CNC Manufacturing Team Lead

CNC Manufacturing Team Lead 5 Axis (Defence Engineering) Ampthill, Bedfordshire | Permanent | 4 Day Week (Mon Thurs) | £42,550 We are recruiting on behalf of a specialist UK defence engineering organisation for a CNC Manufacturing Team Lead to join a precision machining facility delivering complex, low-volume components for secure programmes. This is a hybrid leadership and hands-on role within a small, highly skilled machining team.

It would suit either:
An experienced CNC Team Lead who remains technically strong, or A Senior 5-axis Machinist ready to step into leadership The Environment Youll be working with:
Matsuura, Hurco and Correa machining centres 36 axis capability (strong bias toward 5-axis milling) Fanuc and Heidenhain controls Complex one-off and low-volume defence components This is not high-volume production it is precision R&D machining within a secure environment.

The Role You will:
Lead and support a small team of skilled machinists (approx. 610) Plan and prioritise workloads in line with programme needs Drive safety, quality and on-time delivery performance Conduct basic performance reviews and support skills development Remain hands-on with programming, setup and prove-out of multi-axis machines Support tooling optimisation and process improvement initiatives This is a working leadership role strong technical credibility is essential.

What Were Looking For Strong 5-axis CNC milling experience Fanuc and/or Heidenhain programming Experience machining complex, low-volume components Previous leadership, supervisory or mentoring experience Background in defence, aerospace or advanced precision engineering Active SC clearance (or recently lapsed and eligible for reactivation) Must be eligible to obtain DV clearance Whats on Offer 4 day working week (Mon Thurs) Permanent role within long-term defence programmes Technically challenging environment Opportunity to shape and influence a specialist machining cell Due to the nature of the programmes, strict security clearance eligibility criteria apply.

If you are an SC-cleared CNC professional looking for a role that combines advanced machining with team leadership responsibility, please apply or contact us for a confidential discussion.