Prototype Machinist

Kform is a next-generation defense manufacturer helping leading defense and dual-use startups turn advanced technology into producible hardware. We work across design, engineering, prototyping, manufacturing, quality, and production readiness to move critical products from concept to fielded reality.

We are recruiting prototype machinists who want to build real hardware, solve practical manufacturing problems, and work on products that matter. The battlefield waits weeks, not years.

The right person for this role is a hands-on builder with strong machining fundamentals, practical judgment, and the ability to turn incomplete engineering information into high-quality physical parts. You should be comfortable working closely with engineers, technicians, suppliers, and production teams to move fast without cutting corners.

At Kform, you will not be operating in a narrow production lane. You will make prototypes, improve designs, troubleshoot manufacturability problems, build fixtures, support testing, and help transition hardware from one-off prototype to repeatable production.

This is one of the few places where machinists get to work directly with engineers, influence product design, and help strengthen American industrial capacity for defense.

The Role You will support rapid prototyping, machining, fabrication, fixture building, and production readiness for complex defense and dual-use hardware products.

This is a hands-on shop role for someone who can work from CAD models, drawings, sketches, verbal direction, and evolving requirements. You should be comfortable making parts, identifying problems, communicating tradeoffs, and helping engineers improve designs before they become expensive production issues.

You should be comfortable moving between:

CNC mills and lathes

Manual machining equipment CAD models and drawingsCAM workflows

Inspection tools

Prototype assemblies

Fixtures and tooling

Engineering conversations

Production feedback

We want people who understand how parts are actually made. People who care about tolerances, finishes, setup strategy, work holding, material behavior, cutting tools, and the difference between a design that looks good on a screen and a design that can be made reliably.

What You Will DoMachine prototype and low-volume production components for defense and dual-use hardware systems.

Program, set up, and operate CNC mills, lathes, and related shop equipment.

Operate manual mills, manual lathes, saws, drill presses, grinders, and general fabrication tools.

Work from CAD models, drawings, sketches, engineering notes, and verbal instructions.

Review part designs and provide practical feedback on:

Manufacturability Tolerances Material  selection

Setup strategy

Tool access

Fixturing

Surface finish

Cost and lead time Build, modify, and repair prototypes, fixtures, tooling, test articles, brackets, enclosures, panels, mounts, and mechanical assemblies.

Collaborate directly with engineers to move quickly from design intent to physical hardware.

Identify design issues early and recommend practical improvements before release to production.

Inspect parts using calipers, micrometers, indicators, height gauges, thread gauges, surface plates, and other standard inspection tools.

Verify that parts meet drawing requirements, functional requirements, and assembly needs.

Support prototype assembly, fit checks, test setups, and troubleshooting.

Document setup notes, machining issues, lessons learned, and recommended design changes.

Maintain shop organization, tooling, machine readiness, and safe working practices.

Support continuous improvement across Kform’s prototyping, machining, and manufacturing systems.

What We Are Looking For We are looking for a machinist who can think, build, troubleshoot, and communicate.

You should be technically disciplined, but not rigid. Prototype work often starts with ambiguity. Drawings may be incomplete. Requirements may evolve. Engineers may need help understanding what is practical. Your job is to bring manufacturing judgment into the process and help the team create better hardware faster.

You should be able to:

Read mechanical drawings and understand design intent

Work from 3D CAD models

Select tools, speeds, feeds, work holding, and machining strategy

Make parts accurately and efficiently

Inspect your own work Catch problems before they become expensive

Explain manufacturability issues clearly

Work with urgency while maintaining quality and safety

The best fit for this role is practical, precise, resourceful, and biased toward action.

Minimum Qualifications 3 to 5 years of experience in CNC machining, manual machining, prototype fabrication, toolmaking, model making, or a related hands-on manufacturing role.

Strong ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings, dimensions, tolerances, notes, materials, and finishes.

Experience setting up and operating CNC milling machines.

Experience with manual machining equipment, including mills, lathes, saws, drills, and standard shop tools.

Working knowledge of…