Toolmaker Jobs
Toolmaker jobs are open across automotive, aerospace, medical device, and industrial manufacturing, at levels from entry-level machinist to senior toolmaker and tool engineering specialist, with common specializations in injection mold tooling, die and stamping tools, and precision jig and fixture fabrication. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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We are seeking an experienced, skilled CNC Machinist capable of independently performing machine setups, troubleshooting, and precision machining.
If your experience is primarily as a production CNC operator loading parts and running established programs, this is not the position for you.
About Us
J & S Plating and Repair is an FAA-certified aerospace repair station specializing in the repair and overhaul of aircraft engine components. Unlike production shops, we perform precision repair work where every day brings a different challenge.
We're looking for an experienced CNC Machinist who enjoys setup work, solving machining problems, and producing quality parts.
What You'll Do
Your primary responsibility will be setting up and operating CNC machines to manufacture and repair precision aerospace components.
Responsibilities
- Set up and operate CNC mills and/or lathes
- Read and interpret engineering drawings and repair documentation
- Set work offsets, tool offsets, and wear compensation
- Perform first-piece and in-process inspections
- Machine close-tolerance aerospace components
- Troubleshoot tooling, setup, and machining issues
- Maintain a clean and organized work area
Qualifications
- Minimum 5 years of CNC machining experience preferred
- Experience setting up and operating CNC mills and/or lathes
- Ability to read blueprints and understand GD&T
- Strong understanding of tooling, workholding, feeds, and speeds
- Experience making setup adjustments and troubleshooting machining issues
- Experience designing or modifying fixtures and workholding is highly desirable
- Ability to inspect your own work using precision measuring equipment
- Strong mechanical aptitude and problem-solving skills
- Ability to work independently
Preferred (not required) Experience
- Conversational programming
- G-code Programming
- Fixture and workholding design
- Manual machining
- Aerospace machining
- Low-volume or repair machining
- Process improvement experience
Why Join J & S?
This is not a repetitive production machining job.
Most of our work involves repairing high-value aerospace components where setups, workholding, and machining strategies matter just as much as pushing Cycle Start. We're looking for someone who enjoys solving machining challenges and wants to be part of developing better repair processes over time.
Benefits
- Bi-Weekly pay
- Free Health Care, vision, and Dental
- Competitive compensation based on experience
- Full-time position
- Yearly Performance reviews
- Annual performance bonus
- Paid Time Off
Veterans are strongly encouraged to apply.
Pay: From $28.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- Can you regularly pass a drug screen?
Language:
- English (Required)
Shift availability:
- Day Shift (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Grand Prairie, TX 75050 (Required)
Work Location: In person
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What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in toolmaker jobs.
- Proficiency operating CNC mills, lathes, EDM, and surface grinders to close tolerances
- Ability to read and interpret engineering blueprints and GD&T symbols accurately
- Experience fabricating, repairing, and maintaining dies, molds, jigs, or fixtures
- Completion of an apprenticeship program or vocational training in tool and die making
- Familiarity with metrology tools including micrometers, calipers, and CMM equipment
- Knowledge of tool steels, heat treatment processes, and material selection for tooling applications
Tips for Your Toolmaker Job Search
Tailor your resume to machine types
List every CNC machine, EDM, grinder, and lathe you've run by make and model. Hiring managers scan for specific equipment, and a resume that names the Mazak or Haas you've operated beats one that just says 'CNC experience' every time.
Show tolerances you've held consistently
Quantify the tightest tolerances you've maintained in production, not just setup. A hiring manager needs to know whether you can hold plus or minus one-thousandth of an inch day in and day out, not just on a sample part.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists toolmaker openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Filter openings by industry sector
Toolmaker roles in medical device manufacturing require GD&T fluency and cleanroom awareness, while automotive shops prioritize progressive die experience. Target your search by sector so your resume speaks directly to the shop's daily work.
Prepare a practical skills demonstration
Many toolmaker interviews include a hands-on component or a blueprint reading test. Bring a portfolio of drawings you've worked from, and be ready to walk through your setup process for a complex part from raw stock to finished dimension.
Negotiate shift differentials, not just base pay
Most toolmaker offers include shift premiums for second or third shift that can meaningfully change your total compensation. Ask explicitly about shift differential rates and overtime structure before accepting any offer.
Toolmaker Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most toolmakers?
The most active employers for toolmakers right now are HOB, Dauch, and Fives, and the most openings are in Indiana, Connecticut, and Minnesota, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Automotive suppliers and medical device manufacturers consistently account for a large share of active postings.
How many toolmaker jobs are remote?
About 0% of toolmaker openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of most toolroom work. The sub-areas with any remote flexibility tend to be tooling design, CAD-based die engineering, and quoting roles where the physical fabrication is handled on-site by others.
How do you become a toolmaker?
Most toolmakers start with a high school diploma or GED, then complete a formal apprenticeship through a union or employer that combines paid shop work with related technical coursework over several years. Others start as machinists or machine operators and move into toolmaking by cross-training on die, mold, or fixture work. Earning journeyman status through a recognized apprenticeship is the most direct path to full toolmaker classification and higher-level shop assignments.
Can you get hired as a toolmaker with little experience?
Entry-level toolroom positions, often titled toolmaker apprentice or toolroom helper, are your starting point if you have limited direct experience. Shops value candidates who can demonstrate foundational skills such as hand scraping, deburring, manual lathe operation, or blueprint reading even without a full apprenticeship behind them. A vocational certificate in machining or tool and die from a community college gives you a concrete credential to point to and shows initiative to hiring managers evaluating newer candidates.
What does the toolmaker interview process look like?
Toolmaker interviews typically begin with a phone or video screen focused on your equipment background and the types of tools you've built or repaired. An in-person interview usually follows, often including a shop tour and a hands-on assessment such as reading a print, identifying a tool defect, or demonstrating setup on a machine. Some employers also administer a written blueprint reading or math test before extending an offer, so reviewing GD&T standards and basic trigonometry beforehand is worthwhile.
Where can I find and apply to toolmaker jobs?
You can find and apply to toolmaker jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers across the United States. Search the roles that match your experience and equipment background, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 17 Toolmaker Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Toolmaker Jobs