Engineering a world of possibilities

Sr. Machinist, Colorado School of Mines

THE OPPORTUNITY

Colorado School of Mines welcomes applications for a Senior Machinist to assist in leading efforts in the Campus Machine Shop which is an on-campus resource for end-to-end, turnkey design, and machining services. The Campus Machine Shop provides consulting, limited design, and fabrication of complex parts and articles from various materials, such as metals or plastics, according to customer specifications.  

The Senior Machinist reports to the Machine Shop Manager and ensures production cycles are met from part design to fabrication, makes sure necessary equipment is available and running properly.
 

The Senior Machinist is responsible for set up and operation of all standard metal working machine power tools, hand power tools, and hand tools to shape, fabricate, and construct mechanical parts or assemblies. The Senior Machinist also develops, constructs, and repairs experimental/scientific equipment with an appropriate level of precision. This may include translating ideas originated by scientists/engineers/students into designs that can be constructed in the machine shop and that provide the desired functionality desired by the researcher. The Senior Machinist consults with faculty, staff, and students on improving their designs to be consistent with Machine Shop best-practices. The position also schedules the junior machinist(s) day-to-day activities. 
 

The Senior Machinist is responsible for:

• Operating machine tools to manufacture and engineer/reverse engineer parts.

• Supporting research activities of faculty, staff, and students through design/fabrication services.

• Consulting with researchers and providing guidance in their machining requests to develop improved designs and functionalities.

• Ensuring quality and safe operation of all machine shop equipment by adhering to appropriate safety procedures and regulations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

PRIMARY DUTIES IN MACHINING AND FABRICATING (60%)

• Machine and assemble parts into finished products.

• Maintain machine tools. 

• Program, edit, set up and operate lathes and machine centers with up to 4 or 5 axes.

• Import or create geometry within CAD/SW-CAM for generating complex 3-D surface toolpaths.

• Utilize conversational programming at the machine for the production of corner radii, slots, drill cycles, and thread milling operations.

• Calculates requirements through the use of basic math, geometry and trigonometry.

• Purchase, receive and maintain stock of materials, spare materials, spare parts, and expendables. 

• Produce complex machined parts to precision tolerances on CNC mills and lathes, manual mills and lathes, and a variety of common hand tools. 

• Perform quality checks on manufactured parts to assure specifications are met. 

• Assemble complex apparatus according to CAD drawings, sketches, or verbal instructions. 

• Maintain prioritization, scheduling, and billing for multiple concurrent projects.

• Support faculty and students with production of experimental equipment.

• Assist faculty and students with the design and construction and acceptance of complex assemblies of machined parts.

• Advise students, faculty, and research groups in the purchase and design/construction of special mechanical devices. 

• Select, hire, train, and supervise student assistants for tasks as needed. 

• Maintain CNC machinery, including periodic maintenance and coolant level maintenance. 

MANAGING AND SUPERVISION (20%)

• Manages day-to-day activities on the machine shop floor of junior machinists and monitors workflow.

• Completes production plans by scheduling and assigning personnel, accomplishing work results, establishing priorities, monitoring progress, revising schedules, resolving problems, and reporting results of the processing flow.

• Sets priorities and goals for daily machine shop production and assigns team member(s) as appropriate for maximizing Shop throughput. 

• Develops and maintains full understanding of the machine shop’s work queue, stock inventory, expendables inventory, etc. 

• Ensures the safe operation and proper maintenance of all equipment in machine shop.

• Determines when repairs are necessary and evaluates new tools, tooling, equipment and techniques.

• Ensures that appropriate ergonomic and/or safety improvements are followed to improve team member health by reducing and eliminating the risk of injuries. 

PROTOTYPING, DESIGN AND FABRICATION (10%)

• Work closely with university faculty to create detailed manufacturing plans for complex machined parts given computerized, written, or verbal descriptions of desired parts. 

• Recommend material and design changes when appropriate/necessary.

• Design and construct machinery, tooling, special fixtures, and prints using verbal orders, sketches, blueprints, and machine drawings.

• Review CAD models, offer advice on materials, tolerances, and features as well as mechanism design.

OTHER DUTIES AS ASSIGNED (10%)

• Other duties as assigned to meet the objectives of the program and/or Mines.

JOB DEMANDS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

• Ability to stand for long periods of time—up to 6+ hours 

• Ability to lift, carry, and position heavy objects as outlined in the Physical and Mental Activities Checklist

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• 10 years CNC programming editing and setup experience

• Experience in generating G-code from CAD drawings using Solidworks CAM, MasterCAM, Fusion360 or similar

• Experience with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and how to navigate and operate using shared drives (i.e., Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive)

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills with both internal (students, faculty and staff) and external (industry, service representatives, etc.) customers 

• Physically able to perform strenuous physical labor including occasional heavy lifting and standing for 6+ hours a day

• Ability to build effective working relationships with employees and work effectively as a team member

• Demonstrated problem solving skills

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Knowledge of federal, state and local safety and health regulations with regards to safe use of machine tools is also necessary

• At least five years of hands-on experience in manufacturing, manual and computer-aided machining, computer aided design (CAD), and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T)

• TIG and MIG welding, including teaching these skills 

• Proficiency with Solid Works for modeling and making drawings is highly desirable 

• Experience in a university or research setting or in creating instruments for experimental and research use.

• High School Diploma 

• Completion of a Machining Certification

ANNUAL SALARY RATE AND BENEFITS

$71,100 - $80,300

Mines takes into consideration a combination of candidate’s education, training and experience as well as the position’s scope and complexity, the discretion and latitude required in the role, work location, and external market and internal value when determining a salary level for potential new employees.

Colorado School of Mines offers a robust portfolio of benefits for all employees. For this role, that includes:

• Flexible health and dental care options

• Generous sick/vacation time: 13 paid holidays per year – including a week-long winter break for entire campus.

• Fully vested retirement plan on first day of employment, with generous employer contribution

• Tuition benefits (6 credits per year for employees, 50 percent discount for dependents)

• Free RTD Ecopass
   

Mines’ leadership and innovation bring proximity and access to several research centers, consortia, agencies, labs, and leading-edge technology. Additionally, all Mines employees also have access to discount programs through the State of Colorado and free tickets for Mines Athletics home games, as well as access to the state-of-the-art Recreation Center (fitness classes and training, swimming pool and more) and equipment rentals through the Outdoor Rec Center. We are proud to have recently opened an on campus daycare center. For more details about benefits at Mines, visit mines.edu/human-resources/benefits. 

HOW TO APPLY

Applicants must:

• Complete an online application (personal information, demographic information, veteran status)

• Upload a resume

• Upload a cover letter (optional)

Application review will begin October 31, 2024. This posting will remain open until filled and may close without notice. References will not be collected or contacted until later in the selection process and you will be informed before that contact is made. For further information, please contact Kathleen Feighny in Human Resources at [email protected].

Mines welcomes everyone to our team; in your application, please feel free to note which pronouns you use (For example - she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs, etc).

To request an accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please email [email protected] or call 303-273-3250.

Successful Completion of a Background Investigation is required for this position.

ABOUT MINES AND GOLDEN, CO

When the world looks for answers, the world looks to Mines.

Colorado School of Mines is a top-ranked public university solving the grand challenges facing our society, particularly those related to the Earth, energy and the environment. Founded in 1874 with specialties in mining and metallurgy, Mines’ scope and mission have continually expanded to meet the needs of industry and society. Today, we are the No. 38 public university in the nation, recognized for our innovation and undergraduate teaching in science, technology engineering and math (U.S. News and World Report, 2023).

Mines graduates are change makers, boundary breakers and problem solvers. Since our earliest days, a Mines education has been and continues to be a transformational opportunity, with one of the strongest returns on investment out there for talented STEM students of all backgrounds.

At the same time, Mines faculty members are pushing their fields in new directions, whether that’s manufacturing, space resources, quantum engineering, carbon capture or more. Mines was recently classified as a R1 “Very High Activity” research institution by Carnegie, a notable feat for any university but particularly one of our size.

That size – roughly 7,000 undergraduate and graduate students – also translates to a close-knit campus community, where employees have opportunities to get involved in multiple ways, continued professional learning is valued and everyone can make an impact.

Community Alliance groups bring together employees for professional development, networking, cultural awareness and community involvement, and all Mines employees also have access to the wealth of activities happening every day on campus – nationally-renowned speakers, special events and Mines traditions like Engineering Days, just to name a few.

And don’t get us started on our hometown. We are located in the heart of Golden, Colorado --with its charming historic downtown and nearby hiking trails – and in close proximity to all that Denver and the Rocky Mountains have to offer. That includes the sunny, high-altitude climate and outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities that make the Denver area an ideal place to live, work and play.

Are you looking for an inspiring, mission-driven workplace where you can contribute to solving the world’s problems and educating the next generation of change makers? Are you an individual who values a diverse and inclusive community, where our different perspectives, experiences and cultures enrich the educational and work experience?

Look to Mines.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
 

Colorado School of Mines is committed to equal opportunity for all persons.  Mines does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, gender (including gender identity and gender expression), ancestry, creed, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status or current military service. Further, Mines does not retaliate against community members for filing complaints regarding or implicating any of these protected statuses.
 

Mines’ commitment to nondiscrimination, affirmative action, equal opportunity and equal access is reflected in the administration of its policies, procedures, programs and activities and in its efforts to achieve a diverse student body and workforce.
 

Through its policies, procedures and resources, Mines complies with federal law, Colorado state law, administrative regulations, executive orders and other legal requirements to prevent discrimination (including harassment or retaliation) within the Mines campus community and to address potential allegations of inequity or concerns for safety.

Colorado's premier engineering and applied science university for 150 years and counting