R&D Machinist

About the company:

Our story began in 1932, when Trendler Metal Products opened its doors on 63rd and Hoyne on Chicago’s South Side. 10 years after immigrating to the US in 1951, Anton Gfesser Sr. began his entrepreneurial success story and acquired the company. In 1988, the company began global sourcing and marketing to meet world demand for U.S. made furniture components. In 1995, our corporate name changed to Trendler Components to reflect the changes in product offerings beyond just metal. In 1997, the company moved to a larger facility near Midway Airport in Chicago and changed our name again to Trendler, Inc. In early 2000, Trendler expanded into finished goods, manufacturing, wood and metal chairs and barstools.

Today, the company is run by Anton Gfesser Sr.’s four sons — where they focus on carrying on the tradition of innovation, quality, and service.

Join our team as an R&D Machinist and help bring new products to life — from first prototype to final production! In this hands-on role, you’ll build custom tooling, fixtures, dies, and precision parts while collaborating with engineering, production, and sales teams. If you enjoy problem-solving, precision work, and seeing your ideas turn into real products, this is a great opportunity to make an impact in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. As a skilled tradesperson, will be responsible for the creation and maintenance of specialty tools/dies used in the manufacture of metal products. Will be able to create tools that are specific to Trendler products and tooling types/functions. In addition, dies, punches, and other precision parts related to our manufacturing processes will be developed, created, tested and maintained. . The R&D Machinist will have a hand in the planning and execution of assembly and quality of parts within manufacturing plant and respective work cells.

About the Role:

Tool & Die Initiatives

1. Equipment used by Tool and Die makers include lathes, CNC machines, milling machines, wire EDM, Product testing equipment, drill press, band saw and grinders. Tool and die makers work primarily with many varieties of metals and will sometimes need to use various materials to meet the needs of Trendler.

2. Safely operate/use all machinery and tooling in a proper manner to ensure safety to operator and all employees/vendors in tool room and around tooling being used.

3. Inspect, troubleshoot, and repair tooling, dies, and equipment.

4. Calibrate, set up, and run machines and equipment.

5. Read blueprints, sketches, concepts to design, maintain, and build gauges, tools, dies, fixtures, jigs, punches, and other equipment.

6. Experience and skill set in working with Robotic welding a plus

7. Test equipment validates that Tool or equipment meets specifications and adjust parts as needed.

8. Die change overs, switch out various punches and tooling.

9. Improve existing equipment, fixtures, tooling and dies.

10. Helps to design and build, debug, repair and improve process automation equipment and all related process support equipment.

11. Fabricate and fit machined components, pneumatic and electro-mechanical assemblies to build equipment, fixtures and tooling according to concepts, sketches and designs.

12. Operate and maintain tool room machining equipment, measuring, and gauging and inspection equipment.

13. Troubleshoot repairs, assemble and debug all mechanical devices according to print specifications.

14. Supports Lean Manufacturing program by following approved policies, lean principals and procedures.

15. Maintain and sharpen shop tools as necessary.

16. Set up and test new or existing products with changes.

17. Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results in a timely, coordinated manner.

18. Performs other miscellaneous duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:

Related education is required for R&D Machinist. This includes previous on-the-job training, trade school training, or an apprenticeship with a more experienced tool and die makers. High School Graduate.

Experience:

3- 5 years’ experience in a position working with similar initiatives as listed above

Certificate from Tool and Die Trade School

5 to 10 plus years of training under skilled R&D Machinist

Skills:

Interpersonal – Ability to positively interact with co-workers, supervisors and other departments with a customer service orientation and diplomacy.

Problem solving Quality Control — Quality oriented to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner, gathers and analyzes information appropriately, maintains a high level of attention to detail and accuracy. Innovative solutions.

Communication— Presents information in a clear and concise manner and communicates effectively both orally and written. Ability to teach effectively.
Utilize industry knowledge and experience to give advice before purchasing new machinery and equipment.

Creativity – Self-starter with ability to work independently under pressure with a wide degree of creativity, initiative and independent judgement.

Flexibility – The individual demonstrates the ability to respond to frequent priority changes, open to cross training and open and willing to learn and take on new skill sets and assignments.

Prioritizing Tasks – The individual understands being highly organized and urgency of customer needs, promptly handles requests acting with the customer’s best interest in mind.

Computer & technically literate, can access the internet to research maintenance needs of the company in order to make purchase requisitions. Able to read, analyze and interpret technical procedures, electrical schematics and service manuals.

Supervisory Responsibility:

N/A

Contacts:

Internal: Has frequent contact with employees and managers.

External: Has contact with customers, vendors and Union representatives.

Physical Requirements:

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the functions of this job.

Physical requirements include being able to speak and hear effectively.

Specific vision abilities required by job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to auto focus.

Excellent manual dexterity; while performing the duties of this job, employees are required to walk, sit, stand, use hands to manipulate, handle and feel objects, tools or controls. Employees are required to reach with hands and arms, climb stairs and ladders, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch and crawl.

Proper health physical evaluation test must be passed for this job. Occasionally lift or move up to 50+lbs.

Working Conditions:

Work is performed in a manufacturing environment. In the manufacturing environment, there is exposure to noise, dust, grease, fumes, sparks and variation in temperatures. An employee in this position is required to wear safety steel toe shoes in the manufacturing facility.