Outside Machinist Trainee Or Certified - High School Seniors Or Graduates

OUTSIDE MACHINIST TRAINEE OR CERTIFIED – FOR 2026 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS OR GRADUATES – SIGN-ON BONUS

Join to apply for the OUTSIDE MACHINIST TRAINEE OR CERTIFIED – FOR 2026 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS OR GRADUATES – SIGN‑ON BONUS role at Newport News Shipbuilding, A Division of HII

1 week ago – Be among the first 25 applicants

Req

Team: X43 MACH INSTALL

Entity:
Newport News Shipbuilding

US Citizenship

Required:

Yes

Employment Type:

Full‑Time

Shift: Multiple

Relocation assistance available

Telework:
No – not eligible

Travel:
No

Security clearance:
Not required to start

With more than 25,000 employees – including third‑, fourth‑ and even fifth‑generation shipbuilders – HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division is the largest industrial employer in Virginia. We’re the sole designer, builder and refueler of U.S. Navy nuclear aircraft carriers and one of two providers of U.S. Navy nuclear submarines. Our diverse and innovative team of professionals ranges from skilled trades to project managers, engineers and software developers to solution architects, technical subject matter experts, and system users.

Anchored in our rich, 135‑year history, we collaborate together at the forefront of technology, manufacturing, and integration of the most powerful and survivable naval ships in the world.

This position is for recent or upcoming 2026 High School graduates. Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of HII, is offering a $500 sign‑on bonus to Trade Trainee hires and an additional $500 relocation bonus for new hires living 50 miles or greater from Newport News, VA. Job seekers who apply are eligible for these bonuses. Newport News Shipbuilding offers competitive pay, weekly paychecks, paid time off, paid holidays, medical benefits including an on‑site health center, 401(k) company match, employee discounts, and more.

The sign‑on bonus is for external new hires; current employees are ineligible.

We partner with the Virginia Ship Repair Association and local community colleges and maritime training facilities to offer several course‑to‑hire Marine Trades Training (MTT) programs. Courses are offered once a month with 8–10 students per class. The Machinist Trainee program is offered at Camp Community College (Suffolk, VA). This 2‑week (80‑hour) unpaid program is held 7:00 am – 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday.

Candidates with a certificate or diploma in outside machining or a directly related field may be eligible to waive the trainee program. Directly related fields include:
Automotive Repair, Diesel Maintenance, Heavy Equipment Maintenance, HVAC, Refrigeration, Engine Maintenance, Machining and Tooling, CNC/CAD, Aviation Maintenance, Small Engine Repair, Gas Turbine Systems, and/or Commercial/Industrial Maintenance.

Outside machinists are responsible for installing, maintaining, testing, and repairing a ship’s major mechanical components and systems. Their work takes place on naval vessels at various stages of new construction, overhaul, or repair. Key components involved may include steam turbines, reduction gears, propellers, reactor components, catapults, weapons systems, periscopes, as well as laundry, food‑service, and refrigeration equipment.

Outside machinists use a wide variety of tools and machinery, from basic hand tools such as wrenches and screwdrivers to advanced equipment such as torque wrenches, micrometers, drill presses, optical instruments, mills, portable machines, boring equipment, precision grinders, and lathes.

Work may involve various weather conditions, extreme heights on scaffolding, ladders, or elevated platforms, and small, confined spaces such as tanks, compartments, or voids in a ship. These environments require a strong focus on safety, precision, and adaptability, as well as physical agility and comfort working in challenging conditions.

• Be able to complete the 2‑week (80‑hour) unpaid program or present one or more certificates of completion or diploma in Outside Machining or a directly related field.
• Willing to undergo a background investigation and drug screen.
• Pass a physical agility test.
• Be able to kneel, squat, crawl, bend, stoop, and climb on…