Sr. Machinist, Team Lead

Ralliant•Spartanburg, SC

3h•Onsite

About The Position

The Sr. Machinist, Team Lead is someone who combines hands-on machining responsibilities with day-to-day operational leadership of the manufacturing team. This role serves as an extension of the Site Manufacturing Manager by coordinating daily activities, facilitating visual management, solving problems, coaching team members, and escalating issues that impact business performance. While the position has no direct reports, the Team Lead influences team performance through technical expertise, leadership, and daily engagement. The Team Lead is expected to operate machining equipment, fill production gaps as needed, and flex resources to ensure safety, quality, delivery, and productivity objectives are achieved.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
5+ years of CNC machining or manufacturing experience, including setup and operation of CNC lathes and/or vertical machining centers.
Ability to read and interpret blueprints, drawings, work instructions, and specifications.
Experience using precision measuring equipment to verify part quality.
Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot machining, tooling, production, and process issues.
Proven ability to coach, train, and influence peers in a manufacturing environment.
Understanding of Lean Manufacturing, visual management, standard work, and continuous improvement practices.
Strong communication, prioritization, and organizational skills.
Ability to balance hands-on production work with leadership responsibilities in a fast-paced environment.

Nice To Haves

Associate degree in Machining, Mechanical Technology, or related trade school or apprenticeship experience.
Experience supporting production ramp-ups, new product introductions, engineering changes, or validation builds.
Experience participating in kaizen events, tier meetings, visual management, or daily management systems.
Experience documenting standard work, training materials, or process improvements.
Experience working in a cell-based or Lean manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

Perform CNC machining, setup, and production activities as a primary responsibility.
Support daily production requirements by operating equipment and producing parts to safety, quality, and productivity standards.
Fill operational gaps due to staffing shortages, absenteeism, training needs, equipment constraints, or fluctuating production demands.
Balance hands-on production responsibilities with leadership, coordination, coaching, and escalation activities.
Maintain proficiency across multiple processes, machines, or work centers to provide operational flexibility.
Lead by example through adherence to safety, quality, standard work, and 5S expectations.
Facilitate daily tier meetings and visual management reviews for the assigned area.
Monitor daily production performance, including safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and schedule attainment.
Coordinate workflow and resource allocation to ensure production priorities are achieved.
Rebalance work assignments throughout the shift to respond to customer demand, staffing constraints, and operational disruptions.
Identify operational risks and communicate priorities, constraints, and escalation needs to leadership.
Support clear handoffs between shifts, functions, and support teams.
Act as the first point of contact for production-related issues within the area.
Lead structured problem-solving efforts using FBS, Lean, root cause analysis, and standard work discipline.
Partner with Operations, Quality, Engineering, Planning, and Maintenance to resolve recurring or complex issues.
Track open actions and support timely closure of escalated concerns.
Drive corrective and preventive action to improve safety, quality, throughput, and operational stability.
Provide day-to-day coaching, guidance, and technical support to machinists and operators.
Support onboarding and training of new associates.
Reinforce standard work, safety expectations, quality requirements, and escalation discipline.
Share best practices and technical knowledge across the team.
Identify skill gaps and partner with leadership on cross-training, development needs, and team capability building.
Promote accountability and teamwork through influence, credibility, and consistent follow-through.
Champion Lean, FBS, and continuous improvement activities within the assigned area.
Engage team members in kaizen, waste reduction, 5S, and problem-solving activities.
Identify opportunities to improve throughput, reduce variation, improve quality, and simplify work.
Support implementation and sustainment of process improvements and standardization efforts.
Provide feedback on equipment, tooling, manufacturability, process stability, and workforce effectiveness.
Function as the first-line operational leader for the area during daily execution.
Influence performance through coaching, technical credibility, and leadership presence rather than formal authority.
Serve as the communication link between the production floor and Operations Leadership.
Drive accountability to safety, quality, delivery, productivity, and standard work expectations.
Make real-time decisions that support business results and customer commitments.
Lead from the floor by actively participating in production activities while helping the team stay aligned to priorities.
Model Anderson-Negele values and Fortive Business System behaviors.