Lathe Machinist

RivCut Inc.; Union City (CA); On-site; USD 38,572 - 49,593; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

Paid time off and holidays

Performance bonuses

Paid training and skill development

Job summary

RivCut Inc. in Union City is searching for a skilled Level Three CNC Machinist responsible for operating and programming CNC lathes. The role involves producing high-precision parts for various industries while ensuring quality and adhering to tight tolerances.

With opportunities for career growth from Apprentice to Senior Machinist, this position emphasizes a startup culture, competitive pay, comprehensive benefits, and ongoing training. If you're driven and eager to advance your career, RivCut is the place for you.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of CNC lathe or turning center operation experience.
• Ability to read engineering drawings and GD&T.
• Proven ability to hold tight diametral and concentricity tolerances.
• Strong attention to detail and mechanical aptitude.
• Experience with manual measuring tools like calipers and micrometers.

Responsibilities

• Set up and operate CNC lathes and turning centers.
• Run live-tooling and sub-spindle lathes.
• Perform in-process inspection with precision tools.
• Edit G-code and make program adjustments.
• Maintain a clean and safe work area.

Skills

CNC lathe operation

Tool geometry

GD&T interpretation

Manual measuring tools

Mechanical aptitude

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Fanuc control

Haas control

Mazak control

Mastercam

Fusion 360

Job description

Reports to: Level Three CNC Machinist / Shop Supervisor

About This Role

As a Lathe Machinist you own the turning side of our shop. You set up and run CNC lathes and live-tooling turning centers to produce precision shafts, bushings, fittings, pins and complex turned components for aerospace, defense, medical and automotive customers. You dial in tooling, hold tight diametral, runout and concentricity tolerances and own the quality of every part that comes off your spindle.

Turning is its own craft. This role is for a machinist who reads a print and already sees the workholding, the tool path and the order of operations. We are a startup where everyone gives 110% toward one shared goal, and the parts you turn ship straight to the customer.

Lathe Machinists who master live tooling, sub-spindle work and complex turning grow into senior and lead roles on the same Apprentice to Senior path as the rest of the shop. At RivCut, machinists who show initiative move up fast.

Key Responsibilities

• Set up and operate CNC lathes and turning centers, from 2-axis to multi-axis
• Run live-tooling and sub-spindle lathes for milled, drilled and cross-bored features on turned parts
• Set up bar feeders and program bar pulls for production turning runs
• Select and dial in turning, boring, threading and grooving tooling
• Hold tight diametral, runout, concentricity and surface-finish tolerances
• Read and interpret engineering drawings and GD&T specifications
• Perform in-process inspection with calipers, micrometers, bore gauges and indicators
• Adjust tool offsets and wear comp to hold size across long production runs
• Edit G-code and make program adjustments at the control
• Turn aerospace materials: aluminum, stainless, alloy steel, titanium, brass and plastics
• Support first-article inspection and document setups, measurements and quality checks
• Perform routine lathe maintenance, manage chips and coolant, keep the area clean and follow safety protocols

Requirements

• 3+ years of CNC lathe or turning center operation experience
• Ability to read engineering drawings and GD&T
• Proven ability to hold tight diametral and concentricity tolerances
• Solid grasp of turning tool geometry, inserts and offsets
• Experience with manual measuring tools: calipers, micrometers, bore gauges, indicators
• Comfortable with G-code editing and program adjustments at the control
• Strong mechanical aptitude and attention to detail
• Able to stand for extended periods and lift up to 50 lbs
• Basic shop math (decimals, fractions, trigonometry)
• Reliable, punctual and team-oriented
• High school diploma or equivalent

Preferred Qualifications

• Live-tooling and sub-spindle lathe experience
• Swiss-type CNC lathe experience
• Bar feeder setup and high-volume production turning
• Fanuc, Haas or Mazak lathe control experience
• Mastercam or Fusion 360 lathe CAM experience
• Familiarity with aerospace materials (titanium, Inconel, stainless)
• Familiarity with AS9100 or ISO 9001 quality systems
• Trade school certificate or apprenticeship completion
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and holidays
• Overtime opportunities (time and a half)
• Paid training and skill development
• Modern CNC equipment and cutting-edge tooling
• Startup culture with performance bonuses and growth opportunities

Additional Information

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, standard business hours. Overtime available.

Your Growth Path

From Apprentice to Senior Machinist

Every machinist at RivCut moves up a clear ladder. Here is the full path and where this role sits on it.

Learn the craft. Train on CNC mills and lathes under experienced mentors.

Level One CNC Machinist

Run production on established setups with growing independence.

Level Two CNC Machinist

You are here. Master CNC turning and live tooling on the same path to Senior Machinist.

Level Three CNC Machinist

Lead complex 5-axis jobs and mentor junior machinists.

Senior CNC Machinist

Lead the floor on the hardest work and own multi-axis projects end to end.

Program parts from scratch, optimize processes and lead a machining cell.

Shop Supervisor / Manufacturing Engineer

Run the team and daily output or drive tooling and process strategy.

What We Offer

Startup Rewards for Startup Effort

We're building something from the ground up. The people who go all-in with us get rewarded — in pay, in growth, and in ownership of their craft.

Competitive Pay

$28–$36/hr + overtime + performance bonuses. We reward results, not just time in a chair.

Full Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision coverage. We take care of the team that builds this company.

Growth Investment

Paid training, certifications, and skill development. We fund your growth because your growth is our growth.

Work Hard, Live Well

Monday–Friday schedule, PTO, and paid holidays. We go hard during work hours and respect your time outside the shop.