Machine Builder & Precision Assembler – 1st Shift
Up to $40.00/Hour + Overtime • Pewaukee, WI Area • 100% Onsite • 1st Shift
- COMPENSATION: Up to $40.00/hour starting base rate (commensurate with trade experience and toolmaking depth) + overtime availability + comprehensive benefits package.
- WORK SCHEDULE: Fixed, predictable 1st Shift | 7:00 AM – 3:30 PM | Monday through Friday | 100% Onsite shop environment.
- WORK ENVIRONMENT: Established, premier custom automation builder in the Pewaukee area; modern facility featuring on-floor 3D modeling workstations at every build station; collaborative, non-siloed team culture where builders work directly with mechanical engineers and wiremen.
- EXPERIENCE & TECH STACK: 5+ years of ground-up mechanical machine building OR 2+ years backed by a precision toolmaking/fixture-building background; advanced mechanical blueprint literacy; fluid power piping/routing (pneumatics and hydraulics); precision measurement tools and shop floor machinery.
- COMPANY STABILITY & CULTURE: Long-standing custom machinery leader building complex, one-off automation assets; casual, high-ownership workplace; opening created due to an upcoming long-term employee retirement.
- REQUIREMENTS / COMPLIANCE: US Citizen or Green Card holder; permanent residence within a daily 45-minute driving radius of Pewaukee, WI.
If you are a true mechanical craftsman who hates the repetitive monotony of high-volume line assembly and wants a technical home where genuine problem-solving skills are valued, this custom machine building role offers an ideal destination. Operating as an established, long-standing custom automation provider in the Pewaukee area, this industry pioneer has spent decades designing and building high-specification, one-of-a-kind machinery for global manufacturers.
Rejecting rigid corporate silos, this shop fosters a tight-knit environment where mechanical builders, electrical wiremen, and engineering staff work side-by-side on the floor from day one. Every system born on this production floor is a custom, complex automation asset integrating cutting-edge controls, robotics, vision systems, and fluid power loops. Once a project hits the floor, you have end-to-end ownership of the build, the creative freedom to finesse mechanical alignments, and a direct line to engineering. Backed by an opening created by an upcoming retirement, excellent job security, and modern CAD-equipped workstations, this environment provides an exceptional long-term home for a proud trades professional.
What You Will Be Doing (Daily Responsibilities)
- Build Complex Custom Systems: Build, fit, align, and assemble diverse, high-value custom automated machinery, robotic cells, assembly presses, and packaging lines from the ground up.
- Interpret Technical Schematics: Read and build from highly detailed multi-view mechanical drawings, assembly blueprints, and pneumatic/hydraulic fluid power schematics to establish proper build sequencing.
- Utilize On-Floor 3D Modeling: Access 3D CAD digital models directly at shop-floor workstations to verify spatial relationships, check mechanical clearances, and inspect complex sub-assemblies in real time.
- Install Fluid Power Systems: Layout, bend, route, and mount complex pneumatic manifolds, valve blocks, and high-pressure hydraulic circuits neatly onto machine frames.
- Precision Mechanical Finessing: Shim, scrape, adjust, and tune precision components to exact tolerances, utilizing toolmaking-level techniques to guarantee flawless mechanical motion and cycling.
- Collaborate with Engineering: Partner directly with mechanical design engineers on-site to troubleshoot assembly bottlenecks, verify tolerances, and resolve design deviations on the fly.
- Teardown & Crating: Oversee the tactical breakdown, match-marking, packing, and crating of completed custom machines to prepare them for customer transport and field installation.
What We Are Looking For (Requirements & Qualifications)
- Proven Machine Building Pedigree: 5+ years of progressively responsible experience executing ground-up mechanical machine builds, OR 2+ years of experience backed by a formal background in precision toolmaking, die building, or custom fixture assembly.
- Complex System Craftsmanship: Demonstrated background building high-speed material handling systems, precision automated lines, or custom packaging machinery (not component-level bench assembly).
- Blueprint & Schematic Literacy: Expert ability to read, interpret, and assemble complex machinery directly from multi-page mechanical assembly prints and fluid power schematics.
- Precision Tool Mastery: Expert, safe operation of hand and power tools, shop equipment (mills, lathes, surface grinders), and precision measuring instruments (calipers, micrometers, dial indicators).
- Collaborative Mindset: Strong interpersonal skills and a team-first work ethic to partner effectively with wiremen, controls engineers, and plant leadership.
- Location & Legal Authorization: Residence established within a comfortable daily 45-minute commuting radius of Pewaukee, WI, and US Citizenship or Green Card holder status.
Preferred Technical Assets (Bonus Skills)
- Toolmaking Journeyman Card: Formal apprenticeship completion or Journeyman credentials in Tool & Die or Precision Machining.
- Basic Electrical / Sensor Alignment: Ability to mount, align, and wire basic 24V proximity sensors, photoeyes, and limit switches during mechanical assembly.
- Robotics & Vision Cell Setup: Hands-on experience mounting and mechanically squaring end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) or camera mounting frames.