Production Tech - Grave Shift

Benchmade Knife Company, Inc; Oregon (WI); On-site; USD 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

Benchmade Knife Company, Inc. is seeking a Production Technician to perform assembly operations, ensuring quality and efficiency in creating knives. Candidates must have a High School Diploma or GED and 3–4 years of manufacturing experience.

Responsibilities include assembling components, inspecting for quality, and supporting continuous improvement efforts. The production environment may require working with cutting tools and meeting strict safety and quality standards.

Qualifications

• 3–4 years of general manufacturing experience required.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to inspect for functionality.
• Basic computer skills a plus.

Responsibilities

• Assemble knives from components using small manual and semi-automatic tools.
• Visually inspect parts to meet cosmetic requirements.
• Participate in continuous improvement teams.

Skills

Manual dexterity

Attention to detail

Troubleshooting skills

Ability to follow instructions

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Production Technician

The Production Technician role encompasses all direct labor positions within the Assembly department. Technicians perform a variety of assembly operations—including Laser/Engrave, Serrate, Sharpening, Clean/Box, Prep, Material Handling, Taumel, and Assembly—to assemble small parts into functioning knives, following written and oral instructions.

Production Technician Levels

• Production Tech I – Entry level: Manual and basic equipment operations, familiarity with MES Lite, basic systems such as quality, safety, speed, and standard work interpretation. Responsible for all assembly, boxing, and prep functions, and must build independently 50 knives/day and process 250 knives/day with satisfactory quality, safety, and speed.
• Production Tech II – Intermediate: Mastery of Level I qualifications, competency in 2+ of taumel, hydro press, or material handling, and ability to meet cell takt times at collaborative. Must build independently 65 knives/day, process 430 knives/day, and demonstrate proficiency in assembly, material handling, and quality, safety, and speed.
• Production Tech III – Senior operator: Proficiency with laser engrave, serrate, CBN, and buffing. Build independently 80 knives/day, meet takt times, process 430 knives/day, and have 60% uptime on laser or serrate. Must be able to sharpen 120 knives/day or buff 240 knives/day (CBN sharpening 60/day, CBN buffing 120/day) while maintaining satisfactory quality, safety, and speed.
• Production Tech IV – Specialized: Demonstrated proficiency with laser/engage machines, WS1 or WS3 training. 80% uptime on laser or serrate. Sharpen all basic drop point, clip point, and recurve models at 240 knives/day for sharpen or 360 knives/day for buff (CBN 100/day) while keeping scrap rate ≤5% and maintaining satisfactory quality, safety, and speed.
• Production Tech V – Senior specialist: Completed Laser/Engrave training with both WS1 and WS3. 90% uptime on laser or serrate. Sharpen all models at 360 knives/day for sharpening or 480 knives/day for buffing (CBN 140/day) with scrap rate ≤5% and satisfactory quality, safety, and speed.

Responsibilities

• Assemble knives from components using small manual and semi-automatic hand tools and fixtures.
• Visually inspect parts used in assembly to ensure they meet cosmetic requirements.
• Perform minor troubleshooting of problems while assembling components.
• Use Andon signals to notify leads of any issues.
• Complete required documentation and identify any non‑conformities.
• Support various assembly functions—including prepping sub‑assemblies, laser marking and serration, sharpening, or cleaning and packaging of sharpened knives—as needs arise.
• Actively participate in continuous improvement teams and support a culture of continuous improvement in the department.
• Consistently meet daily production, cycle time, quality, and safety requirements.
• Sustain a proficient level or higher for all categories described in the skills matrix for this position.
• Maintain cleanliness and orderliness of the work area.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED equivalent. 3–4 years of general manufacturing experience required; equivalency to the qualification standard may be considered.
• Good manual dexterity and ability to handle and assemble small parts.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to perform subjective inspections such as cosmetic criteria and knife functionality (smooth opening, detent force, blade stability).
• Ability to troubleshoot mechanical assembly problems on all SKU types and execute assembly processes safely while meeting production goals for quality and quantity.
• Ability to work in a flow line and meet fast‑paced production rates.
• Ability to understand and follow written/oral instruction in English.
• Basic computer skills a plus.

Working Conditions

• Production floor environment; shift lengths 8–10 hours. Overtime and temporary shift changes may be required.
• Physical demands include lifting up to 25 lbs., sitting or standing for long periods.
• Exposure to noise, coolants, abrasives, heat, adhesives, and automated and manual equipment.
• PPE is required: safety glasses (to protect from metal particles), closed‑toed shoes with optional safety toe and metatarsal protection, cut‑resistant gloves (for handling sharp blades).
• Work may involve handling sharp blades, which can cause lacerations or punctures of the hands and fingers.
• Travel may be required as needed, less than 5% of the time.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Benchmade Knife Company, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Benchmade complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, benefits, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.