Tool & Die Maker / CNC Machinist
Sample Resume & ATS Keywords
BLS counts 354,800 machinist and tool-and-die-maker jobs with 34,200 annual openings despite a headline decline, and industry data shows over half of US manufacturers struggle to hire qualified CNC operators, with the median CNC operator now age 55. Recruiters in this chronic-shortage trade filter heavily on named CNC controls (Fanuc, Haas, Mazak) and NIMS credentials, so a resume that says "CNC experience" generically instead of naming the specific control system and certification will underperform in search.
All sample resume content on this page is original and illustrative — fictional candidates, realistic numbers. Use it as a pattern, not a template to copy verbatim.
Sample Tool & Die Maker / CNC Machinist resume summary
What a parseable, keyword-complete professional summary looks like for this role:
CNC Machinist (NIMS-certified, Journeyman) with 13 years in precision tool and die manufacturing for aerospace components. Programs and operates 5-axis Fanuc and Haas mills and CNC lathes, holds tolerances to +/-0.0005", and has a track record of setup-time reduction and tooling design. Proficient in CAD/CAM programming, GD&T interpretation, and CMM inspection.
Sample achievement bullets that pass ATS screening
Each bullet follows the pattern recruiters and parsers reward: exact keywords, a specific action, and a quantified outcome.
- Programmed and operated a 5-axis Fanuc-controlled mill to produce aerospace structural components, consistently holding tolerances to +/-0.0005".
- Reduced average setup time on a high-mix production cell from 90 to 35 minutes by standardizing fixture design and offset procedures.
- Designed and built 22 custom fixtures and tooling for a new part family, cutting first-article approval time from 3 weeks to 8 days.
- Earned NIMS credentials in CNC Milling and CNC Turning, plus completed a 4-year journeyman tool-and-die apprenticeship.
- Programmed CAD/CAM toolpaths (Mastercam) for a 40-part aerospace order, reducing programming time per part from 6 to 2.5 hours.
- Used CMM inspection to validate GD&T conformance on critical dimensions, maintaining a first-pass yield of 99.2% across 3 years.
- Trained 5 junior machinists on Haas lathe setup and G-code editing, reducing department-wide scrap rate from 3.5% to 1.8%.
- Diagnosed and corrected a recurring out-of-tolerance issue on a legacy Mazak lathe, restoring process capability (Cpk) from 1.02 to 1.68.
ATS keyword bank for Tool & Die Maker / CNC Machinist resumes
From our 2026 research into recruiter sourcing behavior for this role. Recruiter and ATS searches match exact strings — carry the terms your real experience supports, in the wording the posting uses.
| Keyword group | Terms recruiters search |
|---|---|
| Titles | CNC Machinist · Tool and Die Maker · CNC Programmer · Precision Machinist |
| Machining vocabulary | CNC programming · G-code · CAD/CAM · precision measurement · GD&T |
| Certifications | NIMS credentials · journeyman status · apprenticeship completion |
| Equipment | mill and lathe operation · CMM · Fanuc controls · Haas controls · Mazak controls |
| Outcome metrics | tolerances held · setup time reduction · tooling designed · first-pass yield |
Tool & Die Maker / CNC Machinist resume formatting: do this, not that
Do
- Name specific CNC control systems (Fanuc, Haas, Mazak) — recruiters search for named controls, not just "CNC experience".
- List NIMS credentials and apprenticeship/journeyman status precisely — these are hard filters in this trade.
- Quantify outcomes: tolerances held, setup time reduced, tooling designed or built, first-pass yield.
- Name equipment specifically — mill and lathe types, CMM, axis count (3-axis, 5-axis).
- Include CAD/CAM software names (Mastercam, SolidCAM) if used for programming.
Don't
- Don't write "operated CNC machines" without naming the control system — generic phrasing loses exact-match searches.
- Don't omit tolerance figures; stating +/-0.0005" or similar is standard evidence of precision-work capability.
- Don't leave out NIMS or apprenticeship credentials even if informally earned — state the credential name precisely.
- Don't understate tooling and fixture design work; it signals higher skill than operation alone.
- Don't use a functional (skills-only) resume format — chronological with named equipment per role performs better in ATS parsing.
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