stellantis and LG Energy Solution EV battery plant in Windsor, has been actively building out its workforce across production, process, quality, and maintenance roles as the facility ramps up battery cell manufacturing. Job seekers interested in EV manufacturing should watch postings from NextStar directly as well as aggregated listings for the region.
Do I need to be a Unifor member to work at the Windsor Assembly Plant?
Production employees at the Windsor Assembly Plant are represented by Unifor Local 444 as a condition of employment in most hourly roles, meaning union membership and dues are part of working under that collective agreement. This is standard for unionized auto assembly plants across Canada.
What shifts are typical in automotive assembly work?
Most assembly and battery plants run multiple shifts to keep production lines active, which can include day, afternoon, and night rotations, along with occasional overtime during periods of high demand. Shift assignments are usually based on seniority and plant scheduling needs, so flexibility as a new hire is an asset.
Are there manufacturing jobs elsewhere in Ontario besides Windsor?
Yes. Ontario's auto manufacturing corridor extends well beyond Windsor-Essex, including EV-related investment around Oakville and a wide base of assembly and supplier plants across southwestern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area. Job seekers open to a wider search radius will find additional automotive plant hiring across the province.
Ready to take the next step? Visit ManufacturingJobHub.ca at https://manufacturingjobhub.ca/job-seekers to browse current openings and create a candidate profile.