EDM Machinist

🔍 At a glance
Company: MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Location: Lexington, MA 02420
Pay: $42.50 – $52.54/hour
Job Type: Full Time
Experience: 5+ years
Machines: Wire EDM (sinker EDM, hole popper, and milling exposure a plus)
Software: CAM and 2D/3D CAD (Insight CAM and SolidWorks experience a plus)

Why this job is worth considering

MIT Lincoln Laboratory's Fabrication Engineering Group (Group 72) builds low-volume, high-complexity hardware for national security programs — space imaging, high-energy lasers, ground-based radar, and undersea communications. This opening is focused on wire EDM, with room to grow into sinker EDM, hole popping, and milling, plus exposure to additive manufacturing and diamond turning as your skills expand. You'll develop your own fabrication strategy, design and build custom fixtures, and work with real autonomy on most jobs while collaborating closely with other machinists and engineers on the more complex work.

What you'll be doing

• Program, set up, operate, tear down, and clean wire EDM equipment for prototype and low-volume production work
• Develop a fabrication strategy for each job and identify the tooling and fixturing it requires
• Design and build custom fixtures with minimal oversight on most hardware
• Read mechanical drawings and apply GD&T to hold precise tolerances
• Maintain equipment and troubleshoot issues as they come up
• Collaborate with other machinists and engineers on more complex or unusual hardware
• Keep a clean, organized, and safety-compliant work area
• Take on advanced training in additive manufacturing, diamond turning, or other new fabrication techniques as your skills grow

Machines, controls and software

This role centers on wire EDM — programming, setup, and operation — with additional experience in sinker EDM, hole popper, and milling considered a strong plus. Equipment includes a GF Machine 440cc wire EDM with rotary head, a GF Machine FO350 sinker EDM, a Titan Force 30 drill EDM, and System 3R Zero Point Positioning for repeatable setups. Programming is done with CAM software (Insight CAM experience is a plus) from 2D/3D CAD models (SolidWorks experience is a plus), alongside standard MS Office tools.

What we're looking for

Required

• 5+ years of direct experience in setup, operation, and programming of wire EDM
• 3+ years of experience programming with CAM software
• Strong reading of mechanical drawings and understanding of GD&T
• Ability to design and fabricate basic fixtures
• Comfortable using basic hand tools and inspection equipment (calipers, thread/pin gauges, micrometers, dial indicators, etc.)
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and collaboratively in a team environment
• Enthusiasm for learning new fabrication techniques, technologies, and machine tools
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs

Preferred

• Additional experience in setup, operation, and programming of sinker EDM, hole popper, and milling
• Graduation from a two-year technical school
• Previous experience in a high-mix, low-volume job shop environment
• Experience with the GF Machine 440cc wire EDM and rotary head, System 3R Zero Point Positioning, GF Machine FO350 sinker EDM, and Titan Force 30 drill EDM
• SolidWorks CAD and Insight CAM software experience
• Experience machining aluminum, titanium, or Invar
• Experience mentoring less experienced machinists
• Familiarity with digital fabrication tools such as Model Based Definition (MBD) and PLM software (Aras Innovator)

Pay, Benefits and Schedule

$42.50–$52.54 per hour, based on experience. Standard hours, with occasional overtime to meet critical program milestones. Relocation assistance is available for this role.

About MIT Lincoln Laboratory and Apply

MIT Lincoln Laboratory pushes the boundaries of science and engineering to design, model, and fabricate technologies and prototype systems for national security applications, including space imaging, high-energy lasers, long-range laser communications, ground-based radar, and undersea communication terminals. Its Fabrication Engineering Group (Group 72) works alongside program teams from initial design through manufacturing, assembly, integration, and testing to build low-volume, high-complexity hardware in program integration spaces, cleanrooms, and space simulation chambers.

Ready to bring your EDM skills to national-security prototype work? Apply through hireCNC today.