Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Metal machinist skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted expert

Miles Free

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical metal machinist skills. We ranked the top skills for metal machinists based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 13.5% of metal machinist resumes contained hand tools as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a metal machinist needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 metal machinist skills for your resume and career

1. Hand Tools

Here's how metal machinists use hand tools:

Operated hydraulic shears/brakes/punches, and hand tools associated with the sheet metal trade.
Operate hand tools/other machinery as necessary to complete production.

2. CNC

CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control. It is a subtractive manufacturing technique that usually uses computerized controls and machine tools to strip layers of material from a stock piece.

Here's how metal machinists use cnc:

Design and draw parts using FeatureCAM system for use on Haas CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling and lathe machines.
Operate Conventional and CNC machine tools.

3. CAD

Here's how metal machinists use cad:

Manufacture technical parts to CAD specifications* Operate three CNC milling machines simultaneously to produce components for medical equipment
Balanced operation between Digital Printers and Cad Cutters.

4. Aluminum

Aluminum is the most common nonferrous metal and the most prevalent metallic material in the Earth's crust. Aluminum is never found in its metallic form in nature, but its compounds can be found in varying degrees in nearly all minerals, vegetation, and animals. Cans, foils, cooking utensils, door frames, kegs, and aeroplane pieces are all made of aluminum.

Here's how metal machinists use aluminum:

Provided technical support for assembly line and set-up new high speed machines for manufacturing aluminum laminated tubes.
Repaired permanent molds that formed molten metal, aluminum into casting to manufacturer's specifications.

5. Solidworks

Here's how metal machinists use solidworks:

Program and machining software used is Microsoft, FeatureCAM, TechJet, and SolidWorks.
Used SOLIDWORKS 3D software to develop the initial design of the fuselage and payload.

6. Grinders

Here's how metal machinists use grinders:

Set up and operated precision lathe, mills, grinders, hot saw, hob machine, and other precision tools.
Set up and operated lathe, mills, grinders, and other precision metal machining equipment.

Choose from 10+ customizable metal machinist resume templates

Build a professional metal machinist resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your metal machinist resume.

7. Machine Tools

Here's how metal machinists use machine tools:

Manufactured precision components using manual and computer numeric control machine tools to manufacture components to high precision aerospace tolerances.
Prepared and operated a variety of machine tools to produce precision medical and surgical instruments.

8. OSHA

Here's how metal machinists use osha:

Participated in OSHA survey and follow-up recommendations.
Design and layout production lines, accommodating all machinery, personnel, OSHA regulations, and applicable state and federal laws.

9. Press Brake

Here's how metal machinists use press brake:

Set up and Operate Amada Press Brakes, form parts to print Fanuc Controllers.

10. Band Saws

A band saw is used to cut wood materials into different curves, lines, and forms to complete various tasks or projects. A band saw is typically long and sharp, containing toothed metal components that help cut materials smoothly and precisely. Additionally, a band saw can be dangerous to use, which requires a woodworker to be careful and proactive when operating them.

Here's how metal machinists use band saws:

Operated industrial band saws and forklifts to cut and organize metals of different size, grade and shape.

11. MIG

MIG is a specific type of welding in which two base materials are welded together using a solid wire electrode fed through a welding gun and into the weld pool.

Here's how metal machinists use mig:

Operated Lathe, Shear, Break, Band saw, MIG Welder and 3-axis Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) mill,
Machine parts to within tolerance for daily production, MIG weld, grind, forklift, order parts and tooling

12. Laser

The laser is a device that stimulates atoms to produce light and then directs it into a narrow path producing an intense beam of light.

Here's how metal machinists use laser:

Work closely with Mechanical Design Department creating prototype and production equipment for optical inspection systems utilizing laser technology and robotic mechanisms.
Used SV Research Vision Systems to develop vision programs; extensively used Allen Bradley PLCs and Keyence Laser Optic Sensors.

13. Jigs

Here's how metal machinists use jigs:

Created fixtures, jigs, and components in a start-up company for the development and assembly of prototype commercial lighting products.
Assisted other departments to manufacture jigs and specialized tooling to improve production quality and decrease manufacturing costs.

14. Drill Press

A drill press refers to a device used to produce holes in hard substances. When drilling the holes, you need to clamp the workpiece on a table and hold the drill in a rotating spindle and feed it into the workpiece.

Here's how metal machinists use drill press:

Set up & operated drill press-tap, ream.
Managed the Engine Lathe/Milling Machine/Drill Press/Surface Grind/Gun Drill.

15. Engineering Drawings

Engineering drawings are technical drawings that tell about the requirements for engineering components or equipment. Such drawings have standardized languages and symbols. There are multiple types of engineering drawings such as isometric drawing, orthographic or multiview drawing, schematic drawings, one view, and two view drawings, etc.

Here's how metal machinists use engineering drawings:

Worked from and interpreted engineering drawings and diagrams that do not necessarily contain detailed information of all operations.
Provided technical support in building complex composite parts, specifically during planning, engineering drawings, or specifications.

5 Metal Machinist resume examples

Build a professional metal machinist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 5+ resume templates to create your metal machinist resume.

Create my resume

Build a professional resume in minutes using this template.

What skills help Metal Machinists find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What type of skills will young metal machinists need?

Miles Free

Director, Industry Affairs, Precision Machined Products Association

Skills are essential, but most of our precision machining shops hire for attitude. We will help reliable candidates develop the skills that they need. If we look at employers having wants and needs: want - someone that knows their software. Needs - someone that knows how to adjust code; we'll teach them our software. Wants - excellent math skills. Requires the ability to do high school algebra, geometry, and trig.

Needs - people that can communicate an issue verbally and in writing.
That's where we see it. Critical thinking, ability to understand problems and their potential causes, ability to work well with others, without this, even a super-competent technically skilled person will probably find themselves changing jobs many times.

Do you want to know more?

List of metal machinist skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a metal machinist resume and required skills for a metal machinist to have include:

Hand Tools
CNC
CAD
Aluminum
Solidworks
Grinders

Machine Tools
OSHA
Press Brake
Band Saws
MIG
Laser

Jigs
Drill Press
Engineering Drawings
Spot Welding

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs