CNC Lathe Setup Technician​/Machinist

Advanced Structural Technologies (AST) is a leading manufacturer specializing in forged, flow-formed, and machined products for the aerospace, defense, and automotive industries. With over 25 years of experience, AST has built a strong reputation for precision engineering, innovation, and high-quality manufacturing.

Located in Oxnard, California, AST operates out of a cutting-edge facility spanning over 250,000 sq. ft., including our newest expansion completed in 2024. AST employs approximately 200 skilled professionals across multi-shift operations, ensuring efficiency, precision, and timely delivery for mission-critical industries.

Position Overview

We are looking for a CNC Lathe Setup Technician who takes pride in their craft and wants to work on parts that matter. A significant portion of this role is focused on the machining of aftermarket aluminum wheels - a high-mix product line that demands speed, repeatability, and mastery of wheel-specific work holding setups. You will own your setups from start to finish - reading the print, selecting tooling, dialing in the program, and walking the first article over to QA with confidence.

We're looking for someone who brings manufacturing engineering thinking to the floor - someone who can document what they've learned, contribute to process improvements, and help build repeatable, efficient methods for the jobs they run. If you're the person other machinists ask for help and you understand the 'why' behind what you do, we want to talk to you.

Key Responsibilities

CNC Setup & Operations

• Set up and operate horizontal and vertical CNC lathes including Haas, Okuma, and Fanuc controls
• Own complete setups from blueprint to first article approval across various product lines
• Read and interpret detailed engineering drawings and GD&T to determine the best approach for each job
• Select tooling, work holding, and machining strategies for high-precision turning operations
• Edit and optimize CNC programs at the machine to improve cycle time, surface finish, and tool life
• Verify part dimensions using precision measuring instruments (calipers, micrometers, indicators, etc.) and ensure conformance with print tolerances
• Diagnose and resolve machining issues, tool wear, and setup inconsistencies before they impact quality or schedule

Wheel Machining & Workholding

• Set up and run aftermarket aluminum wheel machining operations with emphasis on accuracy, surface finish, and cycle efficiency
• Configure and adjust wheel-specific work holding including finger chucks and pie jaws to accommodate a variety of wheel geometries and sizes
• Ensure proper clamping, centering, and support to prevent distortion and maintain bore and face concentricity across wheel families
• Recognize and troubleshoot work holding-related issues such as chatter, runout, and part shift that are common in wheel machining
• Apply knowledge of aluminum alloy behavior to optimize speeds, feeds, and tooling for consistent finish quality on wheel bores, faces, and pilots

Manufacturing Engineering Support

• Develop and maintain setup sheets, work instructions, and tooling lists to support repeatable, consistent setups across operators and shifts
• Apply working knowledge of aluminum-alloy machining to make informed decisions on speeds, feeds, and tooling selection
• Support design for manufacturing by contributing machining expertise during process planning and first-article runs
• Participate in root cause analysis and corrective action efforts for scrap, rework, and non-conforming parts
• Identify and propose process improvements that reduce cycle time, improve yield, or increase setup efficiency; document and implement approved changes
• Collaborate with manufacturing engineering, programming, and quality teams to refine processes and close gaps between the shop floor and engineering

Documentation & Quality

• Maintain accurate setup sheets, tool lists, and inspection records to support repeatability
• Complete in-process inspection and first article documentation in compliance with traveler and quality requirements
• Communicate drawing interpretation questions, tolerance concerns, or manufacturability issues to engineering proactively

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience setting up and running CNC lathes in a high-mix manufacturing environment
• Experience machining aftermarket or OEM aluminum wheels strongly preferred; familiarity with finger chucks, cam arms, rest pads, and pie jaws is a significant plus
• Hands-on experience with horizontal and/or vertical CNC lathes; familiarity with Haas, Okuma, and Fanuc controls preferred
• Ability to read, edit, and write G-code at the machine
• Deep understanding of turning processes, speeds and feeds, tool selection, and work holding strategy
• Working knowledge of material properties and how they influence machining decisions
• Ability to read and interpret complex mechanical drawings and GD&T
• Experience contributing to setup documentation, work instructions, or process improvement efforts
• Experience machining tight-tolerance parts in aerospace,…