Machinist

Machinist — LAD Engineering | Lansing, MI | $19–$32/hr

Most CNC shops will hire you to run a machine and never expect anything else from you.

That's not what this is.

LAD Engineering is a precision CNC job shop running ISO 9001:2015. We make parts for government contractors and manufacturers, and what they buy from us has to be right — because the programs they're running can't absorb a bad part.

We're hiring a machinist now. In two or three years, we want that person reviewing quotes and running the schedule.

THE PATH

Here's what the comp looks like and when it kicks in.

• Machinist – Training (Months 1–3): $19–$21/hr. You're learning how we do things — how we set up, how we document, what we expect on a finished part.
• Machinist – Performing (Month 3+): $21–$24/hr plus performance incentives. You're running jobs on your own. The incentives pay out on parts that ship on time and don't come back.
• Machinist – Senior (Month 12+): $24–$26/hr plus incentives. Top earners at this level clear $28–$30/hr.
• Lead Machinist (when you've earned it): $26–$32/hr plus incentives. Reviewing quotes, owning the schedule, training newer machinists, and still on a machine when the work demands it.

If you're not moving along this path, we're not the right shop for you long-term. We'd rather tell you that up front than two years in.

• Set up, operate, and program CNC mills and lathes to produce parts to customer specifications — correct the first time.
• Read and interpret customer blueprints accurately and independently, without hand-holding.
• Measure precisely using micrometers, calipers, gauges, and other instruments — catch your own errors before they run.
• Follow shop travelers, ISO 9001:2015 QMS documentation, and safety protocols without reminders.
• Communicate immediately when something is off — a problem caught early is manageable; one buried until shipping is a crisis.
• Maintain a clean, organized machine and work area that reflects your standards.
• (Lead) Review quotes and jobs for technical accuracy before they go to the customer or hit the production floor.

Required:

• Experience in a CNC machine shop (mills, lathes, or similar) OR close to completing a machining program at CNM or equivalent trade school.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering blueprints.
• Reliable transportation — 7 am start is consistent.
• Ability to lift 80 lbs unassisted.

You do NOT need:

• Years of experience — we'll train the right mechanically sharp person.
• GibbsCAM specifically — other CAM system experience is acceptable.
• A degree of any kind.

$19 - $32 per hour

LAD Engineering is a precision CNC machine shop built around one idea: we solve complexity. When engineers need parts that are hard to manufacture — tight tolerances, unusual geometries, materials that fight back — they come to us. We prototype. We go to production. We ship custom parts and assemblies to customers across the United States. ISO 9001:2015 certified.

We're a small team with high standards and a clear direction. The people here give a shit about the work, communicate directly, and hold each other accountable in a way that makes the shop better. We're in the process of building a team and a reputation that will precede us — and every hire right now is part of that foundation.