Machine Operator I
manufacturing › Machine Shop · S1 — S1 — Support Associate · Support
Entry-level operator who runs CNC and automated machining equipment under close supervision.
Median pay · United States · annual
$38,510 USD
Typical range ()
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What this role is
Entry-level operator who runs CNC and automated machining equipment under close supervision. At the Support Associate (S1) level, the role owns a single task type or queue, routine, well-defined requests, and drives individual transactions. None.
What this level does
- Loads material and runs pre-programmed CNC mill or lathe jobs from a completed setup sheet under close supervision, following step-by-step operator instructions
- Adjusts wear offsets in the machine control to bring a dimension back to target when a senior machinist or the setup sheet directs the correction
- Deburrs finished parts and performs basic gauge checks (calipers, micrometers, go/no-go pins) against the blueprint dimension called out on the router
- Keeps the machine and work area clean, monitors coolant level and chip buildup, and flags tool wear or unusual noise to a senior machinist
- Knowledge applied
- General knowledge of shop routines — how to load a job, read the offset called out, and use basic gauges. Applies readily available answers from the setup sheet and operator instructions.
- Complexity & problem solving
- Routine, prescribed operating tasks; when a part reads out of tolerance the correction is dictated by the setup sheet or a senior machinist.
- Collaboration & interaction
- Standard interactions; asks senior machinists for direction and flags problems rather than resolving them.
- Typical experience
- 0–1 years; minimal machining experience or recent trade-school completion.
Skills at this level
- CNC Machine Operation
- — Operates CNC milling and turning centers from setup sheets — loading tools, setting work offsets, touching off, and running production jobs to blueprint dimensions.
- CNC Programming and Code Editing
- — Programs and modifies CNC G-code at the control, setting speeds, feeds, tool paths, and work-holding using knowledge of math, tooling, and how materials react to stress and heat.
- Wear Offset Adjustment
- — Reads a part's measured dimension against the print and adjusts wear offsets in the machine control to bring the feature back to target during a run.
- Blueprint and Specification Interpretation
- — Interprets technical blueprints, models, and GD&T specifications to determine the dimensions, tolerances, and features a machined part must meet.
- Dimensional Inspection
- — Performs detailed quality inspections using calipers, micrometers, height gauges, bore gauges, and go/no-go pins, verifying parts to tolerances sometimes within .0001 of an inch.
- Machine Setup and Work-Holding
- — Selects and configures fixtures, chucks, vises, and tooling to hold a part rigidly and locate it correctly for the machining operation.
- Manual Machining
- — Operates manual mills, lathes, grinders, and other machine tools to cut and finish metal parts where a manual operation is faster or more appropriate than CNC.
- Machining Troubleshooting
- — Diagnoses in-process problems — chatter, tool breakage, poor surface finish, dimensional drift — and determines the tooling, fixturing, or parameter change that corrects them.
- Tooling and Cutting Parameter Selection
- — Chooses cutting tools, inserts, coolant, speeds, and feeds appropriate to the material and geometry to hold tolerance and maximize tool life.
- Root-Cause Analysis of Production Problems
- — Finds the underlying cause of recurring scrap or process failures on the floor and recommends work-holding, tooling, or method changes to prevent recurrence.
- Machining Process Improvement
- — Applies lean manufacturing and Six Sigma techniques to reduce cycle time, scrap, and rework across families of machined parts.
- Setup Procedure Development
- — Develops and proves out machining methods and setup sheets for complex geometries and tight-tolerance 5-axis work so that others can repeat the job reliably.
- Shop Floor Mentoring
- — Guides and trains less experienced machinists through difficult setups and troubleshooting, and coordinates work across the machine shop as a working lead.
- Preventive Maintenance and Tooling Inventory
- — Maintains machine condition through routine preventive maintenance and manages the shop's tooling inventory to keep production running.
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As of · 2026-07-30
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