Careers at Ames Hydraulics are not for everyone. We hire people who can figure things out, show up on time, take real ownership, and want their work to matter at the end of the day. In return, you get real pay, paid training, and a company where the trade path leads somewhere better than clocking in and out for thirty years hoping nothing changes. That is the deal. If it fits, keep reading.
This is the Ames Hydraulics careers hub. Every open role is listed below with the pay range, the expectations, and the kind of person who thrives in it. Each role page has a simple application form — name, email, phone — that comes straight to a real person at the shop. No automated resume filter, no chatbot, no black hole.
Open Roles
Welder Jobs
Steady weld work on cylinder rods, custom fabrication, trailer repair, and industrial steel products. Pay range reflects skill and experience.
Diesel & Heavy Equipment Mechanic Jobs
The master-tech track. Real pay, real respect, and we will never force you into management if you love turning wrenches. That is a promise.
Machinist / Fabricator / Manufacturing Jobs
Lathes, mills, plasma, welding, sheet metal. If you like making things that did not exist before, you will fit.
Part-Time CDL Delivery Driver
Semi-trailer pickup and delivery. Home every night. A couple days a week. Great for a semi-retired driver who still loves the road but does not want the over-the-road schedule anymore.
Part-Time Relationship Sales — Dream 100
Warm, relationship-driven outbound to a curated list. Flexible schedule, work from home eligible, perfect for a semi-retired people person who loves talking to shop owners and fleet managers.
The Kind Of People Who Do Well Here
We are honest about the fit. Ames Hydraulics is a hands-on, hydraulic and heavy-equipment repair shop in central Iowa, and we are growing. Growth means the culture matters more than the org chart. The people who thrive here share a handful of traits:
- Hustle without being told. If you see a job that needs done, you start it. You do not wait for a supervisor to assign it.
- Humble. You know what you do not know, you ask smart questions, and you learn faster than the person next to you.
- Figures anything out. The hydraulic pump on a 1998 Kubota does not come with a YouTube tutorial. You read the print, you look at the parts, you think.
- Hates being micromanaged. Us too. Do the work, take pride in the work, and we will leave you alone to be great at it.
- Wants the work to matter. Farmers, contractors, and municipal fleets are keeping Iowa moving. When their machine goes down, we get it running. That is real.
If any of that sounds like you, one of the roles below likely fits.
Paid Training — We Pay You To Learn
The biggest reason people never break into a trade career is the money. Trade schools cost real dollars, and by the time you graduate you are already behind on payments. That is backwards. At Ames Hydraulics, we pay you while we train you. Full details on our paid-training jobs page — real pay ranges, what the training day looks like, and the debt-free path from where you are now to a real trade income.
Why Work Here (Beyond The Paycheck)
The paycheck matters. Everyone knows that. But the paycheck is not the only reason people stay at Ames Hydraulics for five, ten, twenty years. The why-work-here page walks through the actual culture — the variety, the responsibility, the recession-proof nature of hydraulic repair, and the honest reasons this is a good career move if you are considering a career change at 30, 40, or 60.
How Much You Can Make
Straight numbers. Iowa welders make in a wide range depending on skill and experience. The same is true for diesel mechanics, machinists, and drivers. We break down the honest Iowa pay ranges on our how much do welders make article — and we show you how to earn on the higher end of that range at our shop.
Part-Time And Retiree Roles
Not everyone wants a 40-hour week. If you are retired or semi-retired and want flexible, respected part-time work with people who value experience, our part-time jobs for retirees hub lists the roles that fit. The CDL driver and the Dream-100 sales roles are especially well suited to this stage of career.
How To Apply
Every role page has a simple application form — name, email, phone. That comes to a real person at Ames Hydraulics and we reply within one business day. There is no resume upload requirement, no chatbot, no filtered inbox. Pick the role that fits, click through, fill in three fields, and we take it from there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a degree to work at Ames Hydraulics?
No. We hire character over credentials and pay you while we train you. If you show up, learn fast, and take ownership, the career is yours to build here.
Do you offer paid training?
Yes. Real paid training on real work — not a classroom detached from the shop floor. Details on the paid-training-jobs page.
What roles are open right now?
Welders, diesel and heavy-equipment mechanics, machinists and fabricators, part-time CDL drivers, and relationship sales. Each role has its own page with details and application.
Where is Ames Hydraulics located?
210 Freel Dr, Ames, IA 50010. Central Iowa, right off I-35, easy commute from Ames, Ankeny, Des Moines, and Cedar Rapids for most roles.
How do I apply?
Fill out the short form on any role page. Name, email, phone. A real person here reads every application.