Lathe CNC Lead

About the Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Lathe CNC Lead to provide hands-on technical leadership within a precision manufacturing environment serving the aerospace and power-generation industries.

This role is ideal for an accomplished CNC professional who enjoys solving complex machining challenges, supporting other machinists, and improving production performance. You will help coordinate daily workflow, assist with advanced setups and troubleshooting, and ensure the department consistently meets its safety, quality, and productivity goals.

What You’ll Do

Lead and Develop the Team

• Provide daily direction and technical support to CNC Turning Machinists.
• Coordinate work priorities and workflow based on production schedules.
• Train and mentor machinists in machine setup, operation, troubleshooting, inspection, and safety.
• Help identify employee training and development needs.
• Encourage accountability, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Serve as a primary technical resource for machining and production issues.

Support CNC Turning Operations

• Set up and operate complex CNC turning and mill-turn equipment.
• Verify tooling, programs, machine setups, and first-piece inspections before production runs.
• Read and interpret blueprints, GD&T requirements, work instructions, and process documentation.
• Make tooling offsets and appropriate program or process adjustments.
• Troubleshoot machining issues and partner with Engineering on corrective actions.
• Help maximize machine uptime and production efficiency.

Maintain Quality Standards

• Ensure finished components meet customer specifications and internal quality requirements.
• Perform and verify inspections using micrometers, calipers, height gages, depth gages, optical comparators, and other precision measuring equipment.
• Maintain compliance with documented aerospace-quality procedures.
• Investigate quality issues, identify root causes, and support corrective actions.
• Review production and inspection records for accuracy and completeness.

Improve Production Performance

• Monitor productivity, efficiency, scrap, and equipment downtime.
• Identify opportunities to reduce setup time, improve tooling utilization, and optimize cycle times.
• Support lean-manufacturing, 5S, and continuous-improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate with Planning and Production leadership to meet departmental goals.
• Help implement process improvements and standardized work practices.

Promote a Safe Workplace

• Reinforce company safety policies and procedures.
• Maintain clean, safe, and organized work areas.
• Ensure appropriate personal protective equipment is used.
• Identify and address potential workplace hazards.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma, technical-school degree, or equivalent.
• At least 10 years of CNC turning or mill-turn setup and operating experience.
• Ability to independently set up and operate complex CNC turning equipment.
• Strong knowledge of blueprint interpretation, GD&T, and precision measurement.
• Previous leadership, mentoring, or lead-machinist experience.
• Strong troubleshooting, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to perform effectively in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Aerospace manufacturing experience.
• Experience with lean manufacturing and continuous-improvement programs.
• Previous team-lead or supervisory experience.

What Will Help You Succeed

• Hands-on CNC machining expertise
• Leadership and coaching ability
• Clear communication and cross-functional collaboration
• Strong attention to detail
• Commitment to quality and safety
• Production planning and workflow coordination
• Practical problem-solving skills
• Continuous-improvement mindset