Machinist Supervisor - Cobra

Machinist Supervisor 

Position Summary 

The Machinist Supervisor is responsible for overseeing the daily operations, personnel, production, quality, and continuous improvement efforts of the machine shop. This position provides leadership and direction to Machinists and Team Leads while ensuring production priorities, quality standards, safety requirements, and customer expectations are consistently met. 

The Machinist Supervisor will work closely with Production, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, and other departments to resolve issues, improve processes, and ensure efficient shop operations. This role requires strong machining knowledge, hands-on leadership, and the ability to develop team members while maintaining a safe, organized, and productive work environment. 

Key Roles 

• Oversee daily machine shop operations and production activities. 

• Lead, coach, and develop Machinists and Team Leads. 

• Establish and communicate daily production priorities. 

• Ensure quality standards and production requirements are consistently met. 

• Monitor machine performance, workflow, staffing, and production output. 

• Support advanced machine troubleshooting, setups, and process improvements. 

• Drive continuous improvement and standardized work throughout the machine shop. 

• Maintain a safe, clean, and organized work environment. 

• Coordinate with other departments to support production goals and customer needs. 

• Promote accountability, teamwork, and alignment with company values and expectations. 

Duties and Responsibilities 

• Supervise the daily activities and performance of Machinists, Team Leads, and other assigned machine shop personnel. 

• Plan and prioritize production schedules, staffing, machine utilization, and workflow to meet production requirements. 

• Work closely with Team Leads to communicate daily priorities and ensure work is completed safely, efficiently, and according to established standards. 

• Coach, train, and develop team members while providing ongoing performance feedback and addressing performance concerns as needed. 

• Support the onboarding and training of new employees and ensure appropriate technical training is completed. 

• Monitor production output, quality, scrap, downtime, and other key performance indicators. 

• Ensure parts are produced according to drawings, specifications, quality requirements, and established processes. 

• Partner with Quality to investigate and resolve machining and quality-related issues. 

• Provide technical support for complex machine setups, changeovers, troubleshooting, and process adjustments as needed. 

• Work with Engineering and programming resources to support new product launches and improve existing machining processes. 

• Identify opportunities to improve cycle times, machine utilization, tooling, setup processes, quality, and overall shop efficiency. 

• Support preventative maintenance activities and coordinate machine repair and maintenance needs. 

• Ensure appropriate documentation, setup sheets, procedures, and standardized work are maintained and followed. 

• Lead daily production meetings/huddles and communicate priorities, performance, issues, and necessary follow-up. 

• Promote continuous improvement principles and encourage team members to identify and solve problems. 

• Coordinate labor and resources based on production needs and changing priorities. 

• Maintain appropriate inventory levels of tooling, raw materials, and other production-related supplies in partnership with applicable departments. 

• Ensure compliance with company safety policies, machine safety requirements, and established procedures. 

• Maintain a clean, organized, and safe machine shop environment. 

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with Production, Engineering, Quality, Maintenance, Purchasing, and other departments. 

• Provide production updates and escalate issues that may impact safety, quality, delivery, or productivity. 

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Production Manager. 

Key Competencies 

• Strong leadership and people development skills. 

• Advanced machining knowledge and mechanical problem-solving ability. 

• Ability to lead and prioritize work in a fast-paced production environment. 

• Strong understanding of CNC and/or Swiss machining processes. 

• Ability to read and interpret blueprints, part drawings, and specifications. 

• Knowledge of measurement tools, inspection techniques, and quality requirements. 

• Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills. 

• Problem-solving and continuous improvement mindset. 

• Ability to establish accountability while maintaining positive team relationships. 

• Strong organizational and prioritization skills. 

• Commitment to safety, quality, productivity, and standardized work. 

• Ability to work independently and make sound decisions. 

Qualifications 

• High school diploma or GED required; technical certificate, associate degree, or additional machining/manufacturing education preferred. 

• Minimum 5 years of machining or CNC manufacturing experience preferred. 

• Previous leadership experience in a machining or manufacturing environment required; supervisory experience preferred. 

• Strong working knowledge of CNC machining; Swiss-style CNC machining experience strongly preferred. 

• Experience with machine setup, troubleshooting, tooling, and process improvement. 

• Proficiency in blueprint reading and use of precision measurement tools. 

• Experience training, coaching, and developing production employees. 

• Strong understanding of manufacturing safety, quality, and production standards. 

• Basic computer skills and ability to work with production and reporting systems. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience with Citizen Swiss CNC machines. 

• Working knowledge of G-code and CNC controls. 

• Experience with CAD/CAM software such as Esprit. 

• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing, 5S, standardized work, or Six Sigma principles. 

• Machine Safety Training, Machine Guarding Principles, and/or OSHA 10-Hour training. 

• Experience in a high-mix, high-precision manufacturing environment. 

Essential Functions 

• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs. 

• Regularly use hands and fingers to handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, machines, or controls and reach with hands and arms. 

• Regularly stand, walk, talk, and hear throughout the workday. 

• Ability to work around manufacturing equipment and machinery. 

• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

Work Environment 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in a manufacturing and machine shop environment. The employee may work around operating machinery, equipment, noise, and other conditions typical of a manufacturing facility and may be subject to current local weather conditions.