Machine Shop Associate

Therm-x of California is the leading manufacturer for Advanced Temperature and Control Systems for Hi-Technology industries. We have been in business for over 30 years and have a diverse customer base. We offer competitive pay, medical, dental, 401 (K), and paid time off.

The Machine Shop Administrator & Scheduler is responsible for coordinating production schedules, tracking work orders, monitoring machine shop capacity, and maintaining accurate production records. This position works closely with the Production Planner, CNC Machinists, Setup Operators, Programming, and other departments to ensure production runs efficiently and customer orders are completed on time.

Key Responsibilities

Production Scheduling and Coordination

• Prepare, update, and maintain daily and weekly machine shop production schedules.
• Coordinate job priorities based on customer demand, due dates, material availability, and machine capacity.
• Monitor production progress and adjust schedules as needed to minimize delays and downtime.
• Communicate priority jobs, hot jobs, and schedule changes to machine shop personnel.
• Coordinate with the Production Planner to ensure production targets and on-time delivery requirements are met.

Machine Capacity and Productivity

• Monitor machine utilization and production capacity across CNC lathes, VTLs, mills, and other machining equipment.
• Track machine availability, setup time, cycle time, and production output.
• Identify scheduling conflicts, bottlenecks, and opportunities to improve machine utilization.
• Help ensure machines have scheduled work and are utilized effectively.
• Support continuous improvement activities to increase productivity and reduce downtime.

Work Order and Production Tracking

• Create, review, and maintain production schedules and work order records in Epicor or other ERP systems.
• Track work order status, production quantities, completed operations, and remaining work.
• Monitor employee clock-in and clock-out transactions to help ensure labor and production records are accurate.
• Follow up on delayed jobs, missing information, material shortages, and incomplete production transactions.
• Maintain accurate production reports and communicate schedule risks to management.

Administrative Support

• Maintain production spreadsheets, scheduling reports, and machine shop documentation.
• Update NC program records, job notes, and related production information as required.
• Assist with inventory tracking, material availability, tooling records, and work order documentation.
• Ensure production information is organized, accurate, and accessible to the appropriate team members.
• Prepare daily, weekly, and monthly reports on production status, capacity, and performance.

Communication and Teamwork

• Work closely with machinists, setup operators, CNC programmers, engineers, and production leads.
• Communicate new jobs and programming or drawing requirements promptly to prevent production delays.
• Follow up on new product introduction (NPI) jobs and ensure production readiness.
• Escalate scheduling issues, machine downtime, quality concerns, and delivery risks to the appropriate personnel.
• Support teamwork, accountability, 6S practices, and continuous improvement throughout the machine shop.

Qualifications

• Previous experience in a machine shop, manufacturing, production scheduling, or administrative support preferred.
• Familiarity with CNC machining processes, machine setups, and production workflows.
• Experience using Epicor or another ERP/MRP system preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and production tracking spreadsheets.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize multiple jobs and meet changing production deadlines.
• Attention to detail and commitment to maintaining accurate production records.