Job Description:
HIGHLINE COMMERCE × GOB.EARTHJOB DESCRIPTIONCNC Operating Lead Manufacturing as a Service
- Industry City, Brooklyn
- Full-time, hourly
- Immediate start
Role at a glance:
Highline Commerce and Gob. Earth are hiring a hands-on CNC Operating Lead to run CNC production and own machine upkeep, quality control, and packing for Gob. Earth's earplug line. This is the first full-time hire in Highline's new Manufacturing as a Service division, and you'll help us build the department from the ground up and scale it. TitleCNC Operating LeadHiring companies Highline Commerce, in partnership with Gob. Earth LocationOn-site at Highline's dedicated manufacturing space on the Industry City campus, Brooklyn, NY (separate from our main warehouse) Start date ImmediateEmployment type Full-time, hourly ScheduleMonday–Friday, day shift, about 40 hours per week; occasional extra hours during production pushes Pay$30–$35 per hour, based on experience Reports toGob. Earth's lead of Manufacturing / COO for production; Highline Operations for site matters
About us:
Gob. Earth makes earplugs cut from a natural material, designed for comfort and made with care. Every unit goes directly into someone's ear, so craftsmanship and consistency matter as much as volume. Highline Commerce is a tech-forward logistics company founded in 2020 to serve small and emerging consumer brands, with facilities in Brooklyn, Atlanta, Alpharetta, and Dayton, Ohio. Highline runs warehouse operations, fulfillment, and shipping for brands like Gob. Earth. With this role, Highline is launching a new business line: Manufacturing as a Service, built alongside our 3PL offering. We're making a significant investment because we believe this is the future of manufacturing: made in the city, right next to logistics and the customers it serves. Gob. Earth is the first brand in the program. You'll be employee one of this division. We want someone fully brought in who will help us create the department, bring it to life, and then scale it, first to multiple locations and eventually to new manufacturing clients beyond Gob. Earth.
About the role:
We're looking for someone with a maker's mindset: a background in a home shop, maker space, small custom-woodworking operation, or hobbyist CNC work, rather than a certified industrial machinist. You're comfortable being the only one troubleshooting when something goes wrong. You keep the workspace cleaner than shop culture usually demands. You've built an intuitive feel for the tools through hands-on repetition, not formal certification. We run Carbide 3D machines, which are well-regarded among makers and small shops for being approachable and well-supported, but they are not industrial-grade equipment. That's by design. We need someone genuinely comfortable at this scale, not someone overqualified on heavy machinery and impatient with a desktop-class setup's quirks and limitations. Because we cut a natural material into a product that goes directly into someone's ear, good judgment is essential. You'll develop a discerning eye and a practiced feel for the process: catching a dulling bit before it deforms product, sensing when a run has drifted out of spec before the numbers confirm it, and knowing when to stop and adjust rather than push through. That pattern recognition comes from time spent paying close attention to a machine, so we expect it to build over time. The cutting system's stages are integrated, so this role also covers quality control and packing finished product. Our roles overlap by design; on a small team, you may help with receiving or fulfillment when production needs it.
What you'll do:- CNC OPERATIONSet up and run production cuts on Carbide 3D machines using CNC software
- Prep raw material, including cutting down sheet stock to size
- Change bits and monitor tool wear, swapping bits before they affect product
- Watch runs closely and stop to adjust when output drifts from specMACHINE MAINTENANCEPerform routine upkeep: oiling, tightening bolts, cleaning, and basic mechanical adjustments
- Troubleshoot issues on the fly and get machines back to running
- Keep a clean, organized workspace and log maintenance and issuesQUALITY CONTROL AND PACKINGInspect finished earplugs against quality standards and pull anything out of spec
- Pack finished product to Gob.
- Earth's packaging standards
- Flag recurring quality issues to the manufacturing leadTEAM SUPPORT (AS NEEDED)
- Help with receiving raw materials, inventory counts, and order fulfillment when production allowsBUILDING THE DIVISIONHelp shape how the department runs: workflows, workspace setup, and production standards
- Turn what works into repeatable processes we can take to new locations
- Help plan the expansion to multiple sites and the onboarding of new manufacturing clients
- What you needHARD SKILLSOperating CNC software
- Changing bits
- Basic mechanical maintenance (oiling, tightening bolts)
- Material prep and cutting down sheet stock
- Standing at a machine for extended periodsSOFT SKILLSAbility to develop, through training, a strong feel for the qualitative side of our manufacturing process
- Detail-oriented and naturally careful
- Troubleshooting on the fly
- Comfortable with routine, hands-on machine upkeep
Nice to have:- Hands-on experience with Carbide 3D (Shapeoko, Nomad) or similar desktop/hobbyist CNC machines
- Experience cutting natural or soft materials such as wood, cork, or foam
- A portfolio or photos of things you've made
- Experience in a production or batch-making setting, even small-scale
- Familiarity with basic quality checks using calipers or similar measuring tools
- Training and support
We provide thorough training, step-by-step SOPs, and on-site onboarding. What we're hiring for is the foundation: comfort with hands-on machinery, mechanical curiosity, and a careful, detail-oriented working style.
Physical requirements:- Stand at a machine for most of a shift
- Lift and move material and boxes up to 50 lbs
- Work around machine noise and dust using provided PPE (eye and hearing protection, dust mask)
- Perform repetitive, fine-detail handwork during inspection and packing
What we offer:- $30–$35 per hour
- Paid time off and paid holidays 401(k) with company match
- A ground-floor role as the first employee in Highline's Manufacturing as a Service division, with a real hand in building and scaling itHands-on training and room to grow as the division expands to new locations and clients
- A product you can be proud of, made with care
- Equal opportunity
Highline Commerce and Gob. Earth are equal opportunity employers. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.\nCompany Descriptionhttps://www.highlinecommerce.com/Company Descriptionhttps://www.highlinecommerce.com/
