The band comprises vocalist Jonny Davy, guitarists Tony Sannicandro and Al Glassman and bassist Nick Schendzielos.

Job for a Cowboy was founded in Glendale, Arizona, during December 2003[1] by vocalist Jonny Davy, guitarists Ravi Bhadriraju and Andrew Arcurio, bassist Chad Staples, and drummer Andy Rysdam when the band members were no older than 15 and 16.

[4] Later that year, Staples and Rysdam left Job for a Cowboy and were replaced by Brent Riggs and Elliott Sellers, respectively, as bassist and drummer.

[3] The EP attracted the attention of Arizona independent label King of the Monsters, who distributed the disc after an initial self-released pressing by the band.

[3] By the end of the year, the band obtained professional management and signed a deal with Metal Blade Records,[3] who reissued Doom with a bonus track.

[5] In late 2008, guitarist Ravi Bhadriraju left Job for a Cowboy to return to school because he wanted to pursue a more rewarding career in the medical field.

[17] The album marks the debut of guitarist Al Glassman and drummer Jon "the Charn" Rice, who had actually been with the band since the tour for Genesis.

At the beginning of 2011, the band started work on an EP[20] which was recorded in February at the Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida, with producer Jason Suecof.

[21] Just before the recording process began, bassist Brent Riggs and guitarist Bobby Thompson departed from the band and were replaced by Nick Schendzielos of Cephalic Carnage and Tony Sannicandro, respectively.

[22] Job for a Cowboy issued their new EP on June 7, 2011, entitled Gloom, which was only made available for purchase through mail order and digital download.

[32] In 2019, frontman Jonny Davy, and guitarists Alan Glassman and Tony Sannicandro formed a new group called Serpent of Gnosis, alongside The Black Dahlia Murder bassist Max Lavelle and Deeds of Flesh drummer Darren Cesca.

In August 2019, it was published that Job for a Cowboy may be "plotting a legit comeback with new music (an EP) and possibly some shows" according to "sources close to the band.

Job for a Cowboy originally started as a deathcore group, but they changed their style to death metal with the release of their first full-length album Genesis.

[43][44] Job for a Cowboy has been described by The New York Times as "an Arizona band with a guttural, brute-force sound descended (indirectly) from hardcore punk"[45] and "straightforwardly brutal act" by Rolling Stone magazine.

[46] On the band's fourth full-length album Sun Eater, Job for a Cowboy started experimenting with a more progressive writing structure and style.

[50][51][52] Vocalist Jonny Davy has commented on the perceived negative connotations associated with the "deathcore" label, believing the oversaturation of bands within the scene beginning in the 2010s (and overall lack of differentiation between artists) is partially to blame.