Master Prototyper

Introduction

• Description: We are looking for a Master Fabricator/Machinist/Prototyper to lead the build-out of GVCS machine prototypes. Unique opportunity with innovative open source hardware development organization.
• No. of Positions: 1
• City: Maysville
• Country / State: USA: Missouri
• Enterprise: Open Source Ecology
• Job Title Suffix: Prototyping Director

Basic Terms

• Must live on-site at Factor e Farm (accommodations and fast internet are provided, applicant covers their own food)
• Full time commitment (no outside jobs or telecommuting unless specifically negotiated)
• Applicant covers travel to and from FeF, and any insurance needs
• Financial compensation based on experience and culture fit
• Biweekly blog posting on the Factor e Farm Blog according to FeF Blogging Standards
• Alignment with open source culture, and openness to lifelong learning

Experience

Basic Requirements

• Professional (or equivalent) experience in custom fabrication and machining
• Professional (or equivalent) competency in precision machining and CNC precision machining
• Hydraulic power system design and build
• Excellent working knowledge of mechanisms and mechanics
• Excellent familiarity with engines and their electrical systems
• Experience in heavy machine operation
• Excellent working proficiency in technical drawing or CAD
  • Reading fabrication drawings
  • basic mechanical design/machine design skills

Desired Experience

• CAM, automation, and robotics
• Fabrication of gears
• Engine building from the ground up
• Tool and die production, heat treating
• Metallurgy and alloying
• Metal casting
• Power electronics design and fabrication
• Electrical generator design and fabrication
• Teaching experience
• Managing a workshop
• Ordering, bidding, and preparation of work contracts
• Precision machine design
• Agricultural machinery design
• Heavy equipment design

Machining Requirements

• Build and repair precision components of GVCS equipment as required
• Machining component parts for above
• Programming milling machines in both G & M codes and make required fixturing
• Tool and die making
• Set standards for and execute workshop facility organization, cleanliness, and maintenance

Role

• Reports to Founding Director (FD) and executes development priorities set by the FD.
• Assists FD in strategy on issues of fabrication optimization
• Performs planning, review, and reporting process on Flashy XM platform according to Planning and Review Strategy
  • Weekly or biweekly planning meeting.
  • Logging of tasks done (daily)
  • Vlogging of results (daily)
  • Keeping a Gantt chart of ongoing activities and milestones (weekly)
  • Weekly planning of calendar on wiki
  • Monthly priority planning on wiki and review of tasks done
  • Logging of microtasks on Scrumy
  • Biweekly blogging of progress updates
• Ongoing building of prototypes, and in absence of fabrication drawings, engages in design work.
• Performs field testing of prototypes to collect data, evaluate prototypes, and make improvements
• Leads teams of fabricators and apprentices in prototyping and production runs
  • Develops fabrication procedure according to Fabrication Diagram method
• Keeping workshop well-organized, ergonomic, and clean, and maintains tools in good working order. Develops standards for cleanliness, tool organization, and workflow.
• Performs quality control on prototyping work
• Trains apprentices and team members in machine operation and tool use
• Coordinates with remote fabrication teams (Prototyping Flash Fab Mobs) to build prototypes and components thereof
• Instilling a sense of pride in craftsmanship and inspiring others towards mastery
• Designing shop organization and replication strategy with management team
• Enforcing shop conduct standards covering safety, quality control, organization, and cleanliness
• Advising the Director of Learning in developing curriculum covering fabrication and machining

Requirements

The MP must be able to:

• Follow verbal and written work instructions
• Take initiative as requested
• Ability to read blue prints
• Understand G.D.T. and how it applies to the part and the manufacturing process
• Work tool steel and carbide tooling
• Work with indexing heads, sine plates, and and know trigonometry to figure distances and angles from construction holes and tooling balls
• Work with engineering and documentation personnel
• Manage interruptions and organize apprentices to meet monthly prototyping and production schedules
• Be responsible for sound judgment
• Ask questions when uncertain or blocked
• Work with minimum supervision or work closely with teams on a schedule on teams
• Be in good physical condition

Application Form

Introduction

• Name
• Link to Resume. If not available, email an attachment to recruiting at opensourceecology dot org

List the years of experience that you have; if not applicable, leave blank:

• Precision machining experience
• Custom fabrication or prototyping experience
• Prototyping experience do you have?