CNC Manufacturing Process Engineer

Threadlock Precision; Missouri; On-site; USD 75,000 - 115,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan with generous companymatch

Competitive health and dentalinsurance

Paid time off and sick leave

Professional development and training

Job summary

Threadlock Precision is seeking a CNC Manufacturing Process Engineer to join our St. Louis, MO facility. You will develop and optimize CNC processes for milling, turning and multi-axis work, collaborating across engineering, tooling, quality and operations to improve safety, quality, delivery and cost targets.

You will translate complex drawings into practical manufacturing plans, mentor operators, and drive continuous improvement initiatives to scale our high-precision aerospace components.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or equivalent years of hands-on CNC experience.
• 3+ years hands-on CNC machining, programming, or related manufacturing engineering.
• Experience with CAM software such as Mastercam, NX, PartMaker or FeatureCAM.

Responsibilities

• Develop, document, and improve CNC processes for new and existing work.
• Translate drawings and GD&T into manufacturing plans ensuring quality and cost targets.
• Identify improvements to increase throughput and reduce variation.
• Design fixtures and tooling to support repeatability and cycle time targets.
• Train operators on new programs and mentor junior engineers.

Skills

CNC programming

CNC machining

Manufacturing engineering

Process improvement

GD&T interpretation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

7+ years hands-on CNC machining experience in lieu of BS

Tools

Mastercam

NX

PartMaker

FeatureCAM

Job description

Threadlock Precision is a rapidly growing engineered component manufacturing organization serving leading aerospace and defense customers, including OEMs and Tier 1/Tier 2 suppliers. Backed by strong financial support and positioned for continued expansion, we are investing in our people, capabilities, operations, and commercial strategies to support long-term growth and meet increasing demand across complex, high-precision manufacturing programs.

We are currently hiring a CNC Manufacturing Process Engineer at our R&S Machining plant located in St. Louis, Mo. The Work We Do Matters! Our products support the defense industrial base and ensure that the men and women serving our country have reliable, high-quality equipment.

How You will Make a Difference

Reporting to our Engineering Manager, you will have the unique opportunity to help shape and scale a growing manufacturing platform at a critical stage of expansion.

As a CNC Manufacturing Process Engineer, you will be instrumental in supporting and improving our precision CNC Machining Operation that includes milling, turning, and multi-axis machining applications. As a technical bridge between engineering, programming, tooling, quality, production, and operations leadership, you will work directly with machinists, quality, engineering, tooling suppliers, and operations leadership to improve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and throughput.

Core Responsibilities

CNC Process Development & Ownership

• Partner and collaborate with customers on product design and manufacturability.
• Develop, document, and improve CNC manufacturing processes for new and existing work, including routing, setup strategy, tooling requirements, machining methods, and production readiness.
• Translate engineering drawings, models, customer requirements, and GD&T into practical manufacturing plans that support quality, repeatability, delivery, and cost targets.

Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement

• Identify and implement improvements that increase throughput, improve repeatability, reduce variation, and strengthen overall CNC process performance.
• Optimize cycle time, tool life, machine utilization, setup time, operator efficiency, and production flow while reducing scrap, rework, non-value-added activity, and recurring production constraints.

Tooling, Fixturing & Workholding

• Design, specify, or improve custom fixtures, tooling packages, and machining strategies to support repeatability, quality, cycle time, and cost targets.
• Work with machinists, tooling vendors, and internal teams to evaluate cutting tools, toolholders, inserts, fixtures, and other machining resources.

Shop-Floor Support & Problem Solving

• Troubleshoot machining and process issues on the shop floor and implement corrective actions related to programs, tooling, fixturing, setup, machine conditions, and process methods.
• Identify root causes, improve process stability, and help remove barriers to quality, delivery, and throughput.

Quality, Documentation & Compliance

• Create and maintain manufacturing work instructions, setup sheets, tooling lists, process instructions, and controlled documentation to support consistent execution.
• Collaborate with Quality to resolve dimensional issues, repeatability concerns, inspection gaps, and customer requirement concerns while supporting AS9100 and internal quality requirements.

Training & Technical Leadership

• Train machine operators on new programs, setups, tooling, and process changes.
• Mentor less experienced engineers, machinists, programmers, and technical team members to strengthen internal CNC machining capability.

This position requires compliance with U.S. export control laws and regulations. As such, candidates must be a “U.S. Person” as defined by applicable law (e.g., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or asylee/refugee).

Basic (required) Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering with at least 3 years of years of hands-on CNC machining, CNC programming, manufacturing engineering, or related precision machining experience.
• In lieu of a B.S degree, at least 7 years of years of hands-on CNC machining, CNC programming, manufacturing engineering, or related precision machining experience.
• Experience using CAM software such as Mastercam, NX, PartMaker, FeatureCAM, or similar platforms.

Preferred Qualifications (in addition to Basic Qualifications)

• Experience within Aerospace & Defense and AS9100

Skills:

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams, explain technical issues clearly, align teams, and help drive solutions from concept through production.
• A continuous improvement mindset with the ability to improve cycle time, reduce variation, strengthen repeatability, and support cost and delivery goals.
• Hands-on problem solver who can troubleshoot production issues, identify root causes, and implement practical shop-floor solutions.
• Strong understanding of CNC programming capabilities across milling, turning, and/or multi-axis machining applications, with the ability to support both new product launches and existing production work.
• Deep understanding of machining fundamentals, including cutting tools, feeds and speeds, setups, fixtures, and process optimization.
• Ability to interpret complex blueprints, engineering drawings, 3D models, GD&T, and customer specifications, then turn them into practical manufacturing solutions.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

Salary: Salary is based upon candidate experience and qualifications, as well as market and business considerations.

• Pay Range: $75,000 to $115,000 plus bonus
• 401(k) plan with generous company match
• Competitive health and dental insurance
• Paid time off and sick leave
• Professional development and training opportunities

EEO Statement

Threadlock Precision is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.