CNC Machinist — Aerospace & Defense | 2nd Shift Premium Pay

$24.85–$36.15/hr + 10% Shift Differential + Hire-On Bonus | Day 1 Benefits | Weekly Pay

Elk Grove Village, IL | Full-Time | 2nd Shift

More pay. Less traffic. Better work.

Not everyone is built for 2nd shift — but for the right machinist it's the best deal in the building. You come in when the chaos dies down, you get more machine time, fewer interruptions, and a 10% differential on top of an already competitive hourly rate. If you're a CNC machinist who takes pride in the work and wants to be paid like it, Acme Industries wants to meet you.

We've been machining precision components since 1948 for aerospace, defense, power generation, mining, and transportation customers who cannot afford mistakes. We run castings and forgings — large, complex, tight-tolerance parts on FANUC-controlled CNC mills, boring machines, and turning centers. This is real machining, not a production grind.

2nd shift is open now. 1st shift openings are coming — if days are your preference, apply now and we'll keep you in the conversation.

What You'll Own

Operate CNC milling, boring, and turning machines using FANUC controls — make offset adjustments, tooling changes, and light setups to keep parts running to print
Machine castings and forgings into precision aerospace and defense components — close tolerances, high stakes, quality done right the first time
Read and interpret blueprints, GD&T, and engineering drawings accurately and independently
Perform in-process and final inspection using precision measurement tools — micrometers, calipers, bore gauges, dial indicators
Verify conformance to customer and engineering requirements — you catch your own issues before they become problems
Troubleshoot machining issues — tool wear, surface finish, out-of-tolerance conditions — and assist with process improvements
Maintain a safe, organized, 5S work environment on your machine and your area

What We Need

Required:

Strong blueprint reading and interpretation skills — you work from a print, not from memory
Commitment to safety, quality, and attendance — these are non-negotiable at Acme
Ability to lift and move materials up to 50 pounds
Ability to communicate effectively in English

Strongly Preferred:

5+ years of CNC machining experience with FANUC controls — milling, boring, or turning
Experience machining castings, forgings, and close-tolerance components
Working knowledge of tooling, feeds, speeds, offsets, and machining best practices
GD&T proficiency — you read it, you understand it, you work to it
G-code and M-code familiarity
Aerospace, defense, or heavy industrial precision manufacturing background
AS9100 or ISO 9001 quality system experience
Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving instincts — you fix it, you don't wait for someone else to

Why Acme

$24.85–$36.15/hr — range reflects your actual experience level, not a starting floor everyone gets
10% shift differential on 2nd shift — a machinist at $30/hr base takes home the equivalent of $33/hr effective on 2nd
Hire-on bonus — money in your pocket when you start
Day 1 medical, dental, and vision — no 30- or 90-day wait, coverage starts your first day
Weekly pay — not bi-weekly like most shops
401(k) with company match
Company-paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability
Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
Gainsharing bonus — when Acme hits its numbers, you share in it
Overtime opportunities — 2nd shift overtime adds up fast
Tuition assistance — we invest in your growth
Complex, interesting work — aerospace and defense components that matter, not the same part every day
75+ years of stability — founded in 1948, PE-backed, actively growing
Clear career path — workforce development and apprenticeship program with room to grow into setup, lead, and training roles
Clean, safe, modern facility — we take the shop environment seriously
Food trucks, ice cream days, employee appreciation events — a shop culture that recognizes the people running the machines

About Acme Industries

Since 1948, Acme Industries has been a trusted precision manufacturer serving aerospace, defense, power generation, mining, and transportation markets from our facility in Elk Grove Village, IL. We're ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D certified and we specialize in large, complex machined castings and forgings for customers who expect quality done right the first time. We're growing fast and building the team that will take us there.