Senior CNC Programmer

Axiom Custom Products • Portland, OR

1d • $33 - $40 • Onsite

About The Position

You pull into the parking lot at Axiom Custom Products, coffee in hand, already thinking about the wild mix of projects waiting inside. Around here, we don’t run the same job twice. One week it’s immersive retail displays, the next it’s sculptural installations for an event launch, while longer term millwork/casework and GC work run concurrently. If it can be imagined, there’s a good chance we’re figuring out how to machine it.

You start your morning in the office, reviewing engineered drawings and models that just came in from design. They’re ambitious, curves that push the limits of 5-axis movement, layered assemblies in plywood and MDF, complex plastic forms that need flawless surface finishes. You open up Mastercam first, it’s your home base, and begin building out toolpaths. You’re thinking ahead the whole time: material behavior, hold-down strategy, cut order, tooling, feeds and speeds, and how to shave cycle time without sacrificing quality. Cabinet Vision and PowerMill come into play depending on the project, especially when things get intricate.

By mid-morning, you’re out on the shop floor. This isn’t a sit-behind-a-desk programming role. You’re watching the first sheets run on a 3-axis Thermwood router, listening for anything that sounds off, double-checking that your strategy plays out exactly the way you intended. Foam, hardwood, MDF, plastics, no metal here, but every material has its own personality. You adjust, refine, optimize. If something can be better, you make it better.

As the Senior CNC Programmer, you set the standard for how programs are built, how files are organized, and how run sheets are written so that operators can execute confidently. You catch issues before they reach the machine. You review parts for quality, tweak processes, and make sure each job leaves the shop better than the last one. Your decisions directly affect efficiency, timelines, and the final result clients see in the real world.

Throughout the day, people stop by your desk or flag you down in the shop. Production needs input on a complex glue-up. Project management is checking on cycle times for an install deadline. A programmer has a question about nesting strategy. An operator wants help dialing in a feed rate. You’re the go-to. Leadership here isn’t about titles, it’s about experience, clear communication, and raising the bar for everyone around you.

Some days you’ll cross over into 5- or 7-axis robotic systems like Royce or Kuka, or equipment such as Amada press brakes or Kern lasers, with opportunities to stretch those muscles too. Regardless of your specific expertise, you bring strong fundamentals and the right mindset and are open to learning and the growth that comes with it.

You’re comfortable moving between the air-conditioned office and a fast-paced shop environment. Organization matters. Attention to detail matters. Safety and consistency are non-negotiable. You’re independent enough to own your workflow but collaborative enough to adapt when priorities shift, because they will shift. And as confident as you are, you ask questions. These are part of building one-of-a-kind work.

By the end of the day, you’ve programmed, tested, improved, and probably solved three problems no one else even saw coming. You’ve mentored someone, tightened up a process, and pushed a machine just a little closer to its full potential. And somewhere down the line, something you programmed will become a physical experience people walk through, photograph, and remember.

The reward isn’t just in the paycheck, though at $33 to $40 an hour, it reflects the skill and experience you bring. It’s in knowing you’re building a career, not just punching a clock. After your first year, you’re planning real time off: 20 days of PTO plus 5 paid holidays (in year one it's 10 days and 5 paid holidays). You’ve got solid subsidized medical and voluntary dental and vision coverage, with the option to add dependents at an additional cost. 401k and ROTH 401k options help you look ahead to retirement. In a trade where good shops exist, Axiom stands apart because the work is different.

The office (not shop) is dog friendly. The work is never boring. And nearly everything, from concept to installation, happens under one roof with a team of 80 who care about making interesting things.

Requirements

• Experience with Mastercam, Cabinet Vision and PowerMill
• Experience with 5- or 7-axis robotic systems like Royce or Kuka, or equipment such as Amada press brakes or Kern lasers
• Strong fundamentals and the right mindset and are open to learning and the growth that comes with it
• Comfortable moving between the air-conditioned office and a fast-paced shop environment
• Organization matters
• Attention to detail matters
• Safety and consistency are non-negotiable
• Independent enough to own your workflow but collaborative enough to adapt when priorities shift
• Confident and asks questions

Responsibilities

• Building out toolpaths
• Thinking ahead about material behavior, hold-down strategy, cut order, tooling, feeds and speeds, and how to shave cycle time without sacrificing quality
• Watching the first sheets run on a 3-axis Thermwood router, listening for anything that sounds off, double-checking that your strategy plays out exactly the way you intended
• Adjusting, refining, optimizing
• Setting the standard for how programs are built, how files are organized, and how run sheets are written so that operators can execute confidently
• Catching issues before they reach the machine
• Reviewing parts for quality, tweak processes, and make sure each job leaves the shop better than the last one
• Mentoring others
• Tightening up processes

Benefits

• 20 days of PTO plus 5 paid holidays (in year one it's 10 days and 5 paid holidays)
• Solid subsidized medical and voluntary dental and vision coverage, with the option to add dependents at an additional cost
• 401k and ROTH 401k options

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed