CNC Machinist I - Mills or Lathes

CNC Machinist I - Mills or Lathes

Position Summary

The CNC Machinist I is the point where the job changes from restoring a process to making one. The role performs setups on established and moderately complex CNC work from the print rather than from a boss sample, selects tooling and workholding from documented lists, establishes offsets, qualifies the first piece, and makes routine edits at the control within authorized limits. A Machinist I is expected to understand why a dimension matters and not only what it should measure, and to ask before deviating. New-part prove-out, program authoring, and multi-axis work belong to Levels II and III; setups here are reviewed by a higher-level machinist before release. This position is the entry point to the CNC machinist ladder and is most often filled by progression from CNC Machine Operator III. Competencies are defined and assessed in the Skills Matrix.

Essential Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Perform setups on established and moderately complex CNC turning and machining-center work — install workholding, load and set tooling, call up and load the program, establish work and tool offsets, and qualify the first piece to print, with review by a higher-level machinist before release.
• Work from the print, router, and model — identify dimensions, tolerances, surface finish callouts, material specification, and revision level, and confirm the documentation matches the job.
• Make routine edits at the control within authorized limits — offsets, tool life, feed and speed adjustment, and simple program corrections — and escalate changes beyond that scope.
• Select tooling, inserts, and workholding from established tool lists and standard shop practice; verify condition and setup before cutting.
• Calculate speeds, feeds, depth of cut, and simple dimensional relationships using shop math; adjust from chip, sound, finish, and tool life.
• Inspect own work using micrometers, calipers, bore and depth gauges, indicators, thread and radius gauges; record results and present first pieces per quality procedure.
• Recognize when a part is drifting or a setup is moving, stop, and determine the cause rather than continuing to compensate.
• Recover machines from routine alarms and interruptions within authorized limits — safe restart, re-referencing, tool reload, and re-qualification; escalate crashes and mechanical faults.
• Diagnose routine process problems — chatter, poor finish, dimensional drift, chip control, coolant condition, tool wear and breakage — and correct them through tooling, offset, or authorized adjustment.
• Assist Machinist II and III personnel with complex setups, prove-out, and tight-tolerance work as the primary means of developing capability.
• Follow setup sheets and work instructions accurately; mark up and return documentation that is unclear, incomplete, or wrong.
• Contain suspect material and escalate per quality procedure; do not machine through a known nonconformance.
• Perform operator-level preventive maintenance — way lube, coolant level and concentration, chip and filter management, and machine cleanliness.
• Follow all safety rules, lockout/tagout, machine guarding, and PPE requirements without exception; report unsafe conditions and near-misses. Maintain accurate labor, quantity, and scrap reporting in the shop system.

Skills & Competencies

• Load programs and perform first-article checks to confirm parts run correctly
• Perform basic CNC set-ups (fixtures, work/tool offsets) to reach successful FAI with minimal questions
• Create and verify first articles to release the job to production
• Apply GD&T to interpret and hold requirements
• Calculate cutting speed, feed and chip-load to machine efficiently
• Establish vise alignment and workholding to secure parts accurately
• Interpret programs to run jobs correctly
• Operate FANUC / Okuma controls proficiently to run lathe/mill jobs

Equipment Proficiency

Required — set up and operate with review: CNC lathes, including live-tool and bar-fed turning centers; CNC vertical and horizontal machining centers.

Assist and learn: CNC mill-turn and multi-axis turning centers; twin-spindle lathes; prove-out of new parts. Setup performed under the direction of a higher-level machinist.

As assigned: CNC OD grinding and CNC gear equipment; manual lathes, mills, saws, presses, and deburr stations in support of CNC production.

Not in scope at Level I: Independent prove-out of new work, program authoring, and independent setup of multi-axis or mill-turn workcenters.

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

• 4–6 years of total relevant machining experience, typically reached by progression from CNC Machine Operator III or by completion of a machining program or apprenticeship. Years shown are a placement guideline; entry is by verified competency.
• Demonstrated ability to set up proven CNC work from the print and to hold general machining tolerances consistently.
• Working command of hand-held precision measuring equipment, shop math, and the shop's CNC control family.
• Advancement to CNC Machinist II requires all Skills Matrix competencies above met and verified, and typically occurs within the 4–6 year band rather than at a fixed date.

Education & Certifications

• Required: high school diploma or GED.
• Preferred: machining certificate or diploma from a technical school, enrollment in a formal apprenticeship, or NIMS credentials in turning, milling, or CNC operation.
• Sign-offs: completed workcenter qualification cards on all machines set up or run unassisted.

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