Research Specialist (Machinist) – Level 1 or 2

About the role

The Department of Physics and Astronomy machine shop is seeking a Research Specialist (Machinist) at either Level 1 or Level 2. The specialist will support the design and fabrication of experimental instrumentation using a range of manual and CNC equipment.

Key responsibilities

• Set up and operate manual lathes, milling machines and CNC equipment (HAAS VF‑2, HAAS TM‑OP, HAAS TL‑1, OMAX waterjet).
• Create fixtures, clamp workpieces, sharpen cutting tools, and perform welding, threading, turning, boring, and shaping of exotic parts.
• Calculate dimensions for Sharp‑V, American Standard, Unified, Acme and Square threads and achieve close‑tolerance fits on ferrous, non‑ferrous, elemental metals and plastics such as Teflon, PVC, PMMA and Delrin.
• Program CNC machines using Virtual Gibbs and set up HAAS milling operations.
• Produce complex prototype parts to high‑tolerance specifications and manage individual faculty projects (Level 2).
• Utilize standard desktop PC functions for email, file downloads and documentation.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience.
• Experience with machine shop operations and CNC programming.
• Ability to work accurately with tight tolerances and diverse materials.

Required skills

• Manual lathe operation
• Milling machine operation
• CNC machining (HAAS VF‑2, HAAS TM‑OP, HAAS TL‑1)
• Waterjet cutting (OMAX)
• Welding and threading
• Virtual Gibbs CNC programming
• Computer literacy (desktop PC, email, file management)

What we offer

• Opportunity to work on cutting‑edge research instrumentation
• Access to state‑of‑the‑art machining equipment
• Collaboration with faculty and research teams