Job Title: Machine Operator 1st Shift
Location: Archdale, NC 27263
Pay rate: $17.00 - $18.00/hr
Work schedule: 1st Shift | 6:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday through Thursday. Must be willing and able to work overtime on Fridays as operational needs dictate.
The Machine Operator sets up, programs, and runs a variety of industrial metal fabrication and CNC machinery—including Waterjets, Bandsaws, Salvagnini lasers, and Mazak or Haas milling centers. Operating with a high sense of urgency, this role translates engineering drawings and Bills of Materials (BOM) into precisely fabricated parts. The position requires a combination of strong mechanical inclination, baseline CNC programming skills, geometry foundations, and an independent commitment to strict, self-audited quality benchmarks.
Key Responsibilities
CNC & Laser Machine Operation: Set up, program, and operate complex CNC laser cutting systems and milling machines, modifying parameters to ensure peak production efficiency and rigid adherence to safety standards.
CAD/CAM Modifications: Utilize specialized waterjet software programs on a computer terminal to build or alter basic 2D production drawings.
Component Fabrication: Pull raw stock and hardware required for active orders according to BOM specs. Assemble and fabricate parts using correct tools, parameters, and design dimensions.
Shop Equipment Setup: Efficiently set up and operate an assortment of manual and semi-automated shop machinery, including Bridgeport milling machines, brake presses, drill presses, sanders, and various band or horizontal saws.
Quality Assurance Audits: Act as the primary inspector for your own output. Routinely audit physical parts against standard work instructions, utilizing precision measuring instruments to verify dimensional accuracy at designated operational steps.
G-Code Editing: Read, write, and directly edit CNC programs at the machine interface to correct tool paths or optimize cutting cycles.
Must Have Skills / Requirements
Technical Layout Literacy: Confident ability to read, accurately interpret, and work from blueprints, industrial drawings, and structural schematics.
Tool Competency: Proficient in utilizing an array of manual, electric, and pneumatic hand tools safely.
Mathematical Foundations: Functional math and geometry skills necessary to calculate dimensions, measure components, and verify angles.
Language & Communication: Capable of reading, understanding, and executing detailed technical work instructions written in English.
Operational Drive: A proactive work ethic characterized by an internal sense of urgency, close attention to detail, and excellent personal time management.
Uniform Compliance: Full willingness to wear company-provided uniforms daily on the manufacturing floor.
Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have)
Verifiable background in a fabrication machine shop environment running CNC equipment, waterjets, or bandsaws.
Prior technical experience programming or operating Salvagnini laser platforms.
Hands-on familiarity with manual machining setups (Bridgeport mills, drill presses, brake presses).
Physical Demands & Environment
Physical capacity to alternate between sitting and standing at a workstation for extended blocks of time.
Ability to safely lift and move up to 30 lbs. unassisted, and manage heavier loads utilizing teamwork or mechanical assistance.
Education & Experience
Experience: Machine shop or CNC operation experience is preferred; selection is subject to a review of historical attendance and professional performance records.
Term: Long-term Contract / Full-Time Assignment
Benefits: