CNC sliding head turner in Bolton, Greater Manchester

CNC Sliding Head Turner - Programmer/Setter/Operator

At a glance :

• Role: Program, set and operate a Citizen sliding-head lathe (end-to-end ownership from prove-out to production)
• Pay: Competitive salary (DOE) + overtime
• Hours: Permanent, full-time; days
• Environment: Clean, modern Precision engineering company, safety-first, quality-focused

The role (why you'd want it):

If you're an experienced Sliding Head Turner who enjoys owning jobs from setup through to stable production, this is a hands-on role where you'll be trusted to optimise programs, improve cycle times, and deliver right-first-time quality.

Key responsibilities (what you'll be doing):

• Program, set and operate a Citizen sliding-head CNC lathe, including prove-outs and first-off approvals.
• Edit/optimise CNC programs at the machine (ISO/G-code) to improve efficiency and tool life.
• Complete full set-ups: tooling, offsets, workholding, guide bush selection, bar feed setup and tool touch-offs.
• Produce components to drawing/spec, meeting quality, cost and delivery targets.
• Carry out in-process inspection using micrometers, verniers, bore gauges and complete QC/SPC records.
• Identify and resolve machining issues (surface finish, chatter, tool wear, dimensional drift).
• Support basic maintenance, fault finding and machine care.
• Maintain 5S/housekeeping standards and contribute to continuous improvement.

Salary & benefits:

• Competitive salary (dependent on experience) plus overtime and shift premiums where applicable.
• Pension, holiday entitlement, and training/development support.
• Long-term, stable opportunity with progression potential.

Working conditions & shifts:

• Permanent, full-time, on-site manufacturing role.
• Shift pattern to be confirmed (typical options: days / 2-shift / nights).
• Overtime may be required during peak workloads.

Required skills & qualifications:

• Proven experience as a Sliding Head / Swiss-type CNC Turner (programming + setting + operating).
• Citizen experience beneficial but any sliding head(STAR?) experience considered.
• Confident reading engineering drawings and working to tight tolerances (GD&T awareness beneficial).
• Strong understanding of cutting tools, feeds/speeds and process control.
• Competent with precision measurement and inspection techniques.
• Apprenticeship / NVQ Level 3 (or equivalent) in Engineering/Machining preferred.

Desirable:

• Offline programming / CAM exposure.
• Experience machining stainless steels, exotic alloys or engineering plastics.
• Live tooling, sub-spindle or multi-axis sliding-head experience.

About the company:

A specialist precision engineering manufacturer producing high-quality turned components, operating a safety-first and quality-driven culture with a focus on continuous improvement.

This is a permanent job with a starting salary dependant on experience. You must have current UK right to work to be considered. HRGO are a recruitment agency supporting UK Manufacturing. We aim to respond to all applications.