CNC Applications Engineering Lead

Top Echelon LLC; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Top Echelon LLC seeks an experienced CNC Applications Engineering Lead to guide a Cincinnati-based team. The role combines hands-on machining optimization with strategic direction, project execution, and staff development.

The ideal candidate brings strong CNC machining expertise, leadership experience, and the ability to mentor engineers and machinists while collaborating with Sales, Service, and Engineering to deliver robust, customer-focused solutions.

Qualifications

• Must have hands-on CNC metal-cutting experience and strong machining foundation.
• Experience mentoring or leading other engineers, programmers, or machinists.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts to customers, sales, service and leadership.
• Familiarity with CAM software and offline CNC programming.
• Experience with multi-axis CNC machining and various control platforms.

Responsibilities

• Serve as technical lead for the CNC Applications Engineering team.
• Mentor and develop Applications Engineers and machinists.
• Coordinate complex customer projects, machine installations, and demonstrations.
• Lead difficult applications projects and act as escalation point for challenges.
• Develop and optimize CNC machining processes, tooling, and cycles.
• Support customer training and collaborate with Sales, Service, and Engineering.

Skills

CNC Machining

Leadership

Mentoring

Communication

CAM Software

G-Code & Programming

Multi-axis Machining

Tools

CAM Software

Offline CNC Programming

Job description

We are seeking an experienced CNC Applications Engineering Lead to serve as a senior technical resource and hands-on leader for an established applications engineering team based in Cincinnati, OH.

This role is ideal for someone who still enjoys being close to the machines—developing processes, solving difficult machining challenges, supporting customer demonstrations, and helping get new equipment successfully into production—but is also ready to take greater ownership of technical direction, project execution, and team development.

The Applications Engineering Lead will help guide and mentor Applications Engineers, coordinate complex customer projects, establish applications best practices, and serve as an escalation point for challenging machining and process-development needs.

Candidates do not need to be experts across every machine platform; a strong CNC machining foundation, advanced applications experience, and the ability to learn new technologies are most important.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a technical lead and senior resource for the CNC Applications Engineering team.
• Mentor and develop Applications Engineers, sharing machining knowledge, troubleshooting techniques, programming strategies, and applications best practices.
• Help coordinate team workload, priorities, customer projects, machine installations, demonstrations, training, and other applications activities.
• Take the lead on complex or technically challenging applications projects, serving as an escalation point when additional expertise is needed.
• Develop and optimize CNC machining processes, including programming strategy, tooling, workholding, feeds and speeds, cycle-time optimization, and overall process efficiency.
• Support CNC machine installations, prove-outs, runoff activities, and customer acceptance as needed.
• Partner with customers to evaluate parts, prints, tolerances, materials, production requirements, and manufacturing challenges to develop effective machining solutions.
• Support Sales with technical expertise during customer evaluations, machine demonstrations, test cuts, benchmarking, and solution development.
• Help evaluate machine configurations, tooling, workholding, automation, and peripheral equipment based on customer applications.
• Deliver or oversee customer training related to machine operation, programming, machining processes, and applications best practices.
• Collaborate closely with Sales, Service, Engineering, Product Management, and other internal teams to resolve technical issues and ensure successful customer outcomes.
• Establish and improve applications engineering standards, processes, documentation, and workflows to create greater consistency across the team.
• Identify opportunities to improve machine performance, cycle times, part quality, process reliability, and customer productivity.
• Stay current on CNC technology, controls, tooling, CAM software, automation, and advanced machining strategies.

Requirements:

• Strong hands-on experience with CNC metal-cutting equipment, including machining centers, lathes, and other advanced CNC platforms.
• Prior experience in CNC Applications Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Process Engineering, CNC Programming, or a similar technical machining role.
• Strong understanding of CNC programming, G-code, machining processes, tooling, workholding, speeds and feeds, and process optimization.
• Experience developing machining processes from print or part requirements through successful production.
• Working knowledge of multi-axis CNC machining; experience with 4-axis, 5-axis, Swiss, mill-turn, or other advanced platforms is highly valued.
• Experience with at least one major CNC control platform is required, such as Fanuc, Siemens, Mazak, OSP, or Haas; Fanuc experience is preferred.
• Experience with CAM software and offline CNC programming is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex machining, programming, tooling, workholding, and process-related challenges.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts effectively with customers, Applications Engineers, Sales, Service, and leadership.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to help prioritize multiple applications projects and customer requirements.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring, training, or providing technical leadership to other engineers, programmers, or machinists.

• Experience with high-precision machining and complex part manufacturing.
• Ability to travel regionally up to 25%