Machine Shop Manager
Milwaukee, WI
Job Type
Full-time
Description
Run the Shop Like It's Yours. Lead Machinists Who Take Pride in Their Craft.
This isn't a sit-behind-the-desk management job.
We're looking for a true machinist turned leader—someone who's been on the floor, solved the tough setups, hit tight tolerances, and earned the respect of other machinists. Now you're ready to run the operation, build the team, and drive performance.
If you take pride in precision, accountability, and getting the job done right the first time—you'll fit here.
Requirements
What You'll Own
The Floor: Lead daily operations across CNC mills, lathes, and manual equipment
The Plan: Build schedules, adjust on the fly, and keep jobs moving in a high-mix environment
The Output: Hit delivery targets without sacrificing quality or burning out your team
The Process: Improve setups, streamline workflows, and eliminate wasted time
The Tough Problems: Step in when jobs go sideways—this is where you shine
The People: Train, mentor, and develop machinists who take pride in their work
The Culture: Set the tone—accountability, safety, organization, and respect for the craft
What You Bring to the Table
You've Done the Work
5–7+ years in machining, with time leading or supervising
Strong CNC experience (Vertical & Turning Centers required; Horizontal a plus)
Confident with setups, tooling, troubleshooting, and holding tight tolerances
You Know the Trade
GD&T and blueprint reading are second nature
G-code, feeds & speeds, and machining strategy are part of how you think
Experience with FANUC controls
CAM programming (Mastercam preferred)
You Can Lead Machinists
You've earned respect on the floor—not just managed from a distance
You hold people accountable while building them up
You can juggle priorities without losing control of the shop
You're comfortable making decisions and owning the outcome
Why Machinists Take This Role
You still get your hands dirty – this is a working leadership role
You run the shop, not just babysit it
You work with skilled machinists who care about doing it right
You solve real machining problems—not just attend meetings
You have the authority to improve processes and make changes
What Success Looks Like
Jobs ship on time and right the first time
The team respects you—and performs because of it
Setups get faster, problems get solved quicker, and waste gets reduced
The shop runs organized, efficient, and safe
Bottom Line
We want a machinist who naturally stepped into leadership—and is ready to take full ownership of a shop.
If you're the person others look to when things get tough, we want to talk.