Machine Shop Manager
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Overview
Job Description
Job Type
Full-time
Description
A Machinist's Opportunity to Lead
You've spent your career mastering the trade. You've solved the jobs others couldn't. You've built setups, improved processes, trained younger machinists, and earned the respect of the people around you.
Now it's time to take ownership of the entire operation.
We're looking for a Machine Shop Manager who comes from the shop floor, not the boardroom. Someone who understands machining because they've lived it. A leader who enjoys being around the machines, helping their team succeed, and tackling the toughest manufacturing challenges head-on.
This isn't a role for someone who wants to sit behind a desk all day. It's for a skilled machinist ready to lead a high-performing shop while staying connected to the work that matters.
Requirements
Why Experienced Machinists Join Us
- Lead an established team of skilled CNC and manual machinists
- Stay hands-on and involved in technical problem-solving
- Influence tooling, process improvements, and shop performance
- Mentor the next generation of machinists
- Run a shop where quality and craftsmanship still matter
- Work for a stable, growing company that values machining expertise
- Make decisions that directly impact production, customers, and profitability
What You'll Own
Shop Leadership
- Lead daily operations across CNC mills, turning centers, and manual machining equipment
- Set the tone for safety, quality, accountability, and teamwork
- Keep work flowing while supporting the team on the floor
- Provide guidance when difficult jobs, setups, or troubleshooting situations arise
Manufacturing Excellence
- Improve setup efficiency and machining processes
- Optimize tooling strategies, feeds, speeds, and cycle times
- Reduce downtime, scrap, and production bottlenecks
- Help create smarter, more efficient ways to get quality parts out the door
Team Development
- Mentor and train machinists ranging from apprentices to experienced operators
- Share knowledge and develop technical talent within the shop
- Build a culture where people take pride in their work
- Lead by example and earn respect through action
Operational Performance
- Manage scheduling, workflow, and priorities
- Drive on-time delivery and first-pass quality
- Coordinate resources to keep production moving
- Ensure customers receive quality parts when promised
What We're Looking For
Strong Machining Background
- 7+ years of machining experience, including leadership responsibilities
- Extensive CNC machining experience with vertical machining centers and turning centers
- Horizontal machining center experience preferred
- Expert understanding of tooling, setups, troubleshooting, and tight-tolerance machining
- Proven success solving complex manufacturing challenges
Technical Skills
- Strong blueprint reading and GD&T knowledge
- Working knowledge of G-code, tooling selection, feeds and speeds
- Experience with FANUC controls
- CAM programming experience, preferably Mastercam
Leadership Style
- Respected because you've done the work yourself
- Comfortable coaching, mentoring, and developing others
- Leads from the floor, not from behind a desk
- Takes ownership and accountability for results
- Makes sound decisions under pressure
What Success Looks Like
- Jobs ship on time with minimal rework
- Setup times improve and productivity increases
- Quality remains a source of pride throughout the shop
- Employees are engaged, developing, and contributing
- Customers trust the work because it's done right the first time
- The shop runs safely, efficiently, and profitably
The Ideal Candidate
You're the machinist everyone goes to when a job is critical, a setup is challenging, or a problem needs solving. You've earned your reputation through technical expertise, hard work, and leadership on the shop floor.
You're not looking to become a corporate manager.
You're looking for the opportunity to lead a talented team, improve a shop you've taken ownership of, and leave your mark on an operation that values craftsmanship as much as results.
If you're a machinist who became a leader, not a manager who became a machinist, we'd love to talk with you.
Automate your job search with Sonara.
Submit 10x as many applications with less effort than one manual application.
