Insulation Field Crew — Drill and Fill, Blow-In, Removal & Batts

Insulation Field Crew — Blow-In, Removal & Batts

Vortex Insulation | Hayward, CA | $22–$26/hr starting · Rank-based increases + commission | Operations — Residential Field Crew

Now Hiring — No Experience Required · We Train from Day One

Starting Pay

$22–$26/hr (Apprentice entry)

$28-38/hr (Advanced/ Journey man)

Increases at every rank promotion

Commission begins at Advanced Installer level

This Role Covers

Insulation removal · Air sealing

Blow-in insulation · Batt insulation

Rigid board · Drill & fill (wall cavity fill)

Trade Workers & Service Industry Professionals — This Role Was Built for You

Pest control technicians who go under houses. HVAC service workers who know attics. Painters comfortable with surface prep. Drywall installers who patch and finish. Construction laborers who move fast and work clean. If any of that sounds like you — apply today. Your background transfers directly to this job, and we will train you on everything insulation-specific from day one.

About Vortex Insulation

Vortex Insulation is one of the fastest-growing insulation contractors in the San Francisco Bay Area. We delivered 23% growth in 2025 and are projecting 300% growth in 2026 as we scale our team and expand across the region. We were founded in 2017 and have spent every year since building the systems, training, and standards that set us apart.

We are not hiring bodies to fill trucks. We are building a team for the next 10 years. The people joining Vortex today are the leads, supervisors, and department heads of tomorrow. If you want a career — not just a paycheck — this is where it starts.

This Is a Residential Service Crew Role — What That Means

This crew works primarily in residential homes across the Bay Area — not industrial job sites. You will be inside customers' homes, working in their attics, crawl spaces, and walls. This means two things matter as much as your technical skill:

• You are presentable, professional, and respectful — how you show up and how you treat customers directly reflects on Vortex
• You communicate clearly — customers are present on many jobs and will ask questions. You need to be comfortable having a basic conversation in English

This is a service-minded field role. The best people in this position combine trade skills with a customer-first attitude.

What This Crew Does — Daily Work

This is a multi-skill crew covering the full residential insulation improvement workflow:

• Drill & Fill (primary focus): Drill small holes in drywall, fill empty wall cavities with blow-in insulation using specialized equipment, then patch the holes cleanly with drywall compound — leaving the wall looking clean and professional
• Blow-In Insulation: Access attics and blow cellulose or fiberglass insulation to specified height/R-value using blow-in machines
• Insulation Removal: Remove old, damaged, or contaminated insulation from attics and crawl spaces using vacuum equipment and bags
• Air Sealing: Seal gaps, penetrations, and bypasses in the building envelope prior to insulation install
• Batt Insulation: Cut and fit fiberglass or mineral wool batts into wall cavities, attic floors, and crawl spaces
• Rigid Board: Cut and install rigid foam board insulation in specified areas

Physical Requirements

• Must be able to comfortably lift and move 80–100 lbs — materials, equipment bags, and blow-in machine handling
• Must be comfortable working in attics (hot, tight, low clearance) and crawl spaces (low clearance, confined) — this is a significant part of the job
• Comfortable on ladders and in residential construction environments
• Physical stamina for full-day field work in varying weather and temperature conditions

Driver's License & Driving Record

A valid California driver's license is required for this position. A clean driving record is required — you will be driving a company vehicle to residential job sites. This is non-negotiable. If your record has significant violations or suspensions, please disclose this when you apply.

5-Rank Career Ladder — Where This Role Goes

Your Career Path — Removal / Blow-In / Batts Department

• Rank 1 — Apprentice: $22/hr · Learn safety, PPE, vacuum ops, site prep, basic installs under supervision · 0–1 month
• Rank 2 — Installer: $24/hr · Runs assigned removal/blow-in zones semi-independently, documents work, customer-facing basics · 9–12 months
• Rank 3 — Advanced Installer: $28/hr + 0.5% commission · Full zone independence, identifies site issues, mentors apprentices · 18–24 months
• Rank 4 — Journeyman / Crew Lead: $36/hr + 1% commission · Runs full crew independently, manages all equipment and paperwork · 3–4 years
• Rank 5 — Master Installer: $42/hr + 2% commission · Multi-dept certified, trains new hires, QC audits, management eligible · 5+ years
• Move into Spray Foam - Construction- Management

What we hire for: Great attitude. Strong attendance. Real work ethic. Drive to grow. The rest — we teach.

Promotion at every rank requires: Trainual module completion, minimum hours completed, zero callbacks in last 90 days, 5-star review targets met, and sign-off from both Abel (Field Manager) and Guillermo (Operations Manager). This is not a waiting game — perform the requirements and you advance.

The Drill & Fill Process — Primary Day-to-Day Work

This is the core work of this crew, and it requires precision and a clean finish. Here is exactly what it looks like:

• Step 1 — Assess the wall layout and mark drill locations between studs
• Step 2 — Drill small access holes (typically 1–2 inch diameter) through the drywall into each empty wall cavity
• Step 3 — Insert the fill hose and inject blow-in insulation (cellulose or fiberglass) until the cavity is fully packed to spec
• Step 4 — Remove hose and patch each hole cleanly with drywall compound, feathering edges to match surrounding wall
• Step 5 — Sand smooth when dry and prepare surface for paint — leave the wall looking like nothing happened
• Step 6 — Photograph each cavity before, during, and after — full documentation submitted daily

The goal is that when you leave a home, the only sign you were there is a warmer, quieter, more efficient building.

What We're Looking For

• Any of the following backgrounds: insulation, pest control, HVAC service, painting, drywall, construction labor, roofing, warehousing — all transfer
• Valid California driver's license + clean driving record — required
• Comfortable in attics and crawl spaces — required
• Able to lift and move 80–100 lbs comfortably — required
• Presentable and professional — you will be in customers' homes
• Comfortable communicating in English with customers and crew
• On time, every time — reliability is our number one hiring requirement
• Genuine desire to learn a skilled trade and advance over time
• No insulation experience required — our Vortex School of Insulation covers everything
• Bilingual English/Spanish is a strong plus

What Makes This Crew Different

Most insulation companies send a crew to a house and tell them to go fast. At Vortex, this crew is our face in the residential market. We train you on building science — why insulation works, what it does to the envelope, how to explain it to a homeowner simply and honestly. We track customer reviews and tie them to your advancement. The people who take pride in clean work, talk to customers with confidence, and document everything — those are the people who advance fastest at Vortex.

Benefits

✔ Overtime pay

✔ Paid time off

✔ Performance bonuses

✔ Paid Vortex training

✔ Commission structure

✔ Tools provided on site

✔ Clear promotion path

✔ Rank-up pay increases

✔ $100K+ career potential

Ready to start your career at Vortex?

Apply on Indeed — attach your resume or write us a brief note about your experience and why you want to grow. We read every application. No resume? Tell us your story. Serious candidates will hear back quickly.

Vortex Insulation | 1273 Industrial Pkwy Ste 530, Hayward CA 94544 | vortexinsulation.com | (510) 963-5713

Pay: $28.00 - $38.00 per hour

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• On-the-job training
• Opportunities for advancement
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance

Work Location: On the road