{"id":1968736,"url":"https://alion.io/job/ncar-machinist-instrument-maker-level-iii","title":"Machinist-Instrument Maker Level III","company":{"id":43167,"name":"NCAR","domain":"ucar.edu","url":"https://alion.io/company/ncar","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":null},"role":"Field & Service","role_family":"Field & Service","seniority":"middle","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Boulder, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":73140,"max":91430,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":91430},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":6,"visa_sponsorship":true,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"GD&T","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-06T18:22:45Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-15","last_verified_at":"2026-10-31T21:48:24Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":25,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":25},"description":"Position Type:\nTerm - 6 months or more (Fixed Term)Visa Sponsored Job:\nNoRelocation Assistance Eligible:\nNoHiring Range:\n73,140.00 USD - 91,430.00 USD*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.\nApplication Closes at 12:00am MST on:\n2026-10-31About the Role\nUCAR is excited to announce the job opening for the Machinist-Instrument Maker Level III role. This position serves as an advanced Machinist- Instrument Maker within Design and Fabrication Services (DFS). Receives broad direction to plan and perform complex high-precision machining and fabrication for research and prototype instruments using advanced knowledge of machining, materials, CNC programming, inspection, and fabrication methods. Collaborates with scientists, engineers, designers, and technical staff to develop manufacturable solutions, contributes at the design level, provides technical guidance to other shop personnel as needed, and may serve as project leader on designated fabrication projects.EOL is NSF NCAR’s observational enterprise, serving as a vital hub for scientific discovery and technological innovation in the atmospheric and Earth sciences. The majority of NSF’s Lower Atmosphere Observing Facilities (LAOF), part of the NSF Facilities for Atmospheric Research and Education (FARE) Program, are managed and operated by EOL. Through deployment of these assets, paired with a program for innovation in instrument development, signal processing, and discovery science, EOL provides US researchers with comprehensive, end-to-end solutions that have significant global implications for understanding our planet’s atmospheric systems. The NSF NCAR Gulfstream V and C-130 aircraft serve as airborne laboratories equipped with advanced instrumentation capable of capturing data across diverse spatial and geographical contexts. On the ground, in-situ and remote sensing instrumentation probe surface and boundary layer dynamics and enable thermodynamic profiling through flexible, state-of-the-art backbone measurement capabilities and science. Through comprehensive archival and stewardship services, EOL ensures that scientific data from NSF-funded and other field campaigns are not only preserved and analyzed but also shared widely. Design and fabrication services enable engineers and scientists to work together to develop, create and deploy innovative instrumentation and sampling approaches to address emerging research challenges.\nThis is a two-year term position.\nJob Description\nKey Responsibilities:\nPlans, programs, sets up, operates, and troubleshoots CNC and manual machine tools and other fabrication equipment to produce complex, high-precision research instruments, prototypes, and components. Performs advanced CNC/CAM programming for multi-axis machining centers; develops work holding, jigs, and fixtures; selects materials, tooling, feeds, speeds, and fabrication sequences; and uses precision inspection equipment to verify conformance to drawings, tolerances, and quality requirements.\nCollaborates with scientists, engineers, designers, technicians, and other instrument makers on instrument design and development. Reviews CAD models, engineering drawings, specifications, sketches, and verbal requirements; evaluates manufacturability; recommends design or process changes. \nProvides technical guidance and mentoring to less-experienced shop personnel. May act as project leader on designated shop projects by coordinating fabrication activities, communicating status and technical issues, supporting schedule and cost estimates, and helping ensure completed work meets project requirements. Recommends tooling, equipment, and process improvements and performs all work in accordance with applicable shop and OSHA safety requirements. Copy over from PD and edit down to 5-10, concise bullet points.\nEducation and Experience (Required):\nCompletion of a relevant machine trade vocational program, and at least six years of high precision machine trade experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.\nKnowledge, Skills, and Abilities ( Required):\nAdvanced skill in the Machinist and Instrument Maker trades, including the fabrication of complex, close-tolerance research and prototype components. \nAdvanced skill in the set-up and operation of all machine shop equipment, tools and machines used in research/ prototype instrument making \nExtensive knowledge of technical fabrication needs and develops innovative solutions to difficult fabrication problems and complex design issues. \nProficient in evaluating CAD models, engineering drawings, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), informal sketches, specifications, verbal instructions, tolerances, materials, tooling, and fabrication requirements and determines appropriate machining and fabrication approaches. \nExtensive knowledge of machining, fixturing, inspection, and fabrication processes to improve precision, reliability, efficiency, and machine utilization. \nExtensive knowledge of fabrication techniques, process planning, work holding, fixturing, cutting tools, feeds and speeds, and efficient machining sequences. \nExtensive knowledge of CNC machine operation and advanced CAM/CNC programming, including use of GibbsCAM. Knowledge of metals, plastics, composites, and other engineering materials, including their properties, machinability, and selection for fabrication requirements. \nDemonstrated oral and written communication skills for communicating fabrication approaches, technical issues, project status, and recommendations. \nAbility to organize and coordinate designated fabrication projects, prioritize assigned work, and manage work within established schedule, cost, scope, and quality requirements. \nKnowledge of OSHA regulations, machine-shop safety practices, and safe operation of manufacturing equipment and tooling.\nPreferred Qualifications\n-\nApplication Requirements\nQuestionnaire, Resume/CVFor full consideration, all application materials must be submitted by 12am (MST) at the start of the application deadline. These should highlight how your skills and experiences align with the responsibilities of this position. We recognize that no candidate will meet 100% of the listed qualifications. If you believe your background has prepared you for success in this role, we encourage you to apply.\nSupplemental questionnaires are often requested in lieu of a cover letter, where you address critical skills needed for the position. Your answers will be read and weighed equally to your resume and should provide specific, detailed, and informative responses based on your direct and previous work experiences.\nBackground checks and/or federal screenings are conducted for candidates selected for hire.\nBenefits Overview\nUCAR offers a comprehensive benefits package: health insurance, dental, retirement plan, leave plans, tuition assistance, and employee assistance programs:\nMedical, Dental, Vision, and Short & Long Term Disability Insurance\nGenerous retirement plan - UCAR contributes of 10% of base salary\nTime Off PlansMinimum 20 days of annual PTO\n10 paid holidays\n12 weeks of paid parental leave\nFAMLI Leave \n\nTuition Assistance Program\nPublic Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer\nUCAR is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes applications from all individuals. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants are not required to provide age-related information (like date of birth or graduation dates) in initial submissions.\nFor sponsored positions: UCAR can sponsor individuals for H-1B status only if they are already in the U.S. in H-1B status or another visa status that allows them to change to H-1B status within the U.S. UCAR is unable to sponsor new H-1B visas for individuals who are outside the U.S. and need to obtain H-1B status through Consular Processing.\nWhile UCAR does not prohibit the use of AI tools in job applications, we strongly recommend that applicants submit primarily original work.\nAll roles require compliance with U.S. export control regulations and work location requirements. All hybrid staff are expected to work on-site approximately 3 days per week.","description_format":"text","description_chars":8289,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":6,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Health insurance","Parental leave","Relocation assistance","Retirement plans"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":["Environmental Science","Research Institutes"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-06T18:22:45Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":32,"band":"fade","label":"Fading","p_open":1,"p_active":0.718,"p_room":0.45,"age_days":24,"expected_fill_days":14,"reasons":["conf:2","velocity","win:tail"],"computed_at":"2026-10-31T05:58:55Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":91430,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/ncar-machinist-instrument-maker-level-iii","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/ncar-machinist-instrument-maker-level-iii.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-01T04:57:28Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":7719,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-02T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":43167},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=43167"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fncar-machinist-instrument-maker-level-iii"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fncar-machinist-instrument-maker-level-iii"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fncar-machinist-instrument-maker-level-iii"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/ncar-machinist-instrument-maker-level-iii\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fncar-machinist-instrument-maker-level-iii"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":1968736}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"ucar.edu","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":1968736},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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