CNC Machine Manager – Machining Operations

About Gravity Manufacturing

Gravity Manufacturing is a growing manufacturer serving the energy industry and preparing for future aerospace work. We continue to invest in our employees, advanced CNC equipment, robotics, and manufacturing processes. We are looking for an experienced CNC professional who can strengthen machine reliability, develop operators, and turn good machining practices into consistent shop standards.

Position Summary

The CNC Machine Manager reports to the Production Manager and owns CNC machine condition, preventive maintenance follow-through, practical operator training, and implementation of approved machining standards.

Most of your day will be spent on the floor observing work, assessing equipment, troubleshooting problems, training employees, auditing standards, and completing improvements. You will operate production equipment when needed for training, troubleshooting, process verification, or occasional coverage.

This role requires advanced machining knowledge, mechanical ability, and the patience to teach. Success means dependable equipment, stronger operators, cleaner work areas, and fewer recurring problems requiring management intervention.

Primary Responsibilities

Machine Condition and Preventive Maintenance

- Assess CNC machines and saws, identify maintenance needs, and maintain a prioritized repair and service backlog.

- Build machine-specific preventive maintenance schedules, operator-care checklists, service records, and practical troubleshooting guides.

- Perform qualified basic service, including sensor replacement, leak correction, tool-changer repairs, and alignment checks. Escalate larger repairs to appropriate specialists.

- Coordinate service windows with production, contact equipment and tooling vendors, and order basic equipment and supplies within purchasing authority. Verify repairs and follow up on recurring failures.

Operator Development and Setup Support

- Train operators on machine operation, loading, setups, tooling, workholding, offsets, measurement, troubleshooting, and equipment care within their skill level.

- Demonstrate approved methods, observe employees performing the work, document competency, and follow up to confirm skills are retained.

- Support difficult setups and develop dependable setup capability across the team. Become a capable floor resource for new equipment, including the Takisawa.

- Work with Shift Supervisors to identify training needs and reinforce consistent operating practices across shifts.

Machining Standards and Shop Improvement

- Implement standards developed by the Senior Programmer, including applicable collision avoidance systems (CAS), complex program operating practices, tool-life management, and load monitoring.

- Diagnose recurring tooling, setup, dimensional, machine, and process problems. Verify that corrective actions improve reliability, quality, and repeatability.

- Develop and audit 6S practices, machine and workstation cleanliness, tooling organization, and operator-care standards. Assign corrective tasks and verify completion.

- Enforce approved robot loading and operating procedures. Document and escalate robot and coolant-system issues to the Facilities Systems Engineer, who owns those systems.

- Work with the Quality Manager on process-related quality problems and with programming on controlled improvements. Stop affected equipment when conditions are unsafe or the process is uncontrolled.

Required Qualifications

- Advanced CNC machining experience with strong setup and troubleshooting capability in turning, milling, and multi-axis or multifunction machining.

- Strong understanding of tooling, jaws, fixtures, workholding, offsets, feeds, speeds, and CNC program behavior.

- Ability to interpret prints, verify revisions, and use precision measurement equipment to diagnose machining problems.

- Mechanical aptitude and practical experience with machine care, basic service, preventive maintenance, and systematic fault finding.

- Ability to teach technical tasks clearly, coach employees respectfully, and hold consistent standards.

- Ability to organize work, maintain useful records, and complete improvements without repeated follow-up.

- Sound judgment about personal technical limits, safe work practices, and when to involve programming, Quality, engineering, or outside service.

Preferred Qualifications

- Okuma Multus, Okuma mill or lathe, and OSP P200, P300, or P500 experience.

- Takisawa, FANUC controls, automated machining cells, or CNC programming experience.

- Experience implementing CAS, tool-life systems, load monitoring, standardized setups, or operator training programs.

- Experience developing preventive maintenance systems, troubleshooting guides, or 6S and shop-organization standards.

What Success Looks Like

Within the first 90 days, develop working proficiency with our equipment and processes, put maintenance schedules and operator-care checklists into use, establish training and audit routines, and begin measurable improvements. We will evaluate maintenance completion, retained operator skills, repeat downtime, cleanliness, corrective-action follow-through, and contributions to quality and production efficiency.

Schedule

- Primary schedule: Monday through Thursday, four 10-hour day shifts.

- Adjusted or staggered hours when needed for off-shift training, troubleshooting, and improvement work.

- Rare night-shift relief during exceptional coverage needs.

Why Join Gravity Manufacturing?

- Four-day primary workweek.

- Health insurance, life insurance, and paid time off.

- 401(k) with matching.

- Professional development assistance and access to advanced CNC equipment and automation.

- Direct involvement in improving equipment, developing employees, and building the shop's technical capability.

Apply

Tell us about the machines you have set up, difficult problems you have solved, maintenance work you have performed, and employees you have trained. Include examples of improvements you carried through to a verified result.

Applicants must be able to reliably commute to Pittsburg, MO 65724, or relocate before starting work. People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply.

Pay
This is a salaried position.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $28.00 - $38.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40.0 – 60.0 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Experience:

• CNC: 1 year (Preferred)

Ability to Relocate:

• Pittsburg, MO 65724: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $28 - $38