Job Details

Machine Shop Management, Supervisor

Position Number: 7223627
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Position Type: Engineering - Mechanical

Machine Shop Management, Supervisor

Job Summary

Machine Shop Management, Supervisor
The Department of Mechanical Engineering is seeking a Machine Shop Manager to help manage daily operations, coordinate equipment usage, and support educational objectives through the hands-on training of students within the manufacturing environment. This role is responsible for daily management of the machine shop, and supervising machinists, machine operators, and student staff to ensure smooth operation. By establishing clear procedures, managing shop logistics, tracking productivity metrics, and maintaining a strict culture of safety, the Manager ensures productive workflow to support a variety of customers and end-users.

Learn more about the great benefits of working for University of Utah: benefits.utah.edu
The department may choose to hire at any of the below job levels and associated pay rates based on their business need and budget.

Responsibilities
1. Personnel Supervision & Operations Management

Program, maintain, and operate machinery to complete jobs in coordination with shop staff and student support.
Direct, manage, and supervise machinists, machine operators, and other shop staff to ensure smooth production lines and continuity between team shifts.
Schedule and coordinate work assignments, lead daily team activities, and accurately maintain time, production, and billing records.
Communicate daily with the shop team and departmental management; maintain a strong working knowledge of team integration within the department.
Assist with management decisions and activities, and physically perform the machining and fabrication work of supervised staff during portions of shifts as needed.
Interpret, execute, and recommend operational plans, policies, procedures, and schedules to improve department methods, performance, and output quality.

2. Production Planning & Shop Operations

Analyze work orders, sketches, and engineering blueprints to determine production parameters, including material selection and the type and sequence of machining operations required.
Program and operate machine tools to process jobs.
Maintain effective communication with customers regarding the status of their work.
Troubleshoot and resolve all machining quality and part tolerance issues in a timely manner.
Ensure adequate usage, supply, and procurement of all production materials and machine tooling, as needed.
Maintain clean, organized, and highly functional work areas, machines, and machine tooling inventories.

3. Shop Maintenance & Safety Compliance

Monitor, schedule, and execute rigorous preventive maintenance initiatives on all manual equipment, CNC equipment, and other machinery to minimize downtime.
Maintain and upgrade machine shop equipment, instrumentation, and tooling to support evolving curricular and prototyping needs.
Develop and maintain systems and procedures to track and monitor shop productivity metrics and performance targets, ensuring the department optimizes returns for the university.
Ensure strict compliance with university safety standards, operational protocols, and documentation practices across all shop and lab activities.

Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience or a master's (or equivalency) degree.This is a Supervisor-Level position in the Management track.Job Code: M23131Grade: M15

Minimum Qualifications
EQUIVALENCY STATEMENT: 1 year of higher education can be substituted for 1 year of directly related work experience (Example: bachelor's degree = 4 years of directly related work experience).
Department may hire employee at one of the following job levels:
Supervisor, Machine Shop Management: Requires a bachelor's (or equivalency) + 2 years of directly related work experience or a master's (or equivalency) degree.

Preferences

Significant hands-on experience with conventional manufacturing processes, machine shop operations, or technical training environments.
Fully qualified and highly proficient in both CNC and manual-controlled machinery operation (lathes, mills, saws, etc.).
Demonstrated ability to operate, maintain, and troubleshoot machine shop equipment, precision measurement instrumentation, and digital tooling.
Strong communication and mentoring skills, with documented experience training students, technicians, or early-career individuals in safe and effective machining practices.
Proven ability to manage day-to-day shop workflows, prioritize concurrent student and faculty tasks, and maintain a safe, organized, and high-functioning environment.

Special Instructions

Requisition Number: PRN45276B
Full Time or Part Time? Full Time
Work Schedule Summary: M-F 8:00am-5:00pm
Department: 00068 - Mechanical Engineering
Location: Campus
Pay Rate Range: $60,000-$80,000 DOE
Close Date: 6/22/2026
Open Until Filled:

To apply, visit https://utah.peopleadmin.com/postings/203290