Hey, wow Zach, I used to be a CNC machinist and CNC programmer, I'm a fitter, turner & machinist by trade. Years ago I got interested in the biological sciences and completed a course in medical laboratory technology but couldn't get a job so I then went to university and completed a degree in biochemistry and with microbiology being a major part of that.
Although I work now mainly doing development work for agriculture and horticulture and other development work I'm still basically just a machinist but combining that with science to do prototyping work and lots of other stuff.
I work in the School of Pharmacy at the university I work for ...... I work right in the lion's den undermining the false teachings of evolution and vaccination etc. Some staff, including my immediate boss, are very hostile towards me.
What CNC are you working on? I used to work on Okuma LC40 and Howa NC7 lathes with Fanuc 5 controllers (late 1970's - early 1980's) plus a few machining centres. As well as CNC we had all the rest of the usual automatic lathes and mills etc.