Lead 2nd-Shift CNC Operations in a Precision Shop

In the western Chicago suburbs, our established precision manufacturing team is looking for an experienced leader to guide 2nd shift machining. If you grew from CNC machinist or setup pro to a trusted shop-floor leader, this role puts your technical depth and people leadership to work every night.

A day on the floor

As the 2nd-shift supervisor, you arrive to a handoff from 1st shift, align priorities, and set the tone for safety and quality. You match machinists to machines, confirm programs and tooling, and keep eyes on throughput, scrap, and downtime. When a setup gets tricky or a tolerance is tight, you’re at the machine—coaching, troubleshooting, and removing roadblocks. You partner with engineering, programming, quality, maintenance, and planning to keep work moving and deliveries on track. Before the night ends, you lock in a clean status for a seamless morning transition.

What you’ll do

• Direct and mentor CNC machinists and production staff on 2nd shift.
• Own daily priorities: schedules, machine assignments, staffing, and workflow.
• Track and improve performance KPIs: productivity, quality, scrap, and downtime.
• Provide hands-on technical support for machining challenges and production issues.
• Collaborate across engineering, programming, quality, maintenance, and production planning.
• Hold the line on process discipline, work instructions, safety protocols, and quality standards.
• Coach, train, and develop team members while maintaining accountability.
• Troubleshoot tooling, setup, and machine problems that threaten delivery.
• Maintain clear shift-to-shift communication between 1st and 2nd shift leaders.
• Champion continuous improvement for safety, quality, efficiency, and throughput.

What sets you up for success

• Background as a Manufacturing/Production/CNC/Machining/Shop Supervisor, CNC Lead, or Machining Lead.
• Grew from CNC machinist or setup machinist into leadership (strongly preferred).
• Hands-on experience with CNC milling and/or turning.
• Expertise with setups, tooling, blueprints, tolerances, and precision machining processes.
• Proven leadership of machinists or skilled manufacturing teams.
• Comfort on the shop floor solving real-time production problems.
• Clear communication, strong organization, and steady leadership presence.
• Experience in precision machining for aerospace, defense, gear manufacturing, or similar tight-tolerance work is highly desirable.

Why this role

• Compensation: $100,000–$120,000 per year.
• Full-time, direct-hire opportunity.
• Leadership ownership of 2nd shift machining operations.
• Operate in an established, precision manufacturing environment.
• Lead an experienced CNC team and elevate performance.
• Ideal next step for a CNC machinist or lead moving into supervision.
• Long-term opportunity with a stable manufacturer in the western Chicago suburbs.