machinist jobs · hillsborough, nj
This is a manual lathe job for a machinist who can take a print and a piece of stock and turn it into a finished part, with no program doing the work. Most of what runs on our manual lathes is one-off and short-run work for industrial customers: shafts, rolls, sleeves, bushings, extruder parts and threaded components, made to print or rebuilt from a worn original.
Every job is different. You will indicate parts in the chuck or between centers, carry long shafts in the steady rest, single-point threads, bore, face and turn tapers, and hold the tolerances on the print. Many jobs arrive as a worn part or a sketch rather than a finished drawing, so judgment matters as much as speed.
You have real time on a manual engine lathe, you read prints well, and you measure your own work with micrometers, calipers, indicators and bore gauges. You take care with setups, you check before you cut, and you take pride in a part that is right the first time.
Manual lathe work is the foundation of the trade, and it is where our founder started. If you want to add manual milling, grinding or CNC setup and programming, we will teach you on real jobs.
A three-generation family machine shop in Hillsborough, New Jersey, founded in 2002. Mówimy po polsku: we speak Polish in the shop. See all our machinist jobs and our large lathe turning work.
A long shaft being turned on one of our manual lathes.
A thread cut into a shaft on the manual lathe.
You need: real hands-on experience on a manual lathe, the ability to read a blueprint, and comfort with micrometers, calipers, indicators and bore gauges. You hold size through your setup and your measuring, not by leaning on a DRO.
You bring: pride in your work, the habit of checking before you cut, and a willingness to keep learning.
Nice to have: manual mill or grinding experience, trade school or apprenticeship training, interest in learning CNC setup.
Straight answers before you apply.
| Position | Manual Lathe Operator, full time |
| Pay | $26–$34 an hour, based on experience and skill |
| Overtime | up to 10 hours a week, paid at time and a half |
| Benefits | paid vacation, sick and personal days; health insurance with Zala covering half the premium |
| Schedule | Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 5:30 pm |
| Location | Hillsborough, New Jersey (Somerset County) |
| Language | English, and we speak Polish in the shop (mówimy po polsku) |
Fill in the form below. We read every application, and we will call you if there is a fit. A résumé helps but is not required. Możesz też napisać do nas po polsku.
Questions first? Call the shop or email sales@zalamachine.com. Mówimy po polsku. See all open positions on our machinist jobs page.
