CNC machinist job description template: setup or programming, controls and tolerances, NIMS, lockout and ITAR wording
On this page
- Which CNC machinist seat are you hiring?
- The CNC machinist job description template
- NIMS, safety rules, export control and overtime: the lines with sources
- From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
- Common mistakes in CNC machinist job descriptions
- Before you publish
- Questions people ask
A CNC machinist job description should state the level (setup machinist, setup and programming at the machine, CAM programmer-machinist or toolroom), the machines by type, axes and control, the CAM software, the materials and the tightest tolerances, the inspection tools, the shift, and any export-control limit worded correctly. NIMS credentials are a fair preferred line, and the seat is almost always overtime-eligible. BLS put the national median pay for machinists at $58,750 a year in May 2025. The rules and sources below are as of October 2026.
"CNC machinist, 3+ years, must read blueprints" draws operators who have only pushed cycle start, setup machinists who build jobs from a blank table, and programmers who rarely touch a machine. The candidates who fit look for the details: which controls, mill or lathe, how many axes, what lot sizes, how close the tolerances are, and whether they write programs or only edit them. Below are the seat types, a copy-ready template, the credential, safety, export and overtime lines with sources, screening and scorecard rows, and common mistakes. For the phone screen, use CNC machinist screening questions. If the job is loading parts on a proven program, the machine operator job description template fits better.
Which CNC machinist seat are you hiring?
| Seat | What the shift looks like | Must-have that separates it |
|---|---|---|
| Setup machinist (mill or lathe) | Fixturing, indicating, loading and touching off tools, setting work offsets, proving out a program, first-article inspection | Builds a job from a blank table to a good first part without help |
| Setup and programming at the machine | Writing and editing G-code or conversational programs, speeds and feeds, short runs and prototypes | Writes programs at the control for the part families you make |
| CAM programmer-machinist | Programming in CAM software, posting code, proving out on the machine, process sheets | Produces programs that run safely the first time on your machines |
| Multi-axis or Swiss specialist | 5-axis milling or Swiss-type turning, complex fixturing, small high-precision parts | Has set up and run the same machine type, not just similar ones |
| Toolroom or manual machinist | Manual mills and lathes, repairs, fixtures, one-off parts, sometimes tool and die work | Makes one-off parts from prints with manual machines |
Then settle the facts with the shop lead: machine makes, axes and controls; CAM software; materials; the tightest tolerance on a typical part; lot sizes from prototype to production; the inspection equipment; the shift; and which precision tools the machinist brings. BLS describes machinists as setting up and operating machine tools, reading blueprints and, on CNC equipment, programming the cutting path, speed and feed rate; it notes that some work nights and weekends in plants that run around the clock and that safety glasses and earplugs are standard (BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified August 27, 2026).
The CNC machinist job description template
CNC Machinist — [Setup / Setup and Programming / CAM Programmer-
Machinist / 5-Axis / Swiss / Toolroom], [1st / 2nd / 3rd] Shift
[Company], [city, state]
Pay: $[min]–$[max] per hour, plus [shift differential $N/hour,
overtime pattern]. Overtime-eligible. [Benefits summary, if
required.]
SUMMARY
You will [set up / program and set up] [vertical mills / horizontal
mills / lathes / 5-axis / Swiss] with [control names] making [part
types] in [aluminum / steel / stainless / titanium / plastics] for
[industries]. Lots run from [N] to [N] pieces. Our tightest common
tolerance is [e.g. ±0.0005 in on bores] (an example of our work).
You will report to the [shop lead / production manager].
WHAT YOU WILL DO
- Read prints [with GD&T to ASME Y14.5] and plan the setup.
- Fixture and indicate parts; load, touch off and record tools; set
work offsets.
- [Write and edit programs at the control / program in (CAM
software) and post to our machines.]
- Prove out programs and inspect first articles with [micrometers,
bore gauges, height gauge, CMM]; complete inspection records.
- Adjust offsets to hold tolerance through the run.
- Follow lockout/tagout during setup and maintenance, keep guards
in place, and use chip guarding and PPE.
YOU MUST HAVE
- [N] years setting up [machine type] with [control].
- Reads prints and uses precision measuring tools.
- [Programming at the control / CAM experience] for setup and
programming seats.
- Availability for [shift and overtime pattern].
- Ability to stand for the shift and lift fixtures, vises and parts
up to [N] pounds [with a hoist above N], with or without
reasonable accommodation.
- [Export-controlled work: see below.]
NICE TO HAVE
- NIMS machining credentials; [CAM software]; [5-axis / Swiss].
If you meet the must-haves and none of these, please apply.
TOOLS AND ENVIRONMENT
We provide [cutting tools, holders, gauges, CMM]. You bring [basic
precision tools], with [tool allowance, if any]. Safety glasses
and hearing protection required; we provide them.
[EXPORT CONTROL, only if true: This position requires access to
technical data controlled under the ITAR. Access is limited to U.S.
persons as defined in 22 CFR 120.62 unless we obtain government
authorization.]
[EEO STATEMENT]
To request an adjustment to apply or interview, contact [contact].NIMS, safety rules, export control and overtime: the lines with sources
Not legal advice. These points were checked against NIMS, OSHA's standards, the Code of Federal Regulations on Cornell's Legal Information Institute, the Justice Department, ASME and BLS as of October 2026. Export-control lines in particular need counsel's review.
Credentials. BLS describes certification for machinists as optional, though it can show competency and help with advancement. NIMS, the National Institute for Metalworking Skills, issues credentials that usually pair a knowledge exam with a performance evaluation, which can be machining a NIMS part to print and inspecting it (NIMS credentialing). Its CNC Milling Operator credential, for example, certifies someone who can independently set up proven programs and load, run and inspect parts (NIMS badge on Credly). BLS also notes that apprenticeships are typically employer-sponsored and combine paid on-the-job training with technical instruction over several years. Write NIMS as preferred and test skills in the interview.
GD&T. If your prints use geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, name the standard, ASME Y14.5 (current edition 2018, reaffirmed 2024). It tells candidates the level of print reading the job needs.
Lockout during setup. OSHA's hazardous energy standard defines servicing to include setting up, adjusting and making tool changes where an employee could be exposed to unexpected startup, and "setting up" as any work to prepare a machine for its normal production operation (29 CFR 1910.147). Minor tool changes during normal production are excluded only if they are routine, repetitive and integral to production and done with alternative measures that give effective protection. A setup machinist is usually an authorized employee who needs your lockout training; say so.
Guarding, air and noise. Machines need guarding against point-of-operation hazards, rotating parts and flying chips (29 CFR 1910.212). Compressed air may not be used for cleaning unless reduced to less than 30 psi, and then only with effective chip guarding and PPE (29 CFR 1910.242(b)), which matters in shops where blowing off parts is habit. At an 8-hour average of 85 dBA, a hearing conservation program is required (29 CFR 1910.95).
Export control. The Justice Department's Immigrant and Employee Rights Section says nothing under the ITAR or the EAR requires or allows an employer to limit jobs to U.S. citizens, though a company may need authorization to release controlled technology to some workers (IER FAQs). The ITAR's "U.S. person" covers lawful permanent residents and protected individuals as well as citizens (22 CFR 120.62). "U.S. citizens only" is the wrong line unless a law, regulation, executive order or government contract truly requires citizenship.
Exempt or non-exempt. The white-collar exemptions "do not apply to manual laborers or other 'blue collar' workers", including craftsmen who learn through apprenticeships and on-the-job training; they are owed minimum wage and overtime whatever they earn (29 CFR 541.3(a)). Post the seat as overtime-eligible.
Pay. The BLS national median for machinists was $58,750 a year in May 2025 (for machinists and tool and die makers together, $59,620 a year or $28.66 an hour). Post your own range and differentials, and check pay transparency laws by state. Keep vision and hearing questions out of the screen until after a conditional offer (42 U.S.C. 12112(d)).
From must-haves to screening questions and scorecard rows
| Must-have | Screening question | Scorecard competency | Evidence of a strong answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup from scratch | "Walk me through your last setup, from a blank table to a good first part." | Setup skill | Fixture, indicate, tools and lengths, work offsets, dry run or single block, first-article check, in that order |
| Controls and machines | "Which controls have you set up on, which most recently, and for how long?" | Equipment match | Names controls and machine types like yours with honest time on each |
| Holding tolerance | "A bore drifts 0.0004 inch oversize over a run. What do you check and change?" (example numbers) | Process control | Checks tool wear and temperature, measures correctly, adjusts the wear offset, logs it |
| Print reading | "Read me this feature control frame and tell me how you would inspect it." | Print and GD&T reading | Explains the tolerance zone and datums and picks a suitable gauge |
| Safety habits | "When do you lock out during a setup, and when do you not?" | Safety judgment | Locks out for setup and jams; knows guards and air pressure rules |
| Shift | "The opening is second shift, 3 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., with Saturday overtime in busy months. Does that work?" | Not scored | Knockout confirmed |
Fuller question sets, including how CNC experience gets overstated, are in CNC machinist screening questions. For the onsite stage, the interview guide for manufacturing roles and how to run a job trial day cover a paid setup test. If inspection is half the job, compare quality inspector screening questions; to source candidates, see Boolean search strings for machinists.
Common mistakes in CNC machinist job descriptions
Calling an operator job "machinist"
Setup machinists skip postings that look like load-and-run work, and operators apply for jobs they cannot do. Name the level.
No machines, controls or tolerances
"CNC experience" says nothing. List the machine types, controls and the tightest tolerance, with the number labeled as an example.
"U.S. citizens only" for ITAR work
The Justice Department says employers may not limit hires to U.S. citizens unless a law, regulation, executive order or government contract requires it. Use the U.S. person wording and have counsel check it.
Requiring NIMS or a degree
Most good machinists learned on the job. Prefer credentials and test the skill.
Hiding the tool list and the shift
Machinists who must buy a set of precision tools, or who learn about second shift in the offer, leave. Put both in the posting.
Before you publish
- Level, machines, axes, controls and CAM software are in the title and summary.
- Materials, tightest tolerance (labeled as an example) and inspection tools are stated.
- Lockout, guarding and PPE lines match how your shop runs setups.
- Any export-control line uses U.S. person wording reviewed by counsel.
- The seat is posted as overtime-eligible with pay, shift, the EEO statement and an accommodation contact.
Questions people ask
What should a CNC machinist job description say about tolerances?
Give the tightest tolerances the machinist will hold, the materials, typical lot sizes and the inspection tools they will use, such as micrometers, bore gauges, height gauges or a CMM. If prints use geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, say so and name the standard, ASME Y14.5. A range such as 'plus or minus 0.0005 inch on bores', labeled as an example of your work, screens better than 'tight tolerances'.
Can a CNC machinist job posting say 'U.S. citizens only' for ITAR work?
Usually not. The Justice Department's Immigrant and Employee Rights Section says nothing under the ITAR or the EAR requires or allows an employer to limit jobs to U.S. citizens, although a company may need government authorization before releasing controlled technology to some workers. Describe the export-control requirement accurately, for example as access limited to U.S. persons as defined in 22 CFR 120.62 unless authorization is obtained, and have counsel review the line.
Do CNC machinists need NIMS certification?
Usually it is a preferred qualification, not a requirement. BLS describes certification for machinists as optional, and NIMS credentials pair a theory exam with a performance evaluation, such as machining a part to print and inspecting it. NIMS is a useful signal for newer machinists; for experienced ones, a setup walk-through and a print-reading test tell you more.
Is a CNC machinist exempt from overtime?
Almost never. Federal rules say the white-collar exemptions do not apply to manual laborers or other blue-collar workers, including craftsmen and production workers who learn their skills through apprenticeships and on-the-job training, and those workers are owed minimum wage and overtime regardless of pay. Post the role as overtime-eligible and state the shift and overtime pattern.