Position Summary:
We are seeking a highly skilled and detail-oriented Machinist / Toolmaker to join our manufacturing team. This dual-role position involves precision machining and toolmaking in support of design and assembly processes, while also leading internal shop load planning, raw material procurement, inventory control, and quoting.
The ideal candidate is a problem-solver with strong technical, organizational, and communication skills, capable of collaborating with engineering teams to identify and resolve manufacturing challenges and drive continuous improvement.
Machine Tools Include:
- Lathe - turning to .001” tolerance
- Mill - horizontal & vertical to .001” tolerance
- CNC Multi-axis Machining Center to .001” tolerance
- Internal/External Precision Grinding to .0001” tolerance
- Surface Grinding to .0001” tolerance
Job Responsibilities, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
Machinist Level I
The Machinist – Tool Maker Level I performs machine operations on conventional or CNC machine tools such as lathes, boring mills, milling machines, grinding machines, or shapers. Works with Mechanical engineering team to :
- Perform precision machining and toolmaking operations to support prototyping, production, and custom tooling needs.
- Collaborate with engineering and design teams to interpret technical drawings and ensure manufacturability.
- Lead scheduling and internal load planning for the manufacturing of compontents to meet deadlines and production goals.
- Manage procurement of raw materials, including vendor communication, ordering, and tracking.
- Maintain and optimize inventory levels of tooling, raw materials, and supplies.
- Generate time and cost estimates for internal and customer machining projects.
- Troubleshoot manufacturing challenges and propose improvements for efficiency and quality.
- Ensure compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory standards.
- Continuously improve processes, tooling, and workflows to support lean manufacturing principles.
- Use measuring instruments such as internal and external micrometers, vernier height and depth gages, indicators, scales, and various standard or preset snap, plug, bore, or ring gages to achieve and maintain critical dimensions and tolerances during the machining process.
- Requires supervision, guidance and training as skills are developed.
Machinist – Tool Maker Level II
Meets the requirements of a Machinist – Tool Maker Level I plus:
- Perform a full range of machining operations on most types of conventional or CNC machine tools and their various attachments.
- Has a broad knowledge of various metals/material that enables the Machinist to produce the desired cuts and finishes on each material.
- Advanced skills in determining work procedures, machine, tools, equipment, and attachments to be used; proper type and size of raw stock; sequence of machining operations, and the speeds and feeds necessary to attain the required finishes and tolerances.
- Setup, operate and debug programs on a variety of CNC machine tools.
- Understand a variety of machine controls and able to make necessary manual inputs to insure accurate dimensional tolerances are achieved.
- Advanced knowledge of trade mathematics including plane geometry and the use of trigonometric functions and machinist handbook formulas.
- Establish needed dimensions such as those required for chasing threads or machining angular surfaces; locating and marking surfaces and angles to be machined, locating reference points, or performing other layout work necessary to facilitate accurate job setups on a variety of conventional or CNC machine tools.
- Manufacture an entire item, carrying out all machining operations necessary for completion, and performing precision handwork such as filing, scraping and lapping to fit, assemble, and finish machined parts.
- Expertise in using many types of advanced precision instruments and equipment such as vernier calipers, height gages, squares, protractors, inside, outside and depth micrometers, surface gages, v-blocks, parallel bars, gage blocks, dial indicators, optical and mechanical comparators, ring, bore, plug, and go/no-go thread gages to attain accurate dimensions and maintain tolerances.
- Provide basic, intermediate and advanced training to Machinist Level I and II on most types of machine tools. Can assist others with intermediate to complex machining processes, programming edits and problem solving.
Machinist - Tool Maker Level Ill
Meets the requirements of a Machinist -Tool Maker Level II plus:
- Expert in GD&T
- Can mentor engineering on Design for Manufacturability concepts.
- Can determine accurate time standards for production orders with minimal to no input.
- Works with supply chain team to determine ‘make vs buy’ decisions
- Maintain Production order creation, maintenance, and tracking activities
- Highest level of skill in operating multiple machines with exceptional quality and productivity.
- Exercise advanced critical thinking skills and ingenuity in selecting and applying tooling and fixturing to maximize quality and productivity.
- Perform machining processes requiring special adaption of equipment or processes for which they were not specifically designed.
- Use special or improvised tools, fixtures, and setups to machine unusual surface configurations such as curved surfaces requiring machine feeds in different planes simultaneously; surfaces having closely interrelated dimensions; or surfaces having unusual or compound angular relationships.
- Skilled in programming machining operations, setting up and operating CNC machine tools;
- Critique part designs and make recommendations for design modifications to part features.
- Expertise in the selection of metrology equipment and its proper use to ensure the most repeatable results are achieved.
- Thorough knowledge of advanced shop mathematics. They have skill in using geometry and trigonometric formulas to compute compound angles, angular indexing, hole patterns, pitch lead, and pitch diameters for various standard and non-standard threads.
- Skill in performing work assignments requiring untried tasks or procedures such as machining rare metals, or new metal alloys. This requires determining the best tooling material, tool types, coolants, and machine feeds and speeds to use in various machining operation; or independent interpretation and translation of work orders, drawings, and specifications frequently requiring computing and establishing missing tolerances, dimensions, and types of fits and finishes.
- Machinists Level Ill apply a knowledge of the effect and relationship of heat treating, annealing, plating, welding, and other related work processes on various machining operations in completing an assignment.
- Subject matter expert in a broad spectrum of machine tools.
- Provide training and assist others with the most complex machining and problem solving. Act as mentor and coach to other team members and shares knowledge, advice and assistance with all team members.
Qualifications:
- Minimum 5 years of experience as a machinist/toolmaker in a manufacturing or prototyping environment.
- Comply with all company policies, procedures and practices
- Follow all department processes/procedures through consistent application of sound quality assurance principles.
- Strong understanding of GD&T, mechanical drawings, and tight-tolerance machining.
- Proficiency with manual mills, lathes, and CNC machines; programming experience is a plus.
- Experience with production planning, scheduling tools, and material procurement processes.
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and collaborate cross-functionally.
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and collaborate cross-functionally.
- ERP or MRP system experience preferred.
- Strong organizational, multitasking, and communication skills.
- Willingness to work overtime and different shifts as needed to meet productivity requirements and customer expectations.
Preferred Education/Training/Experience:
- High school diploma or equivalent required
- Associate’s degree in Advance Manufacturing/Machining desired
- Experience with CAD / CAM software
- Experience with ERP software, specifically SAP
- Experience with MS Office software (Excel, Teams, Outlook, Word)
Job Details
- Job Family
- GWR & GSAC
- Job Function
- Direct
- Pay Type
- Hourly
- Hiring Min Rate
- 24.36 USD
- Hiring Max Rate
- 40.6 USD