EDM Operator - Electrode Designer

Blackwing; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 28,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pay range $20–$35/hour

Health coverage

401(k)

PTO

Job summary

Atomic Industries, headquartered in Detroit, seeks an EDM Operator / Electrode Designer to join our tooling and engineering team. You will extract and design electrodes from 3D mold models and operate sinker EDM machines to burn precise features into hardened tooling components.

You will collaborate with mold design, CNC machining, and assembly teams to meet dimensional, surface finish, and quality targets while supporting efficient cycle times in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in sinker (ram) EDM operation and/or electrode design in a mold or tool & die environment.
• Solid understanding of the EDM process, including spark gaps, overburn, electrode wear, and SPI/VDI surface finishes.
• Proficiency extracting and designing electrodes in Cimatron (or comparable CAD/CAM electrode software).
• Experience machining graphite and copper electrodes on CNC equipment, with the ability to read 3D models and 2D drawings.
• Familiarity with hardened tool steels and their behavior in the EDM process, plus proficiency with precision measuring tools.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Hands‑on manufacturing mindset with the ability to collaborate across shop‑floor and engineering teams.
• Excellent communication skills and comfort working in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Extract and design electrodes from 3D mold models using Cimatron, including burn faces and reference/holder setup.
• Program and machine graphite and copper electrodes on high-speed CNC milling equipment.
• Set up and operate sinker EDM to burn cores, cavities, ribs, and lettering in hardened tool steel.
• Optimize burn parameters and electrode sequencing based on material and geometry.
• Reference and indicate electrodes and workpieces to achieve accurate location, depth, and orientation.
• Achieve SPI surface finishes and dimensional tolerances on mold features.
• Inspect electrodes and burns using micrometers, height gauges, and CMM data.
• Maintain electrode tracking, naming, and documentation to support repeatability.
• Perform routine EDM machine maintenance, including dielectric fluid and electrode holders.
• Incorporate lessons learned and continuous improvement feedback into future electrode and EDM work.

Skills

EDM operation

Electrode design

Cimatron

CNC machining

Precision measuring

Read drawings

Tool & die

Attention to detail

Team collaboration

Communication

Tools

CMM

Micrometers

Height gauges

Job description

About Atomic Industries

Atomic Industries is reinventing how the world makes things. From cars and aerospace systems to medical devices and packaging, most physical goods begin life in a mold or are shaped by a manufacturing tool. Producing these tools has always been slow, manual, and dependent on scarce expertise, taking weeks or months. We’re changing that.

At our Detroit headquarters, we combine the industrial DNA of America’s manufacturing heartland with the speed, intelligence, and precision of Silicon Valley. Our AI-driven platform tackles the hardest problems in geometry, process planning, and fabrication, collapsing production timelines from months to days and soon, minutes. We don’t just build software; we run a fully operational factory where our technology produces production-grade tooling every week, enabling tight feedback loops and rapid iteration.

Backed by top-tier investors, we’re restoring speed, flexibility, and capability to the American industrial base. Our mission is to make manufacturing as agile and scalable as the digital world, and in doing so, rebuild the infrastructure of the physical economy.

About the Role

We are seeking a skilled EDM Operator / Electrode Designer to join our tooling and engineering team. This role is responsible for extracting and designing electrodes from 3D mold models and operating sinker (ram) EDM machines to burn precise detail into hardened tooling components. This is a hands-on, highly collaborative role working closely with mold design, CNC machining, and assembly teams to ensure electrodes and EDM burns meet dimensional, surface finish, and quality requirements while supporting efficient cycle times.

What You’ll Do

• Extract and design electrodes from 3D mold models using Cimatron, including burn faces, spark gaps, blank sizing, and reference/holder setup.
• Program and machine graphite and copper electrodes on high-speed CNC milling equipment.
• Set up, align, and operate sinker (ram) EDM machines to burn cores, cavities, ribs, detail, and lettering into hardened tool steel.
• Establish and optimize burn parameters, orbiting strategies, and electrode sequencing based on material, geometry, and required surface finish.
• Reference and indicate electrodes and workpieces to achieve accurate location, depth, and orientation.
• Achieve required SPI surface finishes and dimensional tolerances on detailed mold features.
• Inspect electrodes and burns using micrometers, height gauges, and CMM data, verifying against models and drawings.
• Maintain electrode tracking, naming, and documentation to support repeatability and future builds.
• Perform routine EDM machine maintenance, including dielectric fluid, filtration, and electrode holders.
• Incorporate lessons learned and continuous improvement feedback into future electrode and EDM work.

What We’re Looking For

Minimum Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in sinker (ram) EDM operation and/or electrode design in a mold or tool & die environment.
• Solid understanding of the EDM process, including spark gaps, overburn, electrode wear, and SPI/VDI surface finishes.
• Proficiency extracting and designing electrodes in Cimatron (or comparable CAD/CAM electrode software).
• Experience machining graphite and copper electrodes on CNC equipment, with the ability to read 3D models and 2D drawings.
• Familiarity with hardened tool steels and their behavior in the EDM process, plus proficiency with precision measuring tools.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Hands‑on manufacturing mindset with the ability to collaborate across shop‑floor and engineering teams.
• Excellent communication skills and comfort working in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment.

Benefits

• $20–$35/hour and generous equity package

• Full medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents

• 401(k)

• PTO with a 15-day minimum