Senior Engine Machinist

Blisk Dynamics; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 73,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Overtime eligible

Premium healthcare coverage

Job summary

Blisk Dynamics is seeking a Sr. Engine Machinist to produce precision engine parts for next-generation turbomachinery. You will set up and run CNC mills and lathes (3- to 5-axis), machine hard materials like Inconel and titanium, and ensure tight tolerances per engineering drawings.

Join a fast-moving team turning prototypes into flight-ready hardware. You’ll collaborate with design engineers, build fixtures, and optimize feeds/speeds with CAM tools.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on CNC machining experience, preferably in aerospace or defense.
• Able to set up and run CNC mills/lathes; 5-axis or mill-turn experience is a strong plus.
• Read complex drawings with GD&T knowledge; tight tolerances.
• G-code programming at the control; CAM experience is a plus.
• Experience machining hard aerospace materials like nickel superalloys or titanium.

Responsibilities

• Set up, program, and run CNC mills and lathes (3-, 4-, 5-axis) for prototype and production parts.
• Operate manual mills, lathes, and drill presses for one-off parts and fixtures.
• Machine to drawings with tight tolerances and GD&T.
• Build fixtures and workholding for complex parts; inspect with metrology tools and record results.
• Provide DFAM feedback to avoid drawing issues and scrap; maintain documentation.

Skills

CNC Machining

5-Axis/Mill-Turn

GD&T

CAM Programming

Nickel Superalloys

CMM

Tools

Mastercam

Fusion 360

Esprit

Job description

We are a small, fast-moving team building next-generation gas turbine engines to power the future of aerospace, defense, and energy. Backed by leading investors and led by proven founders, we're assembling a high-performance team to reinvent propulsion and power from the ground up. This is a rare chance to create genuinely new technology and to watch it go from a sketch on your screen to hardware coming off the line and into service. We design it, analyze it, build it, and test it, often in the same week.

About the Role

We're hiring a Sr. Engine Machinist to make the precision parts that go into our turbojet engines. You'll work directly with design engineers and technicians to turn prototype designs into flight-quality hardware: setting up and running CNC mills and lathes, holding tight tolerances on demanding materials, and seeing your parts go into engines on the test stand. If you're a skilled, self-directed machinist who takes pride in precision work and wants to grow fast in a high-stakes environment, this role is for you.

Responsibilities

• Set up, program, and run CNC mills and lathes (3-axis, 4-axis, and 5-axis) to make prototype and production engine parts

• Run manual mills, lathes, and drill presses for one-off parts, fixtures, rework, and secondary operations

• Machine parts to engineering drawings with tight tolerances (±0.001" and tighter on critical features), working with GD&T requirements

• Machine hard aerospace materials, including Inconel and other nickel superalloys, titanium, stainless steel, and aluminum

• Build and edit CNC programs from CAM output or at the control, and tune feeds, speeds, and tooling for quality and cycle time

• Design and build workholding and fixtures for complex, thin-walled, and rotating parts

• Check parts with precision metrology tools (micrometers, bore gauges, height gauges, indicators, and the CMM where available) and complete first-article and in-process inspection records

• Give engineering design-for-manufacturability feedback early, and flag drawing issues, tolerance stack-ups, or nonconformances before they turn into scrap

• Keep accurate job travelers, inspection records, and nonconformance documentation

• Keep your machines, tooling, and work area clean, organized, and FOD-controlled

• Handle routine machine maintenance and tooling inventory so the shop keeps running

Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on CNC machining experience, preferably in aerospace, defense, or other high-precision manufacturing

• Can set up and run CNC mills and lathes on your own; 5-axis or mill-turn experience is a strong plus

• Comfortable on manual mills, lathes, and drill presses

• Read complex engineering drawings fluently and have a working knowledge of GD&T

• Can hold tight tolerances and fine surface finishes on difficult materials; nickel superalloy or titanium experience is strongly preferred

• G-code programming at the control; CAM experience (Mastercam, Fusion 360, Esprit, or similar) is a plus

• Skilled with precision measuring tools; CMM experience is a plus

• Experience with turbomachinery parts (disks, shafts, housings, impellers, nozzles) is a plus

• Self-directed, quality-focused, and comfortable in a fast-moving prototype shop where no two jobs are the same

• Low ego, high ownership, and real interest in building things that fly

Estimated Pay Range: $40 to $53/hour. Offers Equity. This is a non-exempt, overtime eligible position.

Compensation & Benefits

Compensation for this role is based on a range of factors including experience, education, critical skills, and business considerations. Actual offers may vary. Where a salary range is displayed, it reflects an estimate only. Highly competitive equity grants are included in most full-time offers.

We offer comprehensive benefits for full-time employees, including:

• Premium Healthcare Coverage: 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your eligible dependents

• Complete Protection: Full company-paid life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage

• Flexible Time Off: Open PTO policy plus 13 paid company holidays

• Family Support: 8 weeks of paid parental leave and comprehensive leave options

• Wellness Resources: Access to mental health services, Employee Assistance Program, and financial coaching

• Pre-Tax Benefits: Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Health Savings Accounts (HSA), and commuter benefits

• Professional Growth: Development opportunities including mentorship and skill development

• Retirement Planning: 401(k) plan with company matching

The recruiter assigned to this role can share more information about the specific compensation and benefit details associated with this role during the hiring process.

You'll thrive here if you:

• Own problems the moment you see them and drive them to resolution regardless of whose area they touch

• Lead by example at every level, and check your ego at the door. The best idea wins, full stop

• Can prioritize ruthlessly when the list is longer than the day

• Believe that discipline and rigor are what create the freedom to move fast — not obstacles to it

Joining a company this early is not for everyone. And the people who do their best work here tend to know exactly why they want it.

What makes it exceptional: you won't be maintaining someone else's legacy. You'll help define the architecture from first principles, follow your work all the way to fielded hardware. You will operate with almost no layers between an idea and a decision. Real breadth, real ownership, real stakes.

What's genuinely hard: ambiguity is the default, the intensity is real, and it carries startup risk. You'll often build the process before you can build the thing. Priorities shift as we learn. If that tradeoff sounds like exactly what you've been looking for, we want to hear from you.

Equal Opportunity Employment

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We foster a culture of ownership, initiative, inclusion, and mutual respect. All qualified applicants will be treated with respect and receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, uniform service, veteran status, age, or any other protected characteristic per federal, state, or local law, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws. We actively encourage members of recognized minorities, women, veterans, and those with disabilities to apply. If you're passionate about revolutionizing aerospace propulsion, we'd love to hear from you.

Security & Export Control

This position may require access to information protected under U.S. export control laws and regulations, including the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Please note that any offer for employment may be conditioned on authorization to receive software or technology controlled under these U.S. export control laws and regulations without sponsorship for an export license.

We will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.