CNC Programmer (1st Shift | NW Houston, TX | Manufacturing)
Federal Signal · Houston, TX
- Level
- Technician
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Degree
- Required (or equivalent experience)
- Experience asked
- 5+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A technician-level manufacturing role at Federal Signal (industrial) in Houston, TX. Create, optimize, and release CNC programs, nests, and machine files using ProNest and EnRoute.
- They ask for
- 5+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
- Tools it names
- Lean, Kaizen, GD&T, CNC, Tooling
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Manufacturing Technician roles in the US: typical posted base $60k–$92k.
Median of the low and high ends of 77 live postings that list pay, out of 1240 manufacturing technician openings in the US, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Texas plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 110 other live manufacturing postings in Texas.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (5+ vs 4+)
Typical $85k–$105k, from 5 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 4+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Team leadership 45%
- ✓ Tooling 35%
- Machining 25%
- ✓ CNC 22%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Kaizen, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Federal Signal
Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. Use the team search on this page to find them.
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
- 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
Full description from Federal SignalAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Required Qualifications
- ✓Technical degree in Manufacturing Technology, Engineering Technology, CAD/CAM, or related field, or equivalent hands-on experience.
- ✓5+ years of CNC programming experience within a fabrication or sheet metal manufacturing environment.
- ✓Proficiency with ProNest and EnRoute programming software.
- ✓Strong understanding of sheet metal fabrication processes, including cutting, routing, forming, and press brake operations.
- ✓Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, and Bills of Material.
- ✓Working knowledge of CNC equipment, tooling, material behavior, feeds, speeds, and machine capabilities.
- ✓Strong troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- ✓Proficiency with Microsoft Office and manufacturing/ERP systems.
Preferred Qualifications
- ✓Experience supporting plasma, laser, router, or press brake operations.
- ✓Experience with Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
- ✓Knowledge of fabrication planning, production scheduling, and workflow optimization.
- ✓Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems and electronic work order management
Essential Physical
Requirements
- ✓Regularly required to lift, carry, pull and push 50lbs. unassisted
- ✓Regularly standing, stooping, kneeling, bending and turning
- ✓Exposed to outdoor weather temperatures
Required Work Hours and Schedules
- ✓Must be able to work between 6:00 AM and 4:30 PM
- ✓Occasional Saturday’s, as required to meet Production needs
requirements
of internal and external Customers; gets Customer information and uses it for im
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Company Profile
Founded in 1989, Travis® Body & Trailer, Inc. began operations after purchasing the former facilities of CMC Trailers, Inc. in Houston, Texas. In its early years, the company produced only the classic aluminum end-dump trailer—designs largely unchanged from CMC models of the 1970s and 1980s. Since then, Travis has grown steadily in size and national market presence. This growth has been driven by increased industry demand and a company-wide commitment to becoming the leader in quality through expert craftsmanship and continuous innovation.
Job Purpose
We are seeking a skilled CNC Programmer with experience in ProNest and EnRoute to develop, optimize, and release fabrication programs supporting our sheet metal and fabrication operations. This hands-on technical role is responsible for converting engineering designs into efficient CNC programs, maximizing material utilization, improving machine productivity, and ensuring high-quality fabrication output.
The ideal candidate has strong sheet metal fabrication knowledge, experience programming CNC cutting and forming equipment, and a passion for continuous improvement. This is a highly collaborative position that works closely with Engineering, Production, Quality, and Materials teams to keep manufacturing running efficiently and on schedule.
Essential Job
CNC Programming & Manufacturing Support
- •Create, optimize, and release CNC programs, nests, and machine files using ProNest and EnRoute.
- •Program fabrication equipment including routers, shears, press brakes, and other CNC machinery.
- •Develop efficient nesting strategies to maximize material yield, reduce scrap, and improve throughput.
- •Review engineering drawings, specifications, and Bills of Material (BOMs) to ensure manufacturability and accuracy.
- •Convert production work orders into executable fabrication programs and machine-ready files.
- •Maintain tooling libraries, bend allowances, machine parameters, and fabrication documentation.
- •Support press brake programming, tooling selection, bend sequencing, and forming strategies.
Production & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- •Partner with fabrication operators to resolve programming, setup, and production issues.
- •Collaborate with Engineering to address design changes, manufacturability concerns, and drawing revisions.
- •Work with Materials and Production teams to ensure jobs are production-ready and materials are available.
- •Adjust priorities and program schedules to support changing production demands and machine capacity.
Process Improvement & Quality
- •Continuously improve nesting strategies, machine utilization, and overall fabrication efficiency.
- •Identify opportunities to reduce scrap, rework, downtime, and cycle times.
- •Ensure programs and fabricated parts meet print requirements, tolerances, and quality standards.
- •Participate in Lean Manufacturing, Kaizen, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- •Support other manufacturing programming and fabrication activities as needed.
Key Competencies
Consistently Achieves Results - Effectively manages budgets; meets planned financial targets; achieves both top and bottom line growth objectives; readily produces strategies for reducing or avoiding costs without compromising quality; meets the Customer’s satisfaction level; meets or exceeds the standards set for the position specific responsibilities.
Analytical Abilities - Makes recommendations based on solid assumptions when solving complex problems; analyzes data to obtain meaningful information; identifies conflicting or inaccurate information.
Problem Solving - Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; probes all fruitful sources for answers; can see hidden problems; is excellent at honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn’t stop at first answers.
Interpersonal Skills - Relates well to all kinds of people, up, down, and sideways, inside and outside the company; builds appropriate rapport; listens; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; truly values people; can diffuse even high-tension situations comfortably.
Customer Focus - Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and
