CNC Lathe Machinist Lead

Athena Manufacturing, LP is a career-minded company that cares about our employees and their success. We invest in all employees by providing the training and skills they need to not only be successful in their occupation but also the opportunity to grow and advance within the company.

Overview: The CNC Lathe Machinist – Lead at Athena Manufacturing is a non-supervisory, working leadership position responsible for supporting daily CNC lathe operations, quality, safety, preventative maintenance, and continuous improvement within the assigned work cell.

This role provides task-level coordination, technical guidance, and peer coaching while performing advanced lathe machining work, including critical parts and prototype projects. The Lead maintains clear boundaries from supervisory and managerial authority and does not have responsibility for discipline, performance evaluations, scheduling, hiring, or termination.

The role supports Athena’s 2 Second Lean (2SL) culture through standard work, waste reduction, and process optimization.

Key Responsibilities: (include but not limited to): Essential duties and functions, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, include and are not limited to the following:

Operational & Task Coordination

• Provide day-to-day task coordination and workflow guidance within the CNC lathe work cell in alignment with production priorities, SOPs, QMS requirements, and 2 Second Lean principles.
• Support job readiness by helping ensure materials, programs, tooling, and fixtures are available.
• Communicate machining status, constraints, and issues to leadership.

Technical Leadership & Machining

• Serve as a technical subject-matter resource for CNC lathe machining operations.
• Set up, program, adjust, and operate CNC lathe equipment, including advanced or specialized tooling.
• Perform test runs and validate programs prior to production release.
• Troubleshoot machining, tooling, or program issues and escalate as appropriate.

Quality & Inspection

• Perform first-piece, in-process, and final inspections using precision measuring equipment.
• Identify non-conformances and support corrective action in accordance with QMS requirements.
• Ensure inspection and machining documentation is completed accurately.

Preventative Maintenance & Equipment Care

• Perform and support routine Preventative Maintenance (PM) activities.
• Diagnose equipment issues and report repair needs.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized work area.

Training, Safety & Continuous Improvement

• Support training and onboarding through hands-on demonstration and peer coaching.
• Reinforce safe work habits and proper PPE usage.
• Identify productivity, quality, and cost-reduction opportunities and communicate them to leadership.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives aligned with 2 Second Lean.

Additional Responsibilities

• Perform other Lead-related duties as assigned by leadership.

Qualifications: Minimum Preferred Qualifications, pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, include and are not limited to the following:

• High School Diploma or GED.
• 4+ years of CNC lathe machining experience.
• Demonstrated ability to perform complex machining and prototype work.
• Ability to provide working leadership without supervisory authority.
• Strong understanding of CNC programming, inspection, and tooling.
• Operational knowledge of Okuma OSP control and Siemens Control required
• Operational knowledge of Mazak Mazatrol and EIA highly preferred

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Essential physical requirements pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, include and are not limited to the following:

• Arm-Hand Steadiness- The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
• Finger Dexterity- The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
• Manual Dexterity — The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.
• Multilimbed Coordination- The ability to coordinate two or more limbs while sitting, standing, or lying down.
• Near Vision- The ability to see details at close range.
• Control Precision- The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine to exact positions.
• Reaction Time- The ability to quickly respond.
• Rate Control- The ability to time your movements or the movement of a piece of equipment in anticipation of changes in the speed and/or direction of a moving object or scene.
• Trunk Strength- The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing.
• Ability to continuously lift 50+ lbs in an 8 hour shift and higher with assistance.
• Written Comprehension — The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

PREFERRED TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY:

• Personal computers
• Comfortable with Technology, open to learning/coachable
• Made2Mange (M2M and SFM)
• Warehouse and Inventory Systems

REQUIRED WORK CLOTHING AND PPE: Attire should not interfere with job performance or safety.

• Safety glasses are provided by Athena
• Closed toe safety shoes are required

Athena Manufacturing supports commercial, aerospace, and government customers and is committed to maintaining compliance with applicable information security, export control, and government contract requirements, including the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program.

Certain roles may require access to controlled information, systems, or programs that are subject to U.S. government regulations, including export control requirements. As a result, access to specific work, systems, or data may be restricted to individuals who meet applicable regulatory eligibility requirements, including U.S. Person requirements as defined by federal regulations. Eligibility for such access will be determined prior to assignment and may be re-evaluated as business or regulatory needs change.

At Athena Manufacturing, we are dedicated to fostering a culture of continuous improvement through the principles of 2 Second Lean. This approach encourages all team members to identify and implement small, daily improvements that streamline processes, reduce waste, and enhance overall efficiency. We believe that by empowering our employees to take ownership of their workspaces and share their ideas, we can drive innovation, increase productivity, and create a more enjoyable work environment for everyone. Join us as we strive to improve every day, 2 seconds at a time!