Engineer, Tooling-CNC Programming

GKN Aerospace•Garden Grove, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

GKN Aerospace is hiring an Engineer, Tooling-CNC Programming to create, verify, release, and continuously improve controlled CNC programs for producing conforming aerospace components, tools, and fixtures at its Garden Grove facility. The role provides hands-on programming expertise across the Fadal, Heian, Onsrud, Thermwood, and Zimmerman machine fleet, using simulation, prove-out, documentation, and revision-control practices. It works with Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Quality, Tooling, Maintenance, and approved external specialists to improve machining capability while observing technical-authority and escalation boundaries. The position covers CNC programming and verification, machine prove-outs and production support, quality and configuration management, continuous improvement, and machine industrialization and knowledge transfer. The engineer is expected to maintain safe and controlled program practices, support production and qualification activities, preserve objective evidence, and communicate technical risks and priorities. The role is on-site in an active manufacturing environment and supports schedules for assigned production, prove-outs, and machine introductions. GKN describes its culture as inclusive and collaborative and notes that training opportunities are available.

Requirements

Associate degree in CNC programming, manufacturing technology, engineering technology, or a related technical field, or six years of directly relevant CNC programming experience in lieu of the degree.
Five or more years of CNC programming experience supporting complex, tight-tolerance components in aerospace, defense, or another regulated precision-manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated proficiency in multi-axis CAM programming, machine simulation and verification, collision avoidance, post-processed code review, and machine prove-out.
Working proficiency with CATIA and/or Siemens NX; Teamcenter or an equivalent product-data and configuration-control system; and VERICUT or equivalent CNC verification software.
Ability to interpret engineering drawings and models, apply GD&T, select appropriate cutting tools and machining strategies, and create complete shop-floor documentation.
Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot CNC programs, post processors, probing routines, simulations, setups, and revision issues using evidence and controlled problem-solving methods.
Ability to work independently, manage multiple programming priorities, communicate technical risk clearly, and collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Tooling, Maintenance, equipment OEMs, and external specialists.
Ability to work on-site in an active manufacturing environment and support the schedule required for assigned production, prove-outs, and machine introductions.
Must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Where the position requires access to export-controlled information or items, the employee must be eligible for such access under applicable U.S. export-control requirements or receive any required authorization.

Nice To Haves

Hands-on machining, setup, and prove-out experience on large-format, 5-axis, gantry, router, or comparable equipment.
Experience with Fadal, Heian, Onsrud, Thermwood, Zimmerman, or comparable machine and control platforms.
Experience developing, tuning, or validating post processors and automated probing routines, including Renishaw or equivalent systems.
Experience with AS9100-based manufacturing systems, aerospace first article inspection, AS9102 documentation, process qualification, change control, and configuration management.
Experience machining acrylic, polycarbonate, composite structures, aluminum, titanium, or other materials relevant to aerospace transparency and structural-component manufacturing.
Experience standardizing CAM templates, tool libraries, digital work instructions, setup documentation, or knowledge-reuse systems.
Basic scripting or automation experience, such as Python, VB, macros, or CAM customization.
Experience supporting new machine installation, acceptance, industrialization, or transfer from an external specialist to an internal production team.

Responsibilities

Apply a safety-first approach to CNC programming, simulation, prove-out, program changes, and shop-floor support; stop and escalate work when conditions could compromise people, equipment, product, tooling, or the environment.
Follow approved program naming, access, review, release, archive, backup, emergency-change, and revision-control requirements, and verify that the shop-floor program matches the approved revision before production use.
Protect export-controlled, proprietary, customer, and company information and follow applicable site security, quality, environmental, health, and safety requirements.
Perform work within assigned authority and escalate proprietary-control, machine-parameter, safety, quality, process-approval, or technical-authority decisions to the appropriate owner.
Plan, create, verify, revise, and optimize machine-control data for multi-axis equipment used to manufacture and inspect complex aerospace parts, tools, and fixtures.
Develop safe and efficient toolpaths using approved CAM methods; complete machine simulation, collision and clearance checks, post-processed code review, and required peer or technical review before release.
Create and maintain shop-floor documentation, including setup sheets, tool lists, workholding and work-offset information, probing routines, operator notes, and revision history.
Select or recommend machining strategies, cutting tools, feeds, speeds, workholding, and probing approaches consistent with approved process requirements and machine capability.
Participate in controlled machine prove-outs, first-piece activities, and production introduction; document results, required changes, residual risks, and release evidence.
Diagnose CNC program, post-processor, probing, simulation, setup-documentation, and revision issues using drawings, models, machine evidence, inspection results, and structured problem-solving methods.
Provide structured support across assigned machines and shifts; communicate status, containment, risk, recovery needs, and escalation through the machining operating cadence.
Lead or support root-cause analysis for recurring programming-related losses and implement verified corrective actions within authorized scope.
Partner with Quality and Manufacturing Engineering on producibility, measurement strategy, first article inspection, process qualification, and acceptance of new or revised programs.
Ensure CNC programs and associated records support applicable drawing, GD&T, traceability, configuration, customer, and aerospace quality requirements.
Support containment and correction of programming-related nonconformances without bypassing independent Quality authority or required approval processes.
Preserve objective evidence of program verification, prove-out completion, qualification, revision status, and production readiness.
Improve first-pass quality, repeatability, cycle time, tool life, setup effectiveness, and machine utilization while following change-control and process-approval practices.
Develop and maintain reusable programming templates, machining methods, post-processor knowledge, tool libraries, checklists, and lessons learned.
Use data and practical Lean methods to identify recurring losses, reduce variation and waste, and sustain verified improvements in standard work.
Maintain visibility of the assigned programming backlog and communicate priorities, technical risk, dependencies, completion evidence, and needed escalation.
Support Zimmerman and future machine industrialization, including post-processor readiness, program development, simulation, prove-out, tooling interfaces, probing, qualification evidence, operator support, and production handoff.
Coordinate with equipment OEMs and approved external specialists while documenting and transferring decisions, methods, files, and lessons learned to designated internal owners.
Coach programmers, engineers, leads, and qualified operators on approved programming practices, safe program use, troubleshooting boundaries, and escalation requirements.
Collaborate across Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Tooling, Maintenance, Planning, EH&S, and external technical partners.