Job Title:  Machine Shop Manager

Position Summary

Gatan designs and manufactures advanced instrumentation for electron microscopy and materials characterization, supporting scientific research and industrial innovation worldwide.

The Machine Shop Manager leads Gatan’s internal Machine Shop, which produces highly engineered, low-volume, high-mix precision components for scientific instrumentation. This role oversees machining operations, prototyping, tooling, process development, scheduling, quality, safety, equipment maintenance, facilities support, and team leadership.

This leader drives operational excellence, on-time delivery, quality performance, team capability, and long-term planning for manufacturing technology, capacity, automation, and capital investment. The role partners closely with Engineering, Supply Chain, Quality, Manufacturing, and Service to support new product development, continuous improvement, and business growth.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and Team Development

• Lead, coach, and manage machinists, programmers, inspectors, and support personnel.
• Build a culture of accountability, safety, quality, teamwork, and continuous improvement.
• Recruit, develop, and retain skilled machining talent.
• Establish training and succession plans to strengthen long-term capability.

Operations Management

• Manage daily operations to achieve safety, quality, delivery, cost, and productivity goals.
• Set production priorities and schedules to meet customer and manufacturing commitments.
• Improve workflow, machine utilization, setup time, and throughput.
• Track and improve KPIs, including on-time delivery, schedule attainment, productivity, equipment utilization, first-pass yield, scrap, rework, and labor efficiency.

Quality and Compliance

• Ensure machined components meet engineering specifications, quality standards, and inspection requirements.
• Maintain compliance with quality systems, manufacturing processes, calibration, and documentation requirements.
• Lead root-cause analysis and corrective actions for quality issues.
• Partner with Quality and Engineering to improve manufacturability and process capability.

Continuous Improvement

• Lead Lean and continuous improvement initiatives across the Machine Shop.
• Standardize best practices for CNC machining, setup reduction, tooling optimization, and process control.
• Use data to improve productivity, quality, cost, and waste reduction.

Capital Equipment and Technology Strategy

• Develop and maintain a multi-year technology roadmap for the Machine Shop.
• Evaluate machining technologies, automation, and process improvements.
• Identify, justify, and execute capital projects.
• Manage machine tool selection, installation, commissioning, validation, and maintenance strategies.

Financial Management

• Develop and manage departmental operating and capital budgets.
• Control spending and identify cost-reduction opportunities while maintaining quality and delivery performance.
• Support annual planning and strategic investment decisions.
• Ensure effective use of labor, materials, tooling, and equipment.

Engineering and New Product Support

• Partner with Product Development and Manufacturing Engineering on prototypes and new product introductions.
• Advise on machining processes, tolerances, materials, and design for manufacturability.
• Support rapid prototyping, engineering development, and make-versus-buy decisions.

Safety and Environmental Responsibility

• Ensure compliance with company safety policies, environmental requirements, and regulatory standards.
• Promote a zero-incident safety culture.
• Lead risk assessments and corrective actions for equipment and shop operations.

Facility Management

• Oversee Warrendale facility maintenance, reliability, infrastructure, utilities, grounds, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, security, and site services.
• Execute maintenance programs and capital improvements that support a safe, efficient, professional workplace.
• Manage contractors, vendors, inspections, and EHS compliance for facility-related work.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Business Management, or related field; equivalent experience considered.
• 7+ years of machining leadership experience, including 3+ years managing CNC operations and technical personnel.
• Strong knowledge of CNC turning, milling, programming, fixturing, tooling, and inspection methods.
• Experience with ERP/MRP systems, manufacturing analytics, and low-volume, high-mix precision manufacturing.
• Proven success leading continuous improvement and operational excellence initiatives.
• Strong financial, budget management, communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability and willingness to use AI tools to improve productivity, decision-marking, work quality, and to reduce costs.  The successful candidate must be able to identify appropriate AI use cases and critically evaluate AI-generated outputs. 

Preferred

• Experience with scientific instruments, semiconductor equipment, medical devices, aerospace, defense, or other precision engineered products.
• Lean, Six Sigma, or similar continuous improvement certification.
• Familiarity with automated machining systems and Industry 4.0 technologies.
• Knowledge of GD&T, advanced metrology, and statistical process control.