Are you a skilled stone fabricator who takes pride in what leaves your hands?
Are you the person other people call when a sink needs to be cleaned up, a CNC edge needs to be matched by hand, a miter needs to look right, or a difficult piece needs to be saved?
If you have the skills but are tired of working in shops where every day feels disorganized, priorities constantly change, information is missing, and nobody seems to know what is supposed to happen next, Stokes Granite & Stone may be a better fit for you.
We are looking for an experienced Lead Finisher / Hand Fabricator who can take stone after CNC machining and bring it to final production quality.
This is not an entry-level fabrication position.
We are looking for a professional with at least 5 years of stone fabrication experience who already knows how to use their hands, tools, judgment, and experience to produce quality work.
WHAT MAKES OUR SHOP DIFFERENT?
Our philosophy is:
Do Better and More Before We Do New
We are constantly looking for ways to improve the shop we already have.
That means improving our:
- Processes
- Procedures
- Tooling
- Equipment
- Organization
- Production flow
- Communication
- Training
- Quality standards
We do not believe, "That's just how we've always done it," is a good enough reason to keep doing something.
Good ideas are welcome here.
But there is an important difference:
We want people who are willing to help implement improvements—not just point out problems.
We operate using principles from the Theory of Constraints and schedule production using a level-loaded production system.
Our jobs, priorities, and daily production requirements are visible.
Job information is centralized.
Production is tracked.
Expectations are communicated.
There is a plan.
And when the plan needs to change, we communicate why.
We are not perfect, and some days in stone fabrication are hard. Machines break. Material creates problems. Customers make changes. Schedules become challenging.
We aren't looking for someone who expects every day to be easy.
We're looking for someone who gets better when the day gets difficult.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
Your primary responsibility is simple:
Complete the required finish work for the stone pieces scheduled for production that day—on time and to Stokes Granite & Stone quality standards.
You will work primarily on countertops after CNC machining and perform the hand fabrication necessary to prepare those pieces for installation.
You must be able to work independently without constant supervision.
You should already know how to:
- Use an air-powered polisher proficiently
- Use an air-powered grinder/cutter proficiently
- Shape hand-worked stone to accurately match CNC-machined profiles
- Polish undermount sink openings
- Polish mitered top eases
- Surface polish stone back to a factory-quality finish
- Fabricate and polish square sinks
- Cut and finish full-height backsplash notches
- Complete plug cutouts
- Drill/core holes
- Grind excess glue and rods from the backs of decks
- Bottom-laminate polish natural stone when required
- Back bevel and flat polish where required
- Polish backsplash pieces
- Trim and shape farm-sink notches
- Grind and shape areas that cannot be completed by the CNC
- Fill fissures and voids before final polishing
- Trim and shape stone to accurately match templates
- Verify finished countertops against corresponding templates
- Recognize different stone materials and understand how they behave during fabrication
Edge fabrication experience should include profiles such as:
- Double Ease
- Bevel
- Baldwin
- Ogee
- Full Bullnose
- Demi Bullnose
- Waterfall
- And other common custom profiles
You must also be capable of performing unconventional fabrication work according to the specific instructions provided by our template department or production leadership.
LAMINATION EXPERIENCE
Experience with both standard lamination and mitered lamination is a strong plus.
Skills may include:
- Standard laminated edges
- Mitered edges
- Mitered seams
- Mitered laminations
- Glue color matching
- Final shaping and polishing of laminated work
REPAIR & RESTORATION EXPERIENCE
A strong candidate will also have experience repairing stone, including:
- Filling voids
- Repairing cracks and fissures
- Repairing broken pieces
- Surface polishing
- Restoring material to a factory-like shine
- Matching adhesive/glue colors
BRIDGE SAW EXPERIENCE IS A PLUS
Additional experience with a manual bridge saw is valuable, including the ability to:
- Perform simple slab layouts
- Cut basic kitchen countertops and vanities
- Cut prefabricated kitchens and vanities
- Cut backsplash
- Make production adjustments when approved
- Miter edges, seams, and laminations
- Troubleshoot basic saw-related issues
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Skill matters.
But how you work matters just as much.
The person who succeeds here is someone who:
Shows up.
You are punctual, dependable, and prepared to work your scheduled shift.
Takes pride in the finished product.
You notice the small things because you understand that the customer eventually will too.
Uses the skills they have.
We aren't interested in hiring someone with 15 years of experience who produces five years' worth of skill.
Your experience should show in your work.
Communicates.
When you see a problem, you speak up.
When you disagree, you have the courage to have a respectful conversation.
When you need clarification, you ask.
Accepts feedback without taking it personally.
We expect people to give and receive honest, respectful feedback.
Our goal is to improve the work—not attack the person.
Takes ownership.
Problems happen.
We care much more about:
"Here's what happened, and here's what I think we should do about it."
than:
"That's not my fault."
Is flexible.
Production needs change throughout the day.
You may finish one task and be redirected to another priority.
The right person can shift gears without becoming frustrated simply because the plan changed.
Is conscious of time.
Quality matters.
So does production.
We track production and hold team members accountable to reasonable production standards, quotas, and business requirements.
Cares about people.
How you speak to coworkers matters.
How you treat customers matters.
How you respond under pressure matters.
Respect is expected in both directions.
THIS JOB IS PROBABLY NOT FOR YOU IF...
You consistently arrive late or leave early.
You want complete freedom to decide which instructions you will follow.
You like suggesting improvements but don't want to participate in implementing them.
You become negative whenever production gets difficult.
Your first reaction to a problem is finding someone or something to blame.
You frequently make excuses instead of looking for solutions.
You don't like direct conversations.
You become defensive when receiving feedback.
You have strong fabrication skills but are unwilling to consistently use them.
There are plenty of shops where those behaviors may be tolerated.
We are trying to build something different.
SAFETY EXPECTATIONS
Stone fabrication requires serious attention to safety.
You must be willing to follow company safety procedures and wear required personal protective equipment.
This includes wearing required respiratory protection while polishing, grinding, or cutting natural stone and engineered/man-made quartz materials.
Depending on the operation and exposure, this may include a PAPR or approved respirator/facemask throughout the fabrication workday.
This requirement is not optional.
SCHEDULE
Monday–Friday8:00 AM–4:30 PM
Consistent daytime schedule.
PAY
$22.00–$28.00 per hour
Pay is based on demonstrated fabrication experience, skill level, versatility, quality, and ability to perform the responsibilities of the position.
BENEFITS
Stokes Granite & Stone offers:
- 401(k)
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Health Savings Account
- Life Insurance
- Paid Time Off
GROWTH OPPORTUNITY
We want skilled employees who want to grow with the company.
Opportunities for increased responsibility and professional growth can be discussed directly with ownership based on your skills, interests, performance, and the needs of the business.
LOCATION
Stokes Granite & Stone, Inc.6326 Main Ave., Unit 1Orangevale, CA 95662
MINIMUM EXPERIENCE
5+ years of professional stone countertop fabrication / finishing experience required.
This position is intended for an experienced fabricator who can perform finish work independently and produce professional-quality results.
THINK YOU'RE THE PERSON WE'RE LOOKING FOR?
We're not looking for someone who simply wants another fabrication job.
We're looking for the person who walks past a countertop and notices the detail everyone else missed.
The person who wants their work to look right.
The person coworkers trust with difficult pieces.
The person who can hear, "We've got a problem," and starts thinking about the solution.
The person who wants expectations to be clear, information to be available, and good work to mean something.
If that sounds like you, we'd like to talk.
How to Apply
To be considered for this position, please apply by email and follow the instructions below.
Email Subject Line
Use the following exact subject line:
I’m the one you’re looking for
In the Body of Your Email
Please include:
- Your full name
- Your phone number
- A brief summary of your stone fabrication experience
- The types of stone and engineered materials you have worked with
- Your current or most recent position
- Your availability to begin work
Then answer the following questions:
1. Responding to Direction
Management gives you a work directive at an inconvenient time, and you disagree with the instructions.
How would you respond and handle the situation?
2. Measuring Your Production
How do you currently measure your production capability, performance, and impact on the shop?
Please provide specific examples, such as the number of pieces completed, linear feet polished, sinks completed, jobs finished, repair work completed, quality results, or other production measurements you use.
3. Why You Are the Right Candidate
After reviewing this job posting, what are the top three reasons you believe you are the right person for this position?
Please number your answers:
4. Difficult Fabrication Example
Describe one difficult fabrication, finishing, or repair problem you personally handled.
Please explain:
- What the problem was
- What material you were working with
- What tools or methods you used
- What the final outcome was
5. Feedback and Accountability
Describe a time a supervisor or coworker gave you feedback about your work that you did not initially agree with.
How did you respond, and what did you do afterward?
6. Improvement and Implementation
Describe one improvement you suggested in a previous shop.
What did you personally do to help implement the improvement?
Applications that do not follow these instructions or do not answer the questions may not be considered.
Pay: $22.00 - $28.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
Experience:
- Stone Fabrication: 5 years (Required)
Work Location: In person
