Job Description

CMA Applications Engineer

Role overview

The CMA Applications Engineer supports advanced manufacturing work across multi-axis and 5-axis machining, additive and subtractive processes, metrology/NDT and Industry 4.0 within the Center for Manufacturing Advancement (CMA) and an associated Center of Excellence.

This role focuses on developmental work where the manufacturing route is not yet defined. Starting from incomplete or first-of-a-kind requirements, you will design manufacturable solutions and translate them into CNC programs, fixturing and tooling strategies, inspection approaches and clear documentation. You will also help rebalance workload across a small, highly skilled applications team by owning complex work from concept through prove-out.

Key responsibilities

• Program and support setup and operation of advanced CNC equipment, including multi-axis and 5-axis mills, mill/turn machines, dual spindle lathes, tool presetting systems and selected additive platforms.
• Lead implementation of tooling, work-holding and CNC technologies for new and existing projects.
• Design, validate and optimize robust CNC processes for complex, high-accuracy work with a focus on safety, repeatability, quality and throughput.
• Integrate new subtractive, additive, inspection and data/IoT technologies where they improve capability, efficiency or quality.
• Collaborate with engineering, machining, metrology/NDT and operations teams to plan and execute subtractive manufacturing and inspection activities.
• Ensure work complies with applicable data privacy, quality and regulatory standards (e.g. ITAR, ISO, ANSI).
• Produce clear technical documentation, procedures and workflows to support traceability, training and audit.
• Track key process data (e.g. parameters, inspection results, lessons learned) and feed insights into continuous improvement.
• Balance emergent customer requests with longer-term optimization work.
• Participate in onsite and offsite customer and stakeholder meetings, including visits to customer facilities to investigate problems, present solution options and support implementation.
• Perform other related duties in support of the Center’s technical and commercial objectives.

What success looks like

• CNC programs and machining strategies for multi-axis and 5-axis work run reliably and safely for recurring developmental and production work.
• Tooling, fixturing and setup decisions measurably improve repeatability, accuracy, throughput and risk profile.
• New technologies are introduced with sound engineering judgment, documented validation and practical implementation plans.
• Ambiguous or novel customer needs are translated into structured, stepwise solution-development plans.
• Machinists and project teams receive clear, actionable technical guidance that both moves work forward and builds their capability.
• Documentation and records are complete enough to reconstruct decisions and support expectations for quality, compliance and audit.
• Workload across the applications team is better balanced because you can independently own and deliver complex tasks.
• Customers experience credible, well-explained solutions delivered at a pace consistent with organizational capacity.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Core requirements (must-have)

• CNC programming - Extensive CNC programming experience required, including complex multi-axis and 5-axis work. Demonstrated ability to create programs that can run reliably and safely for recurring developmental or production work, not just one-off parts.
• CAD/CAM - Extensive CAD/CAM experience and knowledge required. Hands-on programming experience in a high-end CAM environment such as Siemens NX (or similar) strongly preferred as the primary toolchain for regulated work.
• Precision machining and process design - Deep working knowledge of precision machining principles, tight tolerances, material behavior and process stability in high-accuracy environments. Proven ability to design machining sequences that balance quality, cycle time, risk and cost.
• Multi-axis machining - Significant experience with multi-axis and 5-axis machining, dual spindle lathes and mill/turn equipment, including programming, setup, prove-out and optimization.
• Cutting tools - Strong knowledge of cutting tools, materials and applications, including tool selection, tool life management and process optimization.
• Work-holding and fixturing - Extensive experience with work-holding techniques and fixture design, with a track record of safe, rigid, efficient and repeatable setups.
• Inspection and metrology - Knowledge of pre-, in- and post-process inspection methods and how they integrate with machining strategies; familiarity with using macro variable programming and similar techniques within CNC programs to support process control.
• Regulated manufacturing compliance - Experience working under, or strong familiarity with, ITAR, ISO and ANSI expectations in manufacturing environments and how they affect documentation, process control and data handling.
• General tools and systems - Proficiency with Microsoft Office (or equivalent) and comfort working within digital job management, data collection and reporting tools.

Preferred / advantageous experience (nice to have)

• Programming experience specifically in Siemens NX for multi-axis/5-axis work in regulated environments.
• Experience with Mastercam or other advanced CAM tools.
• Experience with metal additive manufacturing processes and how additive choices impact downstream machining and inspection.
• Broader knowledge of additive manufacturing technologies and dimensional inspection/metrology tooling (e.g. CMM, advanced gauging, NDT concepts).
• Exposure to ancillary machining processes (e.g. EDM, grinding) and how they complement CNC machining.
• Experience with SPC, process monitoring and data collection systems, and using data to improve process design.
• Familiarity with IoT/Industry 4.0 concepts in manufacturing (connected machines, data flows, dashboards, basic analytics).
• Prior customer-facing technical experience such as on-site problem investigation, solution delivery or technical presentations.

Education and experience

• Education - Associate degree or diploma in Precision Machining Technology (or a closely related discipline); or an equivalent combination of education and hands-on precision machining/CNC experience.
• Professional experience - Typically 7–10+ years of experience setting up and running complex CNC operations, ideally with substantial time in multi-axis and 5-axis environments. Experience in an ITAR and ISO (or similar regulated) work environment preferred. Backgrounds that include progression from machinist/lead machinist into applications engineering are welcome, as are careers spent primarily as an applications engineer.

Capabilities and behavioral indicators

• Solution discovery from scratch - Able to take incomplete, ambiguous or first-of-a-kind customer requests and design a rational path from problem definition to validated manufacturing solution. Comfortable when no standard process exists and when there are sharp learning curves.
• Creative, systems-level thinking - Designs fixturing, tooling, process routes and sequencing with an eye to downstream impacts across machining, inspection, additive and data/IoT.
• High ownership and accountability - Follows work from concept and programming through shop-floor prove-out and documentation; manages multiple priorities without losing engineering rigor.
• Communication and mentoring - Clearly explains complex technical information to machinists, engineers and non-technical stakeholders. Enjoys teaching others and sharing the "why" behind decisions, and invests in documentation and handover so solutions can be sustained.
• Calm under changing priorities - Maintains a practical, structured problem-solving approach when many requests feel urgent, and helps stakeholders focus on the right work at the right time.
• Learning orientation - Seeks opportunities to deepen both technical and soft skills; open to feedback and coaching on customer interaction, presentation and leadership.
• Low-ego collaboration - Works effectively with machinists, engineers, project managers and external partners; open to new information and willing to adjust approaches.

Operating environment, travel and physical requirements

• Onsite role in an advanced manufacturing environment blending R&D-style developmental work with real production constraints and delivery deadlines.
• Work spans subtractive CNC machining (with a heavy emphasis on multi-axis and 5-axis work), additive manufacturing and downstream machining/inspection, metrology/NDT and data-driven process monitoring, and IoT/Industry 4.0 initiatives tied to manufacturing optimization.
• Mix of defense and commercial customers, including a significant Navy-related program that can generate urgent work and a growing portfolio of commercial optimization projects.
• Close collaboration with applications engineers, machinists and lead machinists, metrology/NDT specialists, engineering, project and operations staff, and external technology and tooling partners.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and be able to travel within Virginia and out of state; current expectations are intermittent trips totaling up to approximately six weeks per year, with potential to increase as the commercial customer base grows.
• May sit for extended periods while working at a computer or in meetings; must be able to move freely between facilities, including shop-floor and lab environments; must be able to operate a keyboard and standard office/programming tools; may be required to lift up to 50 pounds on a regular basis (e.g. fixtures, tooling, work-holding components).

Employee value proposition

This is an onsite role in a modern, advanced manufacturing environment where engineering work is tightly connected to real equipment, materials and customer outcomes. The work is varied and challenging: one week may focus on solving a new manufacturing problem for a strategic customer; the next may involve refining and documenting processes that others will run at scale. You will:

• Work on visible, high-impact programs across both defense and commercial customers.
• Help shape how CNC, additive, metrology and data/IoT technologies are applied in a growing Center for Manufacturing Advancement and an associated new facility.
• Play a direct role in mentoring and developing machinists and future engineers.
• Have access to professional development opportunities, both technical (new technologies, processes, tools) and soft-skill oriented (communication, leadership, customer interaction).
• Join a team that is expanding, with plans to add new facilities and intermediate leadership roles as the engineering organization grows.

The total rewards package includes competitive benefits, retirement support, paid time off and professional development opportunities, combined with the stability and resources of an established institution.