Machine Apprentice Jobs in Sterling, VA (NOW HIRING)

The R&D Process Operator runs the physical side of the experimental work behind SUPERWOOD — a molecularly densified wood material. It's a hands-on, floor-based role at a DOE-backed climate-materials company: you'll operate the presses, kilns, pressure vessels, and woodworking equipment that turn raw lumber into experimental material, fabricate the samples and fixtures the R&D team needs, and keep the shop running safely and on schedule.

We're looking for someone who has spent real time around wood and heavy machinery — who reads grain, hears when a machine sounds wrong, and can hold a tolerance on a saw or a CNC. You don't need a science degree. You need hands, judgment, and the discipline to run the same setup the same way every time so the data downstream means something. This is a high-intensity, build-the-company environment; if you take pride in a clean cut, a well-maintained machine, and a shop that's ready to go Monday morning, this role is built for you.

• Operates the process equipment that produces experimental material — hydraulic presses, pressure vessels, kilns and dryers, and related production equipment — running batches to the specified recipe, sequence, and schedule.
• Sets up, changes over, and troubleshoots equipment; performs routine maintenance, catches wear and failures early, and works with the team and outside vendors to get machines back up quickly.
• Machines and fabricates wood: breaks down lumber, mills to dimension, and produces the specimens, panels, jigs, and fixtures experiments require — on table saw, planer, bandsaw, sanders, CNC router, and hand tools — to spec and tolerance.
• Handles material end to end: receives, sorts, and grades incoming lumber; stages material for runs; and manages the physical inventory of stock, work in process, and finished samples.
• Records what actually happened — logs run parameters, deviations, machine issues, and material consumed so the R&D team can trace every result back to the conditions that produced it.
• Flags problems early — says so when material, equipment, or a setup won't produce a usable result, rather than running it anyway and burning a week of downstream testing.
• Supports scale-up and plant trials alongside Manufacturing, including running experimental recipes on production equipment and helping translate a bench process into something the floor can repeat.
• Keeps the shop and production areas safe, clean, and organized: dust collection, tool and blade maintenance, machine guarding, lockout/tagout, and general housekeeping.
• Follows all safety policies, standards, and regulations; upholds and promotes company Core Values and culture; takes on special projects as directed by your manager; and maintains strict confidentiality.

• High school diploma or equivalent, plus 3+ years of hands-on experience in woodworking, millwork, cabinetry, sawmill or wood-products manufacturing, or a comparable production or fabrication trade — or equivalent demonstrated skill. Trade school or apprenticeship a plus.
• Skilled with woodworking machinery: table saw, planer and jointer, bandsaw, panel saw, sanders, and the full range of hand and power tools. CNC router experience strongly preferred; a portfolio or work samples is a plus.
• Capable and confident around heavy industrial equipment — hydraulic presses, pressure vessels, kilns and ovens, forklifts — or the demonstrated aptitude to learn quickly. Forklift certification a plus.
• Mechanically capable: diagnoses why a machine isn't running right, performs routine maintenance, and makes sound calls about when to fix it and when to escalate.
• Understands wood as a material — moisture, movement, grain, species differences, and defects — and how each of those shows up in a process.
• Disciplined about repeatability: runs the same setup the same way every time and writes down what was done, because experimental results are only as good as the material that went into them.
• Basic computer literacy — able to enter run data into spreadsheets and equipment logs accurately and consistently.
• Team-oriented — brings energy, gets excited about building the company, and lifts the team.
• Fluent in English; able to work onsite 5 days a week in Frederick, MD, including evenings and weekends as deadlines require.

• Must be able to stand and walk for prolonged periods, up to 75% or more of the workday.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds multiple times a day and push, pull, and maneuver heavy carts and material.
• Must be able to navigate various departments of the organization's physical premises.
• Must be able to identify and understand visual and audio signals, including machine sounds that indicate a problem.
• Must be able to maneuver hand tools and power tools with precision.
• Must be able to be fitted for, and wear, a respirator.