Sr Machinist
$92,830–$101,192 year
On-site · Lexington, Massachusetts, United States
Job Summary
Senior Machinist role in MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s Fabrication Engineering group focusing on high-precision, low-volume prototype development for national security applications. Responsibilities include CNC programming, setup, operation, teardown, maintenance of milling/turning equipment, and contributing to shop efficiency and process improvements. Collaboration with engineers and other machinists, ownership of fabrication quality and shop standards, and mentorship of less experienced machinists are expected. Opportunities to expand expertise into both milling and turning, and to apply additive manufacturing, EDM, diamond turning, and other advanced fabrication methods. Required skills include CNC programming/operation, reading mechanical drawings with GD&T, fixture design/fabrication, and proficiency with CAM/3D CAD tools (e.g., SolidWorks, hyperMILL). The role supports a high-precision R&D environment with potential overtime to meet milestones; candidates should be prepared for a fast-paced lab setting and to work both independently and as part of a team.
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of direct experience in subtractive manufacturing with hands-on experience in milling, turning, or a combination of both
- Demonstrated expertise with CNC programming and operation experience with CNC milling and/or turning with the ability and willingness to expand into both CNC milling and CNC turning
- Demonstrated ownership of work quality, adherence to tolerances and specifications, and maintaining equipment and workspace to shop standards
- Experience with manual machining equipment
- Strong ability to read mechanical drawings and apply GD&T
- Ability to design and fabricate basic fixtures
- Proficiency using CAM software and 3D CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks)
- MS Office (Excel, Word, Outlook)
- Experience with hand tools and inspection equipment (calipers, micrometers, thread/pin gages, dial indicators)
- Ability to work effectively both independently and in a team environment with minimal supervision
- Self-motivated and enthusiastic about supporting novel prototype development in an R&D setting
- Willingness to learn new fabrication techniques, machine tools, and technologies
- Commitment to maintaining a clean, organized, and safe work area
- Ability to lift up to 50 lbs
Desired Qualifications
- 2-year technical school or equivalent training
- Experience mentoring machinists and contributing to shop process improvement initiatives
- Experience in simultaneous 5-axis programming and machine operation
- Experience with CNC turning with live tooling
- Experience mentoring machinists and contributing to shop process improvement initiatives
- Experience using SolidWorks CAD
- Experience using hyperMILL CAM
- Experience with DMG Mori Seiki NLX lathes
- Experience with Heidenhain iTNC 530 controllers
- Experience machining advanced or difficult materials such as Titanium, Invar, Hastelloy, 17-4 PH stainless steel, MMCs
- Familiarity with digital manufacturing tools including Model Based Definition (MBD) and PLM systems (e.g., Aras Innovator)
- Exposure to ultrasonic machining, additive manufacturing, EDM, or diamond turning
- Prior experience in a high-mix, low-volume job shop or R&D prototype environment
- Willingness to learn new fabrication techniques, machine tools, and technologies
- Ability to lift up to 50 lbs
- CNC programming and operation experience with CNC milling and/or turning
- Strong ability to read mechanical drawings and apply GD&T
- Design and fabricate basic fixtures
- Self-motivated and enthusiastic about supporting prototype development in an R&D setting
- Commitment to maintaining a clean, organized, and safe work area
- Ability to work effectively both independently and in a team environment with minimal supervision
- Proficiency using hand tools and inspection equipment like calipers, micrometers, dial indicators
- MS Office (Excel, Word, Outlook)
- Strong collaboration with engineers and fellow machinists
Additional Requirements
- U.S. citizenship required for DoD security clearance
- Selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance
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