Manager, Machine Shop

Are you a hands-on manufacturing leader who thrives on running a shop, developing people, and driving continuous improvement? We’re looking for a Machine Shop Manager to lead a 50-person, two-shift, high-speed machining operation supporting medical device manufacturing.

This is a highly visible leadership role with real ownership—of people, performance, quality, and results. If you enjoy being on the floor, building strong teams, and using data to improve how work gets done, this could be a great next step.

As the Machine Shop Manager, you’ll have full responsibility for day-to-day operations and long-term performance of the machining center. Your focus will be on people development, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

People & Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of supervisors, machinists, and support staff across two shifts

• Build a positive, engaged shop culture through clear communication, training, and accountability

• Oversee hiring, onboarding, performance reviews, coaching, and employee relations

• Be a visible, hands-on leader on the floor who supports teams and removes obstacles

• Lead change initiatives and drive a Lean mindset across the operation

Operations & Delivery

• Own daily production performance and long-term capacity planning

• Establish goals, track KPIs, and close gaps to target across safety, quality, delivery, and cost

• Lead cross-functional projects and support new product/process introductions

• Develop and maintain visual management systems to keep the shop in control

• Use machining production management systems (Machine Metrics or similar) to drive decisions

Quality & Regulatory

• Ensure quality is built into processes—not inspected in later

• Lead root cause investigations and corrective actions for chronic defects

• Oversee line stops and quality escalations when needed

• Support FDA-regulated manufacturing and ISO 13485 / ISO 9001 compliance

• Participate in internal and external audits and help close customer complaints

Cost, Safety & Sustainability

• Own department budgets, inventory, and cost reduction initiatives

• Maintain a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with EHS requirements

• Lead accident investigations, safety audits, and monthly 5S reviews

Required

• Bachelor’s degree

• 10+ years of experience in machining or manufacturing (medical device strongly preferred)

• 5+ years of experience leading teams of 20+ employees

• Experience in high-speed machining and high-volume manufacturing

• Strong people leadership skills with the ability to coach, motivate, and inspire

• Solid understanding of Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement principles

• Comfortable working in a regulated environment (FDA / ISO)

• Strong problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills

Preferred

• Advanced degree

• Lean Six Sigma certification

• Experience with SAP or other ERP systems

• Experience with Machine Metrics or similar production management systems

• Injection molding experience

• Teams are engaged, trained, and performing at a high level

• The shop runs with clear priorities, strong metrics, and minimal firefighting

• Safety, quality, delivery, and cost targets are consistently met or exceeded

• Continuous improvement is part of the daily culture—not a side project

• Lead a critical operation with real ownership and influence

• Work in a stable, regulated medical device environment

• Be part of a culture that values structure, accountability, and people development

• Make a visible impact on performance and team success