CNC Grinder Setup Technician
Baxter Machine & Tool Co.
Jackson, Michigan
Full-Time | First Shift | Direct Hire
Pay: $22–$28 per hour, depending on experience and skill set
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM–3:30 PM
Position Overview
Baxter Machine is looking for an experienced CNC Grinder Setup Technician to support the continued expansion of our grinding capabilities.
This is not an entry-level grinder operator position. We are looking for an experienced grinding setup technician who can independently set up, troubleshoot, and improve production grinding processes.
The ideal candidate will have at least 5 years of grinding setup experience and strong experience with double disc, OD, and ID grinding. Experience with slot, angle, and plunge grinding is also important, as this position will ultimately be responsible for setups across these grinding processes.
Baxter operates a large manufacturing facility with more than 30 machines. This position will primarily focus on grinder setups, troubleshooting, process improvement, and supporting production.
Primary Responsibilities
- Set up CNC grinding equipment for production jobs.
- Perform setups for:
- Double disc grinding
- OD grinding
- ID grinding
- Slot grinding
- Angle grinding
- Plunge grinding
- Read and understand engineering prints and manufacturing specifications.
- Independently take jobs from print through machine setup and production.
- Select and install grinding wheels and related tooling.
- Dress and balance grinding wheels.
- Establish and adjust speeds, feeds, offsets, workholding, and other setup parameters.
- Produce and verify first-piece parts before releasing jobs to production.
- Troubleshoot grinding issues including:
- Taper
- Roundness
- Size variation
- Surface finish
- Grinding burn
- Chatter
- Wheel loading
- Wheel wear
- Part distortion
- Make process adjustments necessary to maintain quality and production requirements.
- Assist with new grinding job and process development.
- Improve cycle times, wheel life, tooling performance, and overall process efficiency.
- Work to reduce scrap and improve process consistency.
- Train machine operators on established grinding processes and proper machine operation.
- Assist operators when grinding or production problems occur.
- Help document setups, processes, and work instructions.
- Work with our Quality Department when additional inspection or CMM verification is required.
- Work with our toolmaker when tooling or workholding support is needed.
- Assist maintenance or our toolmaker when grinder setup work is not available.
Required Experience
- 5+ years of grinding setup experience.
- Strong setup experience with double disc grinding, OD grinding, and ID grinding.
- Experience setting up and operating CNC grinding equipment.
- Ability to independently perform grinder setups rather than only operate previously established processes.
- Strong understanding of grinding processes and grinding wheel applications.
- Experience dressing and balancing grinding wheels.
- Ability to read and understand engineering prints.
- Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving ability.
- Ability to use basic precision measuring equipment.
- Ability to train and support machine operators.
- Ability to manage and support setups across multiple machines.
Preferred Experience
- Experience with slot grinding.
- Experience with angle grinding.
- Experience with plunge grinding.
- Experience in a high-volume production manufacturing environment.
- Experience with powder metal components is helpful but not required.
Most of Baxter Machine's grinding work involves powder metal components, but previous powder metal grinding experience is not required.
Quality Requirements
Our grinding operations commonly work with tolerances around ±0.002 inch.
The setup technician must be capable of establishing and maintaining stable grinding processes within print requirements and identifying the cause of dimensional or surface-finish problems.
Baxter also has a dedicated Quality Manager, Quality Technician, and quality lab for CMM inspection and other advanced measurement requirements.
Compensation
$22–$28 per hour, depending on grinding experience and overall skill set.
This is an hourly, direct-hire position.
An attendance bonus is also available.
Benefits
Benefits are available immediately upon hire and include:
- Health insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- 401(k) with company match
- Paid Time Off
Schedule
First Shift
Monday–Friday
7:00 AM–3:30 PM
No regular overtime is currently required.
About the Position
Baxter Machine is expanding its grinding capabilities and is looking for an experienced technical person who can take ownership of grinding setups and help strengthen our grinding operations.
This position is best suited for someone who understands grinding beyond simply operating a machine. We are looking for someone capable of setting up equipment, diagnosing grinding problems, improving processes, supporting operators, and helping develop new grinding work as we continue to grow.
Pay: $22.00 - $28.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- 1. Describe a grinder setup you completed from start to finish. What type of grinder was it, what did you have to set up or adjust, and what problems did you have to troubleshoot before the process was ready for production?
2. Which of the following grinders have you personally set up without step-by-step assistance: Double Disc, OD, ID, Slot, Angle, and Plunge? Briefly describe your experience with each type you selected.
3. A grinding process starts producing taper, chatter, poor surface finish, or inconsistent size. Walk us through how you would determine the cause and what adjustments you would consider making.
Work Location: In person
