Associate Machine Shop Lead Jobs (NOW HIRING)

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Machine Shop Manager / Hands-On CNC Programmer to lead, build, and grow our in-house machine shop operation.

This is a key leadership position for someone who wants more than a desk-only management role. The right candidate will have the opportunity to help shape the department, build out the machine shop team, establish strong processes, improve production flow, and remain actively involved in CNC programming, setup, troubleshooting, and process improvement.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on manufacturing leader with strong CNC machining experience, advanced Mastercam programming skills, and the ability to train and develop machinists while driving quality, efficiency, and accountability on the shop floor.

Due to customer contract obligations, this position requires U.S. citizenship.

Competitive salary based on experience

• Lead, build, train, and develop the machine shop team.
• Help recruit, onboard, mentor, and evaluate machinists and shop personnel.
• Establish shop standards, workflows, training processes, setup documentation, and best practices.
• Manage daily machine shop operations, including scheduling, workflow, job priorities, and labor assignments.
• Program CNC mills and/or lathes using Mastercam.
• Perform hands-on machine setup, prove-outs, first-piece inspections, troubleshooting, and process optimization.
• Read and interpret blueprints, GD&T, customer drawings, and technical specifications.
• Create and optimize toolpaths, tooling packages, feeds, speeds, workholding, and setup sheets.
• Support machinists with setup issues, tooling challenges, part quality concerns, and production problems.
• Improve machine utilization, labor efficiency, cycle times, tooling life, scrap rates, and rework.
• Develop repeatable processes for new jobs, recurring production, inspection support, and shop-floor training.
• Work closely with engineering, quality, purchasing, and production leadership to ensure jobs are completed correctly and on time.
• Assist with quoting, routing, cycle time estimates, and manufacturability reviews when needed.
• Maintain a clean, safe, organized, and professional shop environment.
• Ensure machines, tooling, fixtures, and support equipment are properly maintained.
• Help grow the machine shop into a high-performing internal manufacturing capability.

• 5+ years of CNC machining experience.
• Strong hands-on experience with CNC mills and/or CNC lathes.
• Proficiency programming in Mastercam is required.
• Prior experience leading, supervising, or building a machine shop team.
• Ability to set up, operate, troubleshoot, and optimize CNC machining processes.
• Strong knowledge of tooling, fixtures, workholding, speeds, feeds, materials, and machining best practices.
• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, GD&T, and tight-tolerance requirements.
• Experience with first-piece inspection and standard measuring tools, including calipers, micrometers, indicators, height gauges, and bore gauges.
• Ability to train, coach, and hold machinists accountable to quality, safety, and productivity standards.
• Strong communication, planning, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Must be comfortable working on the shop floor daily.
• Must be a U.S. citizen due to customer contract obligations.

• Experience helping build, scale, or improve a machine shop department.
• Experience with Haas, Mazak, Doosan, Okuma, Mori Seiki, Fanuc, or similar CNC machines and controls.
• Experience in a job shop, low-volume/high-mix, aerospace, defense, or contract manufacturing environment.
• Familiarity with ISO 9001, AS9100, or other quality management systems.
• Experience machining aluminum, steel, stainless steel, plastics, or exotic materials.
• Fixture design, process engineering, or manufacturing engineering experience.
• ERP/MRP experience, including routers, travelers, BOMs, job costing, or production scheduling.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of a growing machine shop operation and help build the team, systems, and processes from the ground up. The person in this role will have a direct impact on shop performance, production capability, quality, and long-term manufacturing strategy.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys being hands-on, solving machining problems, programming in Mastercam, mentoring machinists, and building a strong shop culture.

Due to specific customer contract obligations, this position is limited to U.S. citizens.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status, subject to the U.S. citizenship requirement for this specific position due to customer contract obligations.