Senior Moulder Operator
Moulder Specialist | Knife Grinder | Production Craftsman
Madison Mill | Ashland City, Tennessee
If you take pride in setting up a moulder right and running it clean, this is the job for you.
Madison Mill is hiring Senior Moulder Operators to join one of the most capable specialty moulding operations in North America. More than a dozen Weinig Moulders. A fully equipped grinding and tool room. A team of skilled craftsmen producing thousands of profiles — base, crown, face frame, stiles and rails, dowels, and custom work — for customers from marquee big-box retailers to mom-and-pop hardware stores. We are looking for craftsmen who know moulders well, take pride in their setups, and want to do their best work.
We have invested in the equipment. We have the customers. We have plenty of work. What we need is the right operator to help us run it well.
If that is you, keep reading.
Why Madison Mill
For more than 65 years, our customers have trusted us to make exceptional wood products — dowels, mouldings, tool handles, closet rods, garden stakes, drying racks, and hundreds of other items that put real wood into people's hands and homes around the world. We are growing. We are investing in our equipment, our facility, and our people. And we are building a team of craftsmen who take pride in the work.
We are American-made and Tennessee-crafted. We are handshake people — we keep our commitments and we expect the same. We are problem-solvers, not problem-finders. We measure twice, cut once. And we have fun doing what we do.
For the right craftsman, this is a chance to work on world-class equipment, alongside other people who care about the craft, at a company that is investing in its future — and in yours. We support training, professional development, and growth into more senior roles for operators who earn it.
The Role
This is a hands-on production role for a craftsman. You will set up, run, troubleshoot, and maintain our Weinig moulders to produce a wide variety of standard and custom profiles. You will be involved with knife grinding and tooling. You will work with the Director of Millwork Operations, other senior operators, and a great team to keep production moving — and you will help train junior operators as the team grows.
You will report to the Director of Millwork Operations.
Key Activities and Responsibilities
Run the Moulders
- Set up Weinig moulders for new runs — load tooling, set feeds and speeds, calibrate, and verify clean production;
- Operate moulders to produce parts to specification at quality and pace;
- Perform changeovers efficiently to keep the schedule moving;
- Troubleshoot mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic issues during the run; escalate when needed;
- Read routing, prints, profile drawings, and SOPs to produce parts to spec.
Tooling and Knives
- Grind knives and prepare cutterheads and profile tooling for both standard and custom runs;
- Inspect new tooling on receipt; identify wear and damage early;
- Keep tooling organized, labeled, and stored properly in the tool room;
- Maintain tool room cleanliness and inventory.
Quality, Safety, and Documentation
- Visually inspect finished mouldings for defects; identify and isolate non-conforming product immediately;
- Record production data — runtime, output, scrap, and yield — accurately and on time;
- Adhere to all safety protocols; recognize and report unsafe acts, equipment, or conditions;
- Keep workspace organized and clean — 5S standards;
- Communicate clearly with the Director of Millwork on material needs, schedule risks, and equipment issues.
Team and Continuous Improvement
- Mentor and train junior operators as the team grows;
- Suggest improvements to setup, tooling, and process — we listen to the people running the machines;
- Participate in department meetings and continuous improvement initiatives.
Requirements
- At least 3 years of hands-on experience operating moulders — Weinig strongly preferred;
- Demonstrated skill in knife grinding and tooling preparation, or the willingness and aptitude to learn quickly with our investment in your training;
- Strong mechanical aptitude;
- Comfortable reading CAD drawings, profile specs, sketches, and routing documents to produce parts to spec; confident with a tape measure, calipers, and micrometer;
- Comfortable using a computer for production paperwork;
- Holds or willing to earn a forklift operator's license;
- Spanish-language ability a plus;
- Technical training, skilled trades certifications, or prior journeyman experience a plus but not required;
- Must be willing and able to perform physical labor in a manufacturing environment, including standing and walking through a full shift, and lifting up to 50 pounds.
Skills We Are Looking For
- Setup discipline — you know what a clean setup looks like and you do not run dirty;
- Quality consciousness — you catch defects and off-spec parts before they pile up;
- Pace and consistency — you can hold quality at production speed without burning yourself out;
- Self-direction — you can keep a moulder running well without constant supervision;
- Troubleshooting confidence — you know what to fix yourself and what to escalate;
- Communication — you tell the Director of Millwork what they need to know, when they need to know it.
Qualities We Are Looking For
- Takes pride in the work — high attention to detail and uncompromising integrity;
- Punctual and reliable — shows up, on time, ready to work;
- Honest and accountable — owns mistakes, fixes them, learns from them;
- Action-oriented — does not wait around when there is work to be done;
- Open to coaching and feedback;
- Wants to grow — interested in taking on more responsibility over time;
- Lives our values: shares joy in the work, keeps handshake commitments, and leaves things better than they were found.
The Details
Status: Full-time, hourly
Compensation: $20 to $28 per hour, commensurate with experience and skill.
Benefits: Health insurance, paid time off, formal technical training as required, and ongoing professional development support
Schedule: Plant production runs 6:30 AM to 4:00 PM Monday through Thursday, and 6:30 AM to 10:30 AM Friday = long weekends. Consistent, full-time attendance is essential. Overtime opportunities may be available as needed.
Physical Setting: Manufacturing plant in Ashland City, Tennessee
Work Location: On-site, in person
About Madison Mill
Based in Ashland City, Tennessee, Madison Mill is a leading manufacturer of specialty millwork. We make hundreds of items — dowels, mouldings, tool handles, closet rods, garden stakes, housewares like wooden drying racks, tiny button plugs, and many more. Wood products are special, and we are proud to put exceptional woodwork into people's hands and homes all around the world. Our craftsmen bring joy to craft projects, parades, gardens, and kitchen tables — and so much more.
Madison Mill hardwood products have been the trusted foundation for DIY creators and woodworking pros for nearly 65 years. Like an Appalachian forest, our roots run deep. Passionate about our products, our people, and our community — we are American-made.
Pay: $20.00 - $28.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Health insurance
- On-the-job training
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
Application Question(s):
- Do you have experience operating industrial moulders in a millwork manufacturing environment?
Experience:
- Moulder Operating: 3 years (Preferred)
Work Location: In person
