Fabrication Shop & Lab Lead — Prototyping & Safety

Reframe Systems; Andover (MA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Reframe Systems is seeking a Mechanical Shop & Lab Manager to own FAB1's machine shop and its fully equipped workspace, including mills, lathes, laser cutters, welding, and 3D printers. This hands-on, full-time role focuses on maintaining equipment, managing tooling and consumables, and building a training program for safe, certified operation across the company.

You will define access, enforce safety standards, and act as the primary resource for engineers and new users, enabling rapid

Qualifications

• 3+ years of hands-on experience in a machine shop, fab shop, or similar environment.
• Deep working knowledge of mills, lathes, laser cutters, welding, and 3D printing — comfortable operating and maintaining this equipment.
• Experience training others on shop equipment and safety procedures, or strong instinct for how to build that kind of program from scratch.
• Highly organized, with a track record of bringing structure to a space that didn't have it.
• Comfortable owning a space independently — this role has a lot of autonomy and needs someone who takes initiative.
• Strong communicator who can set and hold boundaries on safety and access without being a bottleneck.

Responsibilities

• Own the Space: Be the single point of accountability for the machine shop and lab — layout, organization, cleanliness, and day-to-day operations.
• Maintain the Equipment: Run preventive maintenance schedules, troubleshoot and repair machine issues, and manage relationships with service vendors and suppliers.
• Manage Tooling and Consumables: Track inventory, reorder consumables before they run out, and make purchasing decisions on new tooling and equipment.
• Formalize Training and Access: Help build structured trainings so employees can safely get checked out on mills, lathes, laser cutters, welding, 3D printing, and other equipment. Define who's allowed to use what, and enforce it.
• Set the Safety Standard: Establish and enforce shop safety protocols — PPE requirements, machine-specific safety procedures, emergency procedures — and keep the space compliant and audit-ready.
• Make the Shop Accessible: Act as the go-to resource for anyone in the company who wants to use the space, from experienced engineers to first-timers, and remove the friction that currently keeps people out.
• Support Projects: Develop functional electro-mechanical prototypes, fixture-building, and fabrication for active FAB1 projects when shop operations allow.

Skills

Machine shop

Mills

Lathes

Laser cutters

Welding

3D printing

Training others

Organization

Autonomy

Communication

Tools

Inventory management systems

Job description

Reframe Systems is seeking a Mechanical Shop & Lab Manager to own FAB1's machine shop and its fully equipped workspace, including mills, lathes, laser cutters, welding, and 3D printers. This hands-on, full-time role focuses on maintaining equipment, managing tooling and consumables, and building a training program for safe, certified operation across the company.

You will define access, enforce safety standards, and act as the primary resource for engineers and new users, enabling rapid