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Machinist II 1st Shift (M-F 6AM- 2:30PM)

Woodward · Niles, IL · $16.49–$28.60 an hour · Full time

Posted Sep 29, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

This is second shift, Monday through Friday into the late evening. How will that fit with the rest of your life?

What they are checking: Whether they have thought through the schedule and can show up reliably.

Tell me about a time you learned a new skill on the job. How did you get good at it?

What they are checking: Whether they learn by practice and asking questions, which matters for an entry-level machinist.

Woodward's machinists work under a union agreement. How do you work well with coworkers and leads on a team like that?

What they are checking: Whether they can work cooperatively within established rules and team norms on the floor.

Tell me about a mistake you made at work and how you handled it.

What they are checking: Whether they are honest about mistakes, which is essential when parts go into aircraft and engines.

What would you do

You're not sure if a part is in tolerance. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they stop and ask or check again instead of passing a questionable aerospace part along.

Your lead asks you to run a job faster than you think is safe for quality. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they speak up respectfully about quality and safety rather than quietly cutting corners.

About the work

What machines have you run, and how much of your experience is setup versus running parts?

What they are checking: Whether their skill level fits a Machinist I role and how much training they will need.

How do you read a blueprint to find the dimensions and tolerances that matter most?

What they are checking: Whether they can read prints well enough to know which features need the most care.

What measuring tools are you comfortable with, and how do you use a micrometer correctly?

What they are checking: Whether they can measure accurately, which every machinist needs on day one.

What safety rules do you follow every time you work at a machine?

What they are checking: Whether they take PPE, guards and lockout seriously instead of treating safety as optional.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Woodward from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by Woodward.

Woodward is committed to creating a great workplace for all team members. Our company and its members are committed to acting with integrity, being respectful and accountable to one another, and staying humble and driven, while maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards. We are steadfastly committed to attracting the best talent across our communities, creating a rewarding workplace. Together we are fulfilling our purpose to design and deliver energy control solutions our partners count on to power a clean future. Woodward supports our members’ wellbeing and regularly benchmarks with other companies in our industry to offer an extensive Total Reward package for this position. Salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data. • Estimated annual base pay: • Machinist I - $ 16.49 - $ 28.60 • Machinist II - $17.15 - $33.28 • 1st Shift Hours: 6:00am-2:30pm • All members included in cash bonus opportunity • 401(k) match (4.5%) • Annual Woodward stock contribution (5%) • Tuition reimbursement and Training/Professional Development opportunities for all members • 12 paid holidays • Industry leading medical, dental, and vision Insurance upon date of hire • Vacation / Sick Time / Vacation Buy-up / Short Term Disability / Bereavement leave • Paid parental leave • Adoption Assistance • Employee Assistance Program, including mental health benefits • Member Life & AD&D / Long Term Disability / Member Optional Life • Member referral bonus • Spouse / Child Optional Life / Optional AD&D / Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending • Voluntary benefits, including: • Home / Auto Insurance discounts • Whole Life Insurance / Critical Illness Insurance / Legal Assistance / Military Leave Are you ready to make your mark? If you’re a Machinist , we have an exciting opportunity for you. What you will be doing • Set up and operate one or more of the following machines: • CNC Lathe Machines • CNC Mill/Turn Machines • CNC OD/ID Grinders • Complete paperwork while adhering to record retention requirements. • Document nonconforming material according to procedures, participate in activities to implement root cause and corrective actions identified. • Utilize work instructions, set-up sheets and method documents to correctly operate machines and inspect machined parts. • Utilize various gauging equipment to ensure conformance to the engineering specifications and standards through the production run. • Obtain certifications as necessary for required processes. What We Are Looking For • Machinist I: • High School Diploma- Required • 0-2 years’ experience in related work or applicable degree • General knowledge of machines and equipment functionality, and how tools could be used on such equipment/machines. This includes the ability to learn new systems quickly, understanding how parts relate, and how they impact system functionality. • Knowledge of CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) programming/machining including the ability to read, understand, edit basic programs and/or basic knowledge of one or more of the following skills - grinding, turning, milling, drilling. • Machinist II: • High school diploma or equivalent required • 2-5 years' experience in related work • Knowledge of and ability to apply inspection techniques (e.g., formalized inspection standards, inspection instructions, best practices) and use inspection tools efficiently. The ability to read and use micrometers, functional and cylindrical gauges, comparators, indicator setups, calibration stickers and scales. • Intermediate ability to read, interpret and use the information presented in drawings, diagrams and blueprints to determine appropriate activities, tools, and next steps in the production process. • Intermediate knowledge of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing such as perpendicularity, parallelism, flatness. This includes the ability to interpret tolerances on prints and perform inspection techniques. This includes the ability to interpret datum structures, material condition tolerances, orientation tolerances. • Knowledge of CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) programming/machining including the ability to read, understand, edit basic programs and/or basic knowledge of one or more of the following skills - grinding, turning, milling, drilling. • General knowledge of machines and equipment functionality, and how tools could be used on such equipment/machines. This includes the ability to learn new systems quickly, understanding how parts relate, and how they impact system functionality. This also includes process optimization or the ability to identify opportunities to improve current production processes and to implement the necessary steps for the improvements. • The ability to define, diagnose, and resolve problems. This includes the ability to acquire and apply new knowledge and skills and the ability to integrate knowledge of current resources and constraints, priorities and manufacturing processes. This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (EAR).   All applicants must be U.S. Persons within the meaning of the ITAR and EAR, or eligible to obtain all required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce.  The ITAR defines a U.S. Person as a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident (i.e., 'Green Card holder'), or a protected person (e.g., asylee, or refugee). Woodward is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local laws.

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