Director Machine Shop Manager Jobs in California

About the Company 

General Matter is enriching uranium in America. 

Our goal is to design, build, and operate the world's lowest-cost enrichment services in the United States. 

Our mission is to restore America's ability to produce nuclear fuel-fuel that will power AI, advanced manufacturing, critical industries, and the next generation of nuclear reactors. 

Ultimately, our work will help power national ambitions and enable a high-energy society. 

We were incubated by Founders Fund, like Anduril and Palantir before us, and are backed by top-tier investors. Our lean, world-class team of engineers and operators is applying a first-principles approach to solving the problem of nuclear fuel production. 

We are a mission-driven company with a culture of urgency, accountability, and transparency. 

Help us build a high-energy society by making the cleanest, safest form of baseload energy the most affordable. 

About This Role 

We're standing up a new manufacturing facility and need a Machine Shop Manager to own the floor. You'll run day-to-day machining, fabrication, and CNC production, translating the production schedule into completed parts while directly managing machinists, machine operators, fabricators, and CNC programmers. This is a hands-on leadership role - you'll drive machine utilization, on-time completion, and scrap reduction, and in the rare moment the team needs it, you're not above jumping on a machine yourself to keep parts moving. If you want to run a shop floor instead of just watching a dashboard, this is that role. 

Responsibilities 

• Manage daily machine shop operations across machining, fabrication, and CNC production, translating the production schedule into completed parts. 

• Directly oversee Machinists, Machine Operators, Fabricators, and CNC Programmers. 

• Drive machine utilization/OEE, on-time schedule completion, and scrap and rework reduction. 

• Partner with Automation & Controls on changeovers and with Quality on inspection handoffs. 

• Hold machine utilization, quality, and safety standards on the shop floor. 

• Be willing to jump on a machine yourself in the rare instance the team needs an extra set of hands to keep production moving. 

Basic Qualifications 

• Evidence of exceptional ability (prior projects, portfolio of work, completed products, etc). 

• Strong understanding of engineering fundamentals. 

• Ability to perform trade studies and make clear recommendations using first principles and engineering fundamentals even with partial information. 

• High school diploma or equivalent required; technical degree or trade certification in machining/manufacturing a plus. 

• 7+ years in a CNC machine shop environment, including direct supervision of machinists, operators, and fabricators. 

Preferred Skills and Experience 

• Experience in a fast-paced engineering or highly technical environment, with a resourceful approach to delivering under tight timelines or budget constraints. 

• Hands-on CNC machining or fabrication experience - able to run a mill or lathe, not just manage from the office. 

• Experience with MES, ERP, or CMMS systems for job routing, production tracking, and machine maintenance. 

• Direct experience standing up or scaling a new or growing machine shop. 

• Working knowledge of OEE, changeover reduction, and shop floor scheduling practices. 

• Experience in a regulated manufacturing environment (aerospace, defense, or nuclear) is a plus. 

Additional Requirements 

• Ability to work extended hours and weekends as necessary. 

Equal Opportunity Employer 

General Matter is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with General Matter is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status. 

Compensation and Benefits 

The base salary range for this role is $110k-$140kannually. 

Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. Please note that the stated salary range is an estimate and may be adjusted based on market conditions, business needs, or other factors. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.