CNC Machinist III - Mills or Lathes

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

The CNC Machinist III is the shop's most capable and self-directed machinist — the person who takes the difficult job, the tight tolerance, the new part, or the problem machine and returns it to production without hand-holding. The role is defined by three things: independent setup and prove-out across the full range of assigned workcenters including multi-axis and mill-turn, ownership of dimensional quality and process at the machine, and the ability to develop other machinists. Unlike Levels I and II, the Machinist III works from prints and models rather than proven paperwork, authors and restructures programs at the control, and designs the fixturing and process rather than executing someone else's. This is the top rung of the machinist ladder and the direct feeder into CNC Leadman. Competencies are defined and assessed in the Skills Matrix.

Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Set up and prove out new, revised, and undocumented parts from print or model across all assigned workcenters, including multi-axis and mill-turn — planning sequence, tooling, workholding, and process without direction.
• Author, restructure, and optimize programs at the control, including canned cycles, subprograms, work offset structures, and macro or parametric routines where required.
• Own process decisions for new and problem work — operation sequence, tooling and insert grade, workholding strategy, cutting conditions, and cycle-time approach — and document them for repeatability.
• Hold the tightest tolerances and finishes produced in the shop, including work on difficult material, thin-wall and long-reach parts, and features requiring indicated location.
• Design and specify fixtures, soft jaws, arbors, holding devices, and checking gauges; fabricate or coordinate their manufacture to support production.
• Interpret prints, models, and GD&T fully — datums, feature control frames, true position, profile, runout, and tolerance stack-up — and translate them into setup and inspection decisions.
• Apply trigonometry and advanced shop math to compound angles, bolt circles, tapers, rotary and indexed work, and dimensional stack-ups.
• Own dimensional quality on the work performed; support and interpret first-article inspection, translate inspection findings into process corrections, and contain nonconforming material per quality procedure.
• Recover machines and processes from crashes, alarms, and interruptions; re-establish setups, requalify parts, and determine root cause rather than restarting blind.
• Diagnose and correct chatter, poor finish, dimensional drift, tool life, chip control, workholding movement, and thermal effects; separate process problems from machine problems and partner with maintenance on the latter.
• Support programming and engineering on new work — tooling, workholding, sequence, fixturing, and cycle-time feedback from the floor — and support quoting with realistic cycle and setup estimates.
• Train and mentor Machinist I and II and operator personnel; sign off setup, machine, and skill competency as authorized by the supervisor.
• Author and correct setup sheets, tool lists, and work instructions so jobs are repeatable by the crew; drive tooling standardization across the cell.
• Drive scrap and rework reduction, cycle-time improvement, preventive maintenance compliance, and 5S in the assigned area.
• Follow and enforce all safety rules, lockout/tagout, machine guarding, and PPE requirements; correct unsafe conditions and report near-misses. Maintain accurate labor, quantity, and scrap reporting in the shop system.

Skills & Competencies

• Program new parts start-to-production to bring work online
• Develop macro variables and conditional logic to build reusable programs
• Operate 4/5-axis, mill-turn and probing to produce advanced parts
• Optimize high-efficiency machining and drive continuous improvement to reduce cycle time
• Design and create workholding/fixturing to minimize scrap and maximize run-time
• Create setup documentation and programs at the machine to standardize the process
• Standardize repeatable processes so a CNC Operator can run the part independently and successfully

Equipment Proficiency

Required — set up, prove out, and run unassisted:  CNC lathes, including live-tool, bar-fed, and twin-spindle turning centers; CNC vertical and horizontal machining centers; CNC mill-turn and multi-axis centers.

Required — supporting capability:  CNC OD grinding and CNC gear equipment as assigned; manual lathes, mills, grinders, saws, presses, and deburr stations in support of CNC production.

Qualifying threshold:  Independent setup and prove-out competency signed off on every CNC workcenter category above, including at least one multi-axis or mill-turn workcenter, with training sign-off authority granted by the supervisor.

Behavioral expectations:  Dependable attendance and punctuality; communicates clearly with supervision, quality, and maintenance; takes direction and asks before deviating; owns and corrects mistakes; works safely and cooperatively; flexible on shift and overtime as production requires.

Work Experience

• 9+ years of relevant work experience in CNC machining, or equivalent progression from CNC Machinist II with all Skills Matrix competencies above met and verified.
• Demonstrated ability to take a new or undocumented part from print or model to a proven, repeatable process without supervision.
• Demonstrated multi-axis or mill-turn setup and prove-out capability, and program authoring at the control.
• Full working command of precision measuring equipment and first-article verification.
• Preferred: apprenticeship completion or journeyman status; CAM programming experience; fixture design experience; prior experience training machinists.

Education & Certifications

• Required: high school diploma or GED.
• Preferred: machining certificate or diploma from a technical school, completion of a formal machinist apprenticeship, journeyman card, or NIMS credentials in turning, milling, and CNC programming.
• Sign-offs: completed workcenter qualification cards across all CNC categories, with training and competency sign-off authority granted by the supervisor.

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

• Stands and walks on a concrete shop floor for the majority of an 8- to 12-hour shift, including overtime and weekend work as scheduled. Frequent bending, reaching, twisting, kneeling, and overhead reaching to load, unload, and reach into machine work zones.
• Frequently lifts, carries, pushes, and pulls up to 35 lbs unassisted; heavier material and workholding moved with carts, hoists, and lift assists. Sustained fine motor control and hand-eye coordination for gauging, tool handling, and offset entry. Vision correctable to read prints, dial and digital gauges, and control screens.
• Exposure to cutting fluid and coolant mist, oils, metal chips, moving machinery, elevated noise, and seasonal temperature variation. Required PPE includes safety glasses with side shields, hearing protection, appropriate footwear, and cut-resistant gloves where specified. No loose clothing, jewelry, or unrestrained long hair near rotating equipment.

Acknowledgement

This job description outlines the general nature and level of work expected of the position. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required, and may be revised at the Company's discretion. Employment is at will. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role. By signing below, the employee confirms they have read this job description, understand the duties and requirements of the position, and are able to perform the essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation.

EOE