Graphite Production Lead: Lead CNC, Equity & Impact

Valar Atomics; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Unlimited PTO

Free daily lunch and dinner onsite

Generous PPE stipend

High-impact startup environment

Opportunities for rapid career growth

Direct collaboration with engineers &业

Ground-up energy tech build experience

Job summary

Valar Atomics is hiring a Graphite Production Lead to run day-to-day graphite machining operations and mentor a growing CNC team. You will own tooling strategy, schedules, and quality standards for graphite parts from CNC programming through final inspection, while partnering with engineering and EHS on safe handling of abrasive materials.

Lead a fast-paced startup team, optimize tooling wear, ensure dust control, and drive continuous improvement as production scales in a ground-up energy

Qualifications

• 5+ years of CNC machining or programming experience, including graphite or abrasive materials.
• 3+ years in a lead or supervisory role over a machining or production team.
• Proficiency with CAM software ESPRIT EDGE or Fusion 360 for mills and/or lathes.
• Strong understanding of tooling wear, feeds/speeds, and work-holding strategies for graphite or abrasive materials.
• Ability to read and work from complex engineering drawings, GD&T, and CAD models.
• Familiarity with dust collection, ventilation, and safety protocols for machining abrasive materials.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced startup manufacturing environment with evolving processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead, schedule, and mentor a team of CNC programmers and machinists focused on graphite production.
• Own tooling and consumable strategy for graphite machining, including managing rapid tool wear.
• Review and refine CNC programs and toolpaths for graphite parts and troubleshoot setups.
• Ensure dust collection, ventilation, and PPE protocols are followed for safety and compliance.
• Coordinate production priorities and schedules with management to hit build timelines.
• Collaborate with Engineering and QC on DFx feedback and first-article inspection for new graphite parts.
• Drive 5S and continuous improvement on the graphite production floor.
• Hire, train, and develop team members as graphite production scales; conduct performance reviews.

Skills

CNC machining

CNC programming

Leadership/mentoring

GD&T reading

Feeds & speeds optimization

Dust handling safety

5-axis programming

Tools

ESPRIT EDGE

Fusion 360

Job description

Valar Atomics is hiring a Graphite Production Lead to run day-to-day graphite machining operations and mentor a growing CNC team. You will own tooling strategy, schedules, and quality standards for graphite parts from CNC programming through final inspection, while partnering with engineering and EHS on safe handling of abrasive materials.

Lead a fast-paced startup team, optimize tooling wear, ensure dust control, and drive continuous improvement as production scales in a ground-up energy