Top Level Programmer

[cincy k]

I am looking for a top level programmer and manufacturing person to help take my business to the next level. We have extremely nice equipment and software with more on the way. Currently have a Matsuura 5 axis, 3 VMCs and 2-2 axis lathes and a HMC coming in about 3 weeks along with a Zeiss CMM. We are a small company, 6 currently, and looking to grow at a steady clip with the right people, equipment and processes. Implementing Vericut for the MX-520 and HMC is on the short list of projects along with ISO certification. We've latched on to a very nice project and have a few more in the works. 

 

How do I go about finding this person? We're in the Greater Cincinnati area. If you know anyone who may have interest please send them my way. 

 

Are recruiters of any use in this particular type of search? Any suggestions would be great. 

 

Thanks.

Troy K

[Hardmill]

I am looking for a top level programmer and manufacturing person to help take my business to the next level. We have extremely nice equipment and software with more on the way. Currently have a Matsuura 5 axis, 3 VMCs and 2-2 axis lathes and a HMC coming in about 3 weeks along with a Zeiss CMM. We are a small company, 6 currently, and looking to grow at a steady clip with the right people, equipment and processes. Implementing Vericut for the MX-520 and HMC is on the short list of projects along with ISO certification. We've latched on to a very nice project and have a few more in the works. 

 

How do I go about finding this person? We're in the Greater Cincinnati area. If you know anyone who may have interest please send them my way. 

 

Are recruiters of any use in this particular type of search? Any suggestions would be great. 

 

Thanks.

Troy K

 

Contact Brian Cerkas here on the forum

Great resource for finding you someone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PEACE

 

[cincy k]

Thanks.

[Watcher]

I always find a pleasure when I see companies that are looking for top notch people in order to become top notch providers. This seems to be a great spot and with the right atmosphere for a high level professional who is looking for the extra mile.

 

I remember the first company I worked as programmer, 12 years ago... I was hired as a Heidenhain operator, with a xxxxty salary but coming from unemployment that was a great opportunity. The company was doing low/mid level aerospace 3 axis jobs and was buying all NC-Programs from a PowerMill guy that worked at Panasonic during the day and was doing programming for small companies in the neighborhood during his regular shift. (Yes, you got the ideia)

 

One day a big part with lots of 3D surfaces and a complex geo got in the queue, and this guy declined to program it. I asked for an opportunity, said that I could make it myself if I was given a chance. In the next 2 years I got 5 salary raises, normally right after the delivery of another part that that shop never thought they could make a few months earlier. After two years, we were among Embraer´s top 3 tooling suppliers, and specialized in complex jobs no one wanted. But the company was still reluctant to enter into the multiaxis world. I wasn´t.

 

Short story, I learned a lot and made a lot of mistakes too. One day I decided to quit to pursue a 5 axis programming job that would start a few weeks later, with a 3 months internship in Germany, my boss sponsored a barbecue at my home, and made a toast in front my entire family - Told me that he was happy for me, that I had to move on and pursue things he wasn´t able to offer at that moment, and that thanks to me his company was in a new level and could do complex work, that I was leaving a legacy and that with it they could move on, and that my stay taught them how important it is to give people a chance, and that if they´re the right people, the company stay competitive.

 

I´m not bragging about myself, just telling a small story I had in my life.

 

Needless to say some tears rolled over my face and my wife´s, and that toast made me to pursue everyday the best for my employers, and to constantly keep in the horizon that I´m here to share and learn with the teams I work with. Smart companies surround themselves with the best people around: Employees, contractors, customers, suppliers, consultants, you name it.

 

Good luck in your search!

[Colin Gilchrist]

I've done some contract work with Troy, and he was a pleasure to work with. If I lived in the Cincinnatti area, this would certainly be something I would consider. I believe that Troy is putting all the pieces in place to not only grow his business, but to thrive in today's global economy.

[Hardmill]

I've done some contract work with Troy, and he was a pleasure to work with. If I lived in the Cincinnatti area, this would certainly be something I would consider. I believe that Troy is putting all the pieces in place to not only grow his business, but to thrive in today's global economy.

 

Great to hear good luck Troy

 

And Daniel brag away, its a great story and you should be proud

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PEACE

 

[Guest]

Just something to keep in mind when it comes to top level guys.....

 

Keep them busy, keep them engaged and from a work stand point, most important, keep them challenged.

 

Good luck in your search!

[cincy k]

Thanks for the support and words of wisdom. We're doing our best to build a first class organization. It's hard but certainly worth it in my book.

 

On the lookout... 

[m98custom1212]

How much are looking to pay?

[cincy k]

Anything that's reasonable. Likely some sort of base whether it be hourly or salary and then a quarterly bonus based on some sort of metric. Profit, on time delivery, machine up time, internal project completion, quality. All metrics to be considered. In the end it's les about the money and more about the right person. Looking for someone to be as close to a partner in the business without owning a percentage.

[m98custom1212]

Anything that's reasonable. Likely some sort of base whether it be hourly or salary and then a quarterly bonus based on some sort of metric. Profit, on time delivery, machine up time, internal project completion, quality. All metrics to be considered. In the end it's les about the money and more about the right person. Looking for someone to be as close to a partner in the business without owning a percentage.

 

I get that but you only $23/hr then you probably won't get much in terms of a programmer/lead man/manger/engineer  that's what it sound like to me you want.  You're talking easily a 90K -100K salary unless you give that person a percentage.    

[cincy k]

I don't see 90k-100k being unreasonable. Again it's the right person that sees an opportunity and will seize it.

[#Rekd™]

Depends on tye area, in California you would need to double that to get a top notch guy IMHO.

[mikenaturalice]

If I was in that area I would jump all over that. Just the thought of being in something that sounds so exciting! I want to play with the MX520!!! 

[m98custom1212]

Depends on tye area, in California you would need to double that to get a top notch guy IMHO.

 

Wonderful high cost of living of Califrornia.. I was speaking in terms of Ohio sense I'm familiar with wages.  

 

Cincy K- I say go for it, Looking for Shop Owner Material that doesn't own a shop basically. If I  may ask what is your role there? 

[AMCNitro]

Anything that's reasonable. Likely some sort of base whether it be hourly or salary and then a quarterly bonus based on some sort of metric. Profit, on time delivery, machine up time, internal project completion, quality. All metrics to be considered. In the end it's les about the money and more about the right person. Looking for someone to be as close to a partner in the business without owning a percentage.

Thats a bit unfair.  You're looking for someone that is willing to put the hours and effort that an owner would put into it but you only want to give him $23 an hour.  At that hourly rate you're going to find someone that will grow with  the company while potentially helping the company grow.   If you're truly looking for someone that will help you grow the company you should expect to pay at least $28 for that level of experience.  

[CJep]

Thats a bit unfair.  You're looking for someone that is willing to put the hours and effort that an owner would put into it but you only want to give him $23 an hour.  At that hourly rate you're going to find someone that will grow with  the company while potentially helping the company grow.   If you're truly looking for someone that will help you grow the company you should expect to pay at least $28 for that level of experience.  

 

That's not what Cincy K said, read post #12.

[AMCNitro]

That's not what Cincy K said, read post #12.

Ok, i didnt see post #12, I apologize.

[Watcher]

Just out of curiosity, how many hours per week you guys consider for salary calculations?

 

Here in Brazil we consider 220 hours per month, 44 hours per week. Not including overtime.

 

So I if someone makes U$6000,00 per month here, he makes USD 27,27 per hour (6000/220)

 

How do you calculate it in U.S.?

[AMCNitro]

Just out of curiosity, how many hours per week you guys consider for salary calculations?

 

Here in Brazil we consider 220 hours per month, 44 hours per week. Not including overtime.

 

So I if someone makes U$6000,00 per month here, he makes USD 27,27 per hour (6000/220)

 

How do you calculate it in U.S.?

We calculate a 40 hour week.

[Watcher]

So a rate of USD 23,00/h is per month USD 4600,00, gross?

[gcode]

They use 40 for the calculations but expect 50 most places I've worked.

The last place I worked paid salary.

We normally worked 40hrs a week and 6 hrs every 3rd Saturday so it wasn't a bad deal.

After I left one of the programmers took the company to the California Labor Board

He maintained that it was illegal to pay CNC Programmers salary based on the job description

and required duties.

He won.. and they started paying hourly.

They closed down the machine shop last year and they're getting paid nothing now.

[CJep]

Typically salaried employees are exempt from overtime.  

[Watcher]

There´s always the two sides of the line.

 

Before the job I mentioned here, I´ve worked for people that came to me with this "...let´s build this together..." when they literally didn´t know how, or had people that knew how, to reference a CNC machine. After putting all pieces together and training other people, all promises that were made to me were empty. 

 

The opposite also happened in future jobs, when I got salary raises and promotions without asking for them. So it´s hard to tell. 

 

Experience tells me that the majority of people will act with greed and use you as a ladder, but there are people who are decent and don´t walk away from what they agreed with you.

 

I personally enjoy the challenge more than the money, and that is a drive I always had, that put me in trouble and allowed people to take advantage of me, but also prepared me for greater challenges, because I have a mantra I always repeat to everyone that works with me:

 

"I never worked in a company that took from me more than I took from them. Ever."

 

I measure my success by the knowledge I accumulate and by the fact that it is the capital I have to have in order to look for a new job. If a company shuts their doors, it´s my knowledge that will get me a new job. I don´t have money to buy CNC machines and most of the infrastructure around them, so I need to work for someone and use his company as a lab for my own development. As a side effect his company also gets competitive and all benefits that comes with it, but my main focus is to push my own limits. 

 

That´s how I see it. Seriously. 

 

So when I stumble across a bad employer or someone with bad intentions, I simply consider that as a distraction and move on. I don´t have time in life to spend suing employers or to whine about them. If I made a bad choice, I move on and that´s it. Everyone has to live with the choices we made in our life, be it to move things forward or to cause harm to people.

 

For the same reason, countless times I started in jobs and projects some people wouldn´t.

 

When I moved to GE, I was a Sr. NC Programmer in that Germany Aerospace company I mentioned. I had dealt with WFLs in Germany during my internship, but we didn´t had any here in the Brazilian site.

 

I was living in a small town, great salary and had a solid reputation in the company. We used Pro/NC there.

 

One day, a colleague attended a Pro/E training with a guy from GE. The GE guys mentioned they´re looking for a Pro/NC expert to help them to implement WFL machines. My colleague gave him my contact.

 

A month later I got a call. Went to an interview and they told me they wanted someone that could implement 3 WFLs in their site in Sao Paulo, that they had bought Vetco Gray and they were in the 80´s in regards MFG Technology, and that this person would have to handle the WFLs that were coming plus re-invent their industrial engineering dept. in terms of technology and methods. Of course I loved it.

 

But there was a problem: They didn´t have a position for a leadership role (Yes, a big bullxxxx) but for a NC-Programmer, so they could not pay me as a leader.

 

In brief, salary 13% lower, living cost 20% higher because Sao Paulo is a big town.

 

I accepted. Within a year a half I was nearly broken. Making the ends meet. But I was having a great time and learning a lot, training people and dealing with the best MillTurn technology in the world. It took me 3 years to conquer a great salary again, but when it came, it came like I never expected. I was promoted to Engineering Technical Leader, a very nice role within GE´s structure.

 

Do I regret accepting this job? Not for a second. Our family struggled a bit, but no regrets. It prepared me for my current role. It gave me visibility in the Oil&Gas segment here. The transformation GE experienced spokes volumes and competitors noticed it. 

 

Honestly, I think it wasn´t that hard because the guys were in mid age when I started there. Vetco Gray was broken. So anyone with a minimal experience and will would have made a positive transformation. Among the blind a one-eyed man is king.

 

When I was invited to lead the manufacturing engineering at OneSubsea Brazil, I came with a salary 30% higher, in a leadership role and with full support to re-invent our dept. Had I said no to GE because of money, I wouldn´t be here.

 

So sometimes in life, I think we have to make a bet and work hard to make it happen. Then success or money is a consequence. 

 

Of course you can bump into people that will take advantage from you and give you a xxxx once they sucked everything they could or once you made them rich.

 

But don´t ever forget you´re a product for a market, and that if you don´t continuously invest in your development, this market will someday find you not unique and them you will end up working for people that also don´t do unique things, and anything that is not unique is underrated. That´s how the market is.

 

JM2C

[AMCNitro]

Im just very weary of the owners that tell me that working for their company is a great opportunity, and that the company has grown XX amount and hes projecting that it will grow xx amount this year.  Im my experience "great opportunity to help a growing company" has meant that they basically want a guy to work a huge amount of hours and get paid as little as possible but "we'll take care of you when we grow".  I guess ive just had bad experiences.  Im not saying that the OP is this kind of person.