Machinist / Facilities Support Technician - Chester, CT

HEICO; Chester (CT); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

Paid holidays

401K with company match

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Job summary

Astroseal Products in Connecticut seeks a Machinist/Facilities Support Technician to be the facility's hands-on machinist and mechanical support lead. You will manufacture, modify, and repair precision parts, tooling, fixtures, guards, and machine components; maintain production equipment; and provide facilities support to keep shop, equipment, and building safe and ready for production.

You will operate manual lathes, milling machines, grinders, drill presses, and other shop tools; plan

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; machinist apprenticeship preferred.
• Three+ years hands-on experience as a manual machinist or maintenance machinist in manufacturing.
• Demonstrated ability to set up and operate manual lathes and mills, inspect parts, and perform repairs.

Responsibilities

• Set up and operate manual lathes, milling machines, grinders, drill presses, and related shop equipment to produce parts from drawings or samples.
• Inspect materials and completed work using precision instruments to verify tolerances and fit.
• Diagnose mechanical failures, repair components, and fabricate replacement parts when needed.
• Provide hands-on facilities support for routine mechanical/building needs and coordinate with contractors for specialized work.

Skills

Machining

Blueprint reading

Measurement & inspection

Preventive maintenance

Education

High school diploma or GED

Machinist apprenticeship preferred

Tools

Micrometers

Calipers

Dial indicators

Height gauges

Thread gauges

Job description

Astroseal Products is a manufacturer of non-woven metallic mesh used for lightning and shielding protection of composite aircraft and structures. We offer highly competitive compensation, PTO and paid holidays, an excellent 401K plan with company match, and medical, dental, vision and life insurance.

We are currently seeking a Machinist/Facilities Support Technician to join our team. The Machinist/Facilities Support Technician will serve as the facility's primary hands‑on machinist and mechanical support technician. In this roll, you will manufacture, modify, and repair precision parts, tooling, fixtures, guards, and machine components; maintain production equipment; and provide practical facilities support to keep the shop, equipment, and building safe, reliable, and ready for production.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Set up and operate manual lathes, milling machines, surface and pedestal grinders, drill presses, saws, and related shop equipment to produce one‑off and small‑quantity parts from drawings, sketches, samples, or field measurements.
• Plan machining sequences; select materials, cutters, workholding, speeds, and feeds; perform turning, facing, boring, drilling, tapping, milling, grinding, and fitting operations; and deburr and finish completed components.
• Inspect incoming materials and completed work using micrometers, calipers, dial indicators, height gauges, thread gauges, and other precision instruments; verify tolerances, fits, alignment, surface condition, and functional performance before releasing parts for use.
• Diagnose mechanical failures on production machinery and support equipment; disassemble, measure, repair, fit, align, and reassemble shafts, bearings, bushings, rollers, guides, guards, brackets, and related components; fabricate replacement parts when practical.
• Build, modify, and repair jigs, fixtures, workholding devices, machine guards, carts, racks, benches, and other shop aids that improve safe operation, setup, material flow, or maintainability.
• Perform preventive and corrective maintenance on machine tools, production presses, pumps, motors, conveyors, material‑handling equipment, and other mechanical assets; lubricate, adjust, align, replace wear items, and document work completed.
• Provide hands‑on facilities support for routine mechanical and building needs, including compressed‑air lines, doors and hardware, workstations, shelving, minor plumbing, lighting replacement, basic carpentry, painting, and general repairs. Refer licensed electrical, HVAC, fire‑protection, structural, and code‑regulated work to qualified contractors.
• Support equipment installation and relocation by taking field measurements and assisting with layout, anchoring, leveling, alignment, guarding, utility coordination, startup checks, and final mechanical adjustments.
• Maintain machine‑shop tools, inspection equipment, cutting tools, lubricants, hardware, spare parts, and maintenance supplies; report damaged tooling and recommend replenishment of critical items.
• Respond to production breakdowns and urgent repair requests, communicate equipment status and estimated completion, and coordinate outside machining or service support when work exceeds internal capability.
• Follow lockout/tagout, machine guarding, hot‑work, lifting/rigging, chemical‑handling, and personal protective equipment requirements. Maintain clean, organized machine, maintenance, and storage areas and promptly report unsafe conditions.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

1. High school diploma or GED required. Completion of a recognized machinist apprenticeship, trade‑school program, or equivalent military or industrial training is preferred.
2. Three or more years of recent hands‑on experience as a manual machinist, toolroom machinist, maintenance machinist, or machinist/mechanic in a manufacturing environment preferred.
3. Demonstrated ability to independently set up and operate manual lathes and mills, work to dimensional tolerances, inspect completed parts, perform mechanical repairs, and safely complete routine facilities‑support tasks. CNC conversational control, welding, rigging, or high‑speed press experience is preferred.

KNOWLEDGE OR ABILITIES:

• Machining: Strong working knowledge of manual machining, shop mathematics, blueprint reading, geometric and dimensional tolerances, fits and clearances, feeds and speeds, cutting‑tool selection, workholding, and common ferrous, nonferrous, and engineered materials.
• Inspection and Quality: Proficient with micrometers, calipers, indicators, height and thread gauges, and other shop inspection tools. Able to verify dimensions, tolerances, surface condition, fit, alignment, and function and to document results accurately.
• Mechanical and Facilities Support: Able to troubleshoot mechanical systems, bearings, shafts, drives, guards, pumps, compressed‑air components, doors, workstations, and similar equipment; complete safe routine repairs; and recognize when licensed or specialized support is required.
• Work Practices: Self‑directed and organized; able to prioritize machining, breakdown, preventive‑maintenance, and facility requests; maintain accurate work records; communicate clearly with production, Engineering, suppliers, and contractors; and consistently apply safe work practices.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Work is active and regularly requires standing and walking; bending, kneeling, crouching, climbing, and reaching; sustained use of hands and arms; and manual dexterity and multi‑limb coordination when operating machine tools and completing repairs. The position frequently requires pushing, pulling, positioning, and lifting materials, tooling, and components weighing up to 80 pounds, with team lifting or mechanical assistance used when appropriate.

The work requires close, distance, peripheral, color, and depth vision; the ability to adjust focus; and sustained attention when reading drawings, setting up machinery, inspecting parts, troubleshooting equipment, and working around moving mechanical systems.

WORK ENVIRONMENT/TRAVEL:

Work is performed in machine‑shop, production, maintenance, mechanical‑room, storage, and general facility areas. The employee may be exposed to metal chips, sharp edges, cutting fluids, grease, oils, cleaning chemicals, airborne particles, moving machinery, vibration, temperature variation, and elevated noise. Required personal protective equipment and established safety procedures must be used at all times.

Business travel is not usually required. Occasional parts/equipment pickup and supplier meetings may be required.