Fabrication Shop Manager

Shop Manager — Job Description

Hester Fabrication · Hayward, CA

About the Role

Hester Fabrication is a 10–15 person fabrication and engineering shop in Hayward, CA. Since 2007 we've built complex, high-precision weldments and assemblies for aerospace, automotive, energy, medical, and advanced manufacturing customers — the projects other shops turn down. About half our work is turn-key — we design and engineer it ourselves; the rest we fabricate to designs our customers bring us, built to the same standard.

We're small on purpose. Everyone knows everyone, decisions happen fast, and our President, Kevin Marek, is on the floor as much as in the office. It's a friendly, hard-working shop where people take pride in doing the hard job well.

The Shop Manager runs the floor — the weekly schedule, the crew, and the machines. You'll spend most of your day out there, not behind a desk.

What You'll Own Schedule & Delivery

• Build and run the weekly production schedule across laser, press brake, machining, welding, finishing, and assembly.
• Sequence jobs for the best mix of delivery, quality, and cost — find the critical path on every job and protect it.
• Know each machine's real throughput and this week's bottleneck.
• Coordinate with engineering and project management on drawings, material, and change orders so the floor is never waiting.
• Flag schedule risk early, and report on-time delivery weekly.

People

• Lead and coach the fabrication, machining, and assembly crew directly.
• Put the right person on the right job. Build a skills matrix and cross-train so no process depends on one person.
• Train the team on the equipment (laser, press brake, CNC, welding cobot) and the fundamentals — material handling, documentation, keeping the shop clean.
• Forecast staffing against the schedule; interview, hire, and onboard new hires.
• Set expectations clearly, give feedback early, run the morning all-hands, and enforce safety and PPE.

Cost & Quality

• Track estimated vs. actual labor hours by job, and know where we're losing hours and why.
• Drive down rework and scrap, and fix the root cause so it doesn't repeat.
• Manage tooling and consumable spend, with min/max levels on anything that stops production when it runs out.
• Give estimating honest feedback so quotes reflect what the shop can actually do.
• Build the case — including payback — for new tooling, fixturing, and equipment.

Equipment & Facility

• Own preventive maintenance for every machine: laser, press brake, CNC, tube bender, welding equipment and cobot, saws, forklift, and overhead cranes.
• Coordinate repairs and outside service vendors; keep unplanned downtime low.
• Own the ISO 9001 calibration program for measurement and inspection tools — intervals, certificates, and out-of-tolerance handling.
• Keep the facility running — crane inspections, forklift certification, air and ventilation, and general upkeep.

What We're Looking For

Required

• 5+ years in metal fabrication, machining, or comparable manufacturing, including at least 2 years leading people.
• Hands-on fabrication background — you can read a shop drawing, understand basic GD&T, and tell a good weld from a bad one.
• Working knowledge of CNC laser cutting, press brake forming, machining, and MIG/TIG welding.
• A track record of owning a production schedule and being measured on on-time delivery.
• Experience running an equipment maintenance program, a calibration program, or both.
• Comfortable with Word, Excel, and scheduling software.

Preferred

• ISO 9001 environment; lean manufacturing and 5S.
• Enough SolidWorks or other 3D CAD to read a model and talk credibly with engineers.
• Bilingual English/Spanish.
• Forklift and overhead crane certification.
• Aerospace, medical, or another high-requirement quality environment.

Who Succeeds Here

People who'd rather fix the problem than win the argument. Organized — every tool has its place, every day has a plan. Competitive and goal-oriented; you keep score. Direct enough to say the hard thing early, and kind enough to say it well. A strong desire to learn, and a good sense of humor — we work hard and we like each other.

The Details

Physical Requirements & Work Environment On-site, full time, in an active fabrication shop; PPE required. Regularly standing and walking on a shop floor for extended periods, with occasional lifting up to 50 lbs. Exposure to noise, welding fumes, sparks, and the temperature variation typical of a fabrication environment.

Compensation & Benefits $95,000–$120,000 per year, depending on experience.

• 401(k) with company match
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and paid holidays
• Room to grow — we're a small shop and we promote from within

To Apply Send your resume to [email protected], or Apply online through Indeed.

Pay: $95,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Years of experience in Welding?
• Years of experience in a Fabrication Shop?
• Have you taken any Leadership Training courses?

Language:

• Bilingual (Preferred)

Work Location: In person