Machine Shop Leader
About The Position
The Machine Shop Leader provides strategic and day-to-day leadership of machine shop operations to ensure safe, efficient, and cost-effective production of high-quality products. This role is responsible for production execution, workforce development, manufacturing readiness, quality performance, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration with Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations. This position offers the opportunity to influence manufacturing strategy, develop high-performing teams, improve operational capability, and play a key leadership role in bringing innovative products from concept through production.
Requirements
- High School Diploma or GED.
- Minimum 7 years of manufacturing experience.
- Minimum 3 years of leadership experience in a machining or manufacturing environment.
- Strong CNC machining background and machine shop operational expertise.
- Proficiency in reading engineering drawings and specifications.
- Working knowledge of GD&T.
- Strong communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Nice To Haves
- Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management, or related field.
- Experience in aerospace, medical device, defense, or other regulated manufacturing industries.
- Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Kaizen certification.
- Experience with ERP/MRP systems.
- Experience with MRB, RCCA, PFMEA, APQP, and New Product Introduction activities.
Responsibilities
- Lead, coach, mentor, and develop machine shop personnel while fostering a culture of accountability, teamwork, safety, quality, and continuous improvement.
- Direct daily machine shop operations to achieve safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and cost objectives.
- Manage production schedules, capacity planning, labor utilization, throughput, and bottleneck reduction.
- Ensure materials, tooling, fixtures, programs, and resources are available to support production requirements.
- Provide technical leadership for CNC machining processes, tooling strategies, and manufacturing methods.
- Partner with Manufacturing Engineering to improve efficiency, capability, repeatability, and scalability.
- Lead troubleshooting of complex machining, tooling, fixturing, and process issues.
- Create, facilitate, and drive Manufacturing Readiness Reviews (MRRs).
- Coordinate cross-functional action items and ensure production readiness prior to release.
- Provide Design for Manufacturability (DFM) feedback during product development and design reviews.
- Review engineering drawings, specifications, ECOs, and ECNs for manufacturing impact and implementation planning.
- Drive closure of manufacturing-related action items stemming from design reviews and engineering changes.
- Participate in Material Review Board (MRB) discussions and disposition decisions.
- Lead Root Cause and Corrective Action (RCCA) investigations for nonconforming hardware and manufacturing escapes.
- Drive containment, corrective actions, preventive actions, and long-term process improvements.
- Support audits, quality initiatives, and first-pass yield improvements.
- Advocate proper application of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T).
- Review drawings for manufacturability, inspection feasibility, and tolerance stack-up risk.
- Support Engineering and Quality teams with GD&T interpretation and best practices.
Benefits
- On-Time Delivery (OTD)
- Labor Utilization and Absorption
- OEE and Throughput
- Scrap and Rework Reduction
- First Pass Yield
- RCCA Closure Effectiveness
- Continuous Improvement Savings
- Safety Performance
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
High school or GED
