Diamond Turning Technician (SPDT Operator)

Diamond Turning Technician (SPDT Operator)

LOCATION

Keene, New Hampshire

SCHEDULE

First shift; on-site

EMPLOYMENT

Full-time

CLASSIFICATION

 Hourly; non-exempt

REPORTS TO

Manufacturing leadership

OPENINGS

Multiple positions

HIRING RANGE

$38–$50 per hour

EXPERIENCE

3+ years SPDT; no upper limit

Position Summary

Bond Optics, a precision optics manufacturer headquartered in Lebanon, New Hampshire, is hiring experienced diamond turning technicians for its new ultra-precision diamond turning operation in Keene, New Hampshire. Bond Optics makes optical components for aerospace and defense customers. This is a hands-on production role running single-point diamond turning (SPDT) machines to make infrared optical components and metal optics.

You will set up, program, and run SPDT machines to produce flat, spherical, aspheric, off-axis, and freeform surfaces in infrared crystals and metals, measuring each part and correcting the process until form and finish are in tolerance. Because this is a new operation, experienced technicians will have a real say in how the shop sets up its tooling, fixturing, and methods. Senior technicians will take on the most demanding jobs and help develop the next generation of operators.

Essential Responsibilities

Machine Setup and Tooling

• Run your own setups from start to finish: machine, workholding, and tooling. Get each part centered and running true on a vacuum chuck or custom fixture before the first cut.
• Set the diamond tool on center and at height, prove it out with test cuts, and adjust until the center of the part comes out clean.
• Take care of the diamond tools. Check edge condition under the microscope, keep track of wear, and know when a tool needs to be swapped or sent out for re-lapping.
• Keep the machine thermally stable and the spindle balanced so finish holds from the first part of a run to the last.

Diamond Turning

• Turn flat, spherical, aspheric, off-axis, and freeform surfaces in infrared materials such as germanium, silicon, and zinc sulfide, and in aluminum, copper, and electroless nickel-plated substrates.
• Select tool geometry, feed, spindle speed, and depth of cut to keep brittle infrared crystals in the ductile cutting regime and to reach low-scatter finishes in metals.
• Cut freeform and other non-rotationally symmetric surfaces using slow-tool-servo or fast-tool-servo methods, and produce off-axis segments with offset fixturing or servo cutting.
• Control coolant mist, chip removal, and thermal stability through long cuts, and diagnose and correct chatter, tool marks, feed-pattern and mid-spatial errors, center defects, edge chipping, and burrs.

Programming and Form Correction

• Build and edit part programs from drawings, asphere coefficients, sag tables, or surface point data using DiffSys, NanoCAM, or comparable software.
• Close the loop on form: measure the part, calculate the residual error, generate a compensated tool path, and re-cut until the surface meets specification.
• Document proven setups in setup sheets and work instructions so they repeat on the next run and for the next operator.

Metrology and Quality

• Measure form with interferometers and contact or non-contact profilometers, roughness with white-light interferometry, and dimensions with precision gauges, and interpret power, irregularity, peak-to-valley, RMS, and roughness results against the drawing.
• Read optical drawings to ISO 10110 and MIL-PRF-13830B, including surface form, scratch-dig, clear aperture, center thickness, and wedge.
• Clean, handle, and package finished optics without degrading their surfaces; record inspection data and report nonconforming conditions promptly.

Team and Shop Discipline

• Train newer operators and share technique with the team.
• Keep production records, tool history, and electronic manufacturing transactions current.
• Perform routine machine care, including air, oil, and filtration systems, and help coordinate specialized service.
• Keep a clean, controlled, and organized work area that meets 5S, quality-system, and safety requirements.

Senior Technicians Will Also

• Lead process development for new materials, geometries, and customer programs, including first-article runs.
• Design chucks, fixtures, and holding methods for difficult parts, and qualify new diamond tools and tooling suppliers.
• Review new parts for manufacturability and help estimate diamond turning time for quotes.
• Serve as the go-to technical resource for the hardest jobs and help build the department's training program.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED; technical-school training, apprenticeship, or an associate degree in machining, manufacturing technology, or a related discipline is valued.
• Three or more years of hands-on single-point diamond turning experience, including machine setup, program editing, optical inspection, and troubleshooting. There is no upper limit; highly experienced technicians are encouraged to apply.
• Experience setting up and operating Precitech, Moore Nanotechnology, or comparable ultra-precision diamond turning machines.
• Working knowledge of CNC program editing, machine coordinate systems, and tool-radius compensation.
• Experience diamond turning optical surfaces in infrared crystals, nonferrous metals, or both, to sub-micron form and nanometer-level finish requirements.
• Experience centering diamond tools, reading interferometer or profilometer results, and using them to correct the process.
• Ability to read and interpret optical drawings, mechanical drawings, specifications, and GD&T.
• Strong mechanical aptitude, applied math skills, attention to detail, and sound judgment.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, communicate clearly, and follow standard work.
• Basic proficiency with production software and standard computer applications used for documentation and data entry.

Preferred Qualifications

• Five or more years of diamond turning experience.
• Direct setup and programming experience with DiffSys, NanoCAM, NanoSMART, Mastercam, or comparable software.
• Experience with infrared materials such as germanium, silicon, zinc selenide, zinc sulfide/Cleartran, or similar crystalline materials.
• Experience with aluminum, copper, brass, electroless nickel-plated substrates, mold inserts, mirrors, or other diamond-machinable metals.
• Experience producing aspheric, diffractive, off-axis, or freeform optical surfaces, including slow-tool-servo or fast-tool-servo work.
• Experience with form-error compensation, tool-waviness compensation, or ductile-regime turning of germanium or silicon.
• Working knowledge of ISO 10110, MIL-PRF-13830B, controlled-environment manufacturing, and formal quality-management systems.
• Experience training other operators or helping start up a new manufacturing area.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Regular on-site attendance in Keene, New Hampshire is an essential function of this position.
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods and safely lift or move items weighing up to 40 pounds, with assistance when appropriate.
• Work may involve precision machinery, cutting fluids, cleaning solvents, compressed air, and fragile optical components; required personal protective equipment must be used.
• Ability to perform close visual inspection and fine manual work with precision tools and optical components.
• Occ
• asional schedule flexibility or overtime may be required to support critical production or equipment needs.

Compensation and Employment Conditions

The anticipated hiring range is $38–$50 per hour, based on diamond turning experience, programming ability, and metrology skills. This is a full-time, hourly, non-exempt position eligible for Bond Optics benefits programs.

This position requires access to technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Applicants must be U.S. persons as defined by ITAR (for example, U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or individuals granted asylum or refugee status).

Please do not include confidential or proprietary information from any current or former employer in your application materials.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Bond Optics provides equal employment opportunities to qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Reasonable accommodations are available for qualified individuals with disabilities.

This job description summarizes the general nature and level of work expected. It is not an exhaustive list of every responsibility, duty, or qualification, and assignments may evolve as business needs change.