A Career
in Stone.
We are sustainably growing and seeking quality candidates who share our commitment to craft, quality, and long-term development.
Join Our Team
Built on People,
Built to Last.
As a business established in 1858, we take the long view on people as much as on stone.
Some of our best craftspeople joined us as apprentices and have spent their entire careers here, growing, leading, and shaping the business. We are looking for the next generation to do the same, no matter your experience or age.
"Apprentices are the life and soul of our industry."
Several of our current team, including our Production Director (19 years) and Interiors Manager (15 years), began their careers here as apprentices. We invest in people for the long term.
Current
Opportunities
Roles We Are Recruiting For.
01
Stonemasonry Apprentice
Site Mason · 2-Year Programme
Work across new builds and historic structures: installing natural stone, conserving existing stonework, and completing specialist work on porticos, facades, staircases, arches, kitchens, bathrooms, and landscape elements.
Apply: info@afjones.co.ukWe're looking for
- A passion for hands-on, practical work
- Attention to detail and willingness to learn
- Good teamwork and ownership
- Basic mathematical and computer skills
What's offered
- Mentorship from experienced stonemasons
- Structured apprenticeship with college education
- Paid transport and accommodation whilst away
- Competitive apprenticeship salary
- Level 2 NVQ diploma on completion
02
Junior / Trainee CNC Machinist
Workshop · Training Provided
A role for someone who thinks in 3D and likes to make things. You will programme and run our 3-6 axis CNC saws, cutting raw stone block into accurately shaped stones. Experience helps, but we will train the right person.
Apply: info@afjones.co.ukResponsibilities
- Programming CNC and 3-6 axis saws
- Using Alphacam to programme machinery
- Reading stonemasonry drawings on AutoCAD
- Loading and unloading saws by crane or forklift
- Daily pre-operation checks and plant maintenance
What's offered
- Competitive salary
- Company pension
- 22 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Cycle to work scheme
- Free on-site parking
Role summary
Location
Ipsden, Oxfordshire
Job type
Full-time, permanent
Licence
Driving licence (preferred)
About AFJONES
AFJONES is an ambitious business founded upon strong values and culture, centred around our obsessive commitment to quality, craft and innovation. Whilst we are proud to be family run and owned since 1858, our vision and mission is firmly set on the future. We want to work on the most challenging and intricate projects across the Architectural, Interiors & Heritage building sectors. We work hard every day with the knowledge our masonry will leave a profound legacy to be enjoyed by generations to come and be recognised as industry leading.
Ideal candidate
The ideal candidate will have worked in a workshop style environment with cutting and programming experience. Alternatively, they may have a skill set that naturally lends itself to the role. They should have high literacy skills and enjoy working in a busy, labour-intensive environment.
The candidate will relish working in a very close-knit team, that works hard and helps each other out. They show willingness to learn fast, show initiative and have incredibly high attention to detail. They will align strongly with our culture and values.
The candidate should show the ability to think in 3D, adapt to computing, particularly CAD or similar, have a keen attention to detail, and like to make things. Knowledge of technical drawing, or software like Alphacam, will be of benefit but can be developed in role for the right candidate.
The role
The role involves creating perfectly accurate shaped stones from raw stone block for facades, staircases, porticos and other architectural and heritage masonry projects. They will be using advanced CNC 3-6 axis machinery to help deliver production in the most effective and efficient way, so showing initiative and proactiveness is essential. The role is a mixture of cutting, programming, stone handling and placement, machine operations and general team communications to achieve end results to send to our in-house site fixing team.
You will need a mixture of technical and practical skills to drive complex cutting machines in producing high quality stone for new build, architectural and conservation projects.
Whilst experience in these areas is preferable, we are open to training the right candidate who aligns with our culture and team work ethic.
Tasks
- Loading and unloading saws safely, using crane or forklift (training provided)
- Planning work to ensure saws are working
- Programming CNC saws and 3-6 axis saws
- Using Alphacam to programme machinery (training provided)
- Reading and planning stonemasonry drawings on AutoCAD
- Washing down of CNC machines
- Plant maintenance duties
- Attending team and machinist meetings
- Daily pre-operation checks on your specific machines
- Illustrating you place value on health and safety by following policies and procedures
Skills desirable for the role
- Experience in machining and programming CNC saws
- Thinking and visualisation in 3D
- Experience in 3-6 axis machining
- Experience in Alphacam
- Forklift driving capability
- An understanding of construction and masonry drawings
- An understanding of manual handling
- English literacy
- Excellent communication skills
- Excellent mathematical skills
- Excellent problem solving
- Computer literacy skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Effective time management skills
- Ability to work effectively within a team
Benefits
- Competitive salary
- Company pension
- 22 days holiday allowance plus bank holidays
- Cycle to work scheme
- Free on-site parking
How to apply
To apply for the Junior/Trainee CNC Machinist role, please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your relevant experience to info@afjones.co.uk.
03
Design Manager
Design · Full-time, Permanent
We are looking for a talented Design Manager to lead design from initial concept through to production handover, turning architectural drawings into accurate, buildable designs for stone and other natural materials.
Apply: info@afjones.co.ukWe're looking for
- Proven experience in AutoCAD, Rhino or similar
- Hands-on experience with natural stone
- A track record on large, high-value contracts
- Experience in a production or manufacturing business
- Based within around 30 miles of Ipsden
What's offered
- Competitive salary
- Company pension
- 22 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Cycle to work scheme
- Free on-site parking
Role summary
Location
Ipsden, Oxfordshire
Job type
Full-time, permanent
Salary
£50,000
About AFJONES
AFJONES is an ambitious business founded upon strong values and culture, centred around our obsessive commitment to quality, craft and innovation. Whilst we are proud to be family run and owned since 1858, our vision and mission is firmly set on the future. We want to work on the most challenging and intricate projects across the Architectural, Interiors & Heritage building sectors. We work hard every day with the knowledge our masonry will leave a profound legacy to be enjoyed by generations to come and be recognised as industry leading.
Role purpose
The Design Manager will lead the design process within our production environment, translating client and architectural requirements into accurate, buildable technical drawings and specifications for stone and natural material projects. The role is central to ensuring designs are fit for purpose, commercially sound, and deliverable to the high standards required on large-value, quality-led contracts, from initial concept through to production handover.
Key responsibilities
- Produce and manage detailed technical drawings and design packages using AutoCAD, Rhino, EasyStone, or similar design software.
- Interpret architectural drawings and client specifications and develop them into accurate, production-ready designs for stone and other natural materials.
- Manage the design process across multiple concurrent contracts, ensuring designs support efficient production and installation.
- Liaise closely with clients, architects, quantity surveyors, and site teams to resolve design queries and ensure design intent is carried through to completion.
- Oversee design output on large contract value projects, ensuring accuracy, quality, and commercial viability at every stage.
- Work closely with the production team to ensure designs are practical, cost-effective, and achievable within factory and site capabilities.
- Maintain rigorous quality control of all design documentation, checking drawings for accuracy prior to release to production.
- Manage and mentor design team members, allocating workload across live projects and supporting their development.
- Keep up to date with best practice in stonemasonry, natural materials, and relevant design software and technology.
- Support estimating and pre-construction teams with technical design input during the tender stage of high-value projects.
Essential experience and skills
- Proven experience using CAD software, AutoCAD or similar stone/masonry design and detailing programmes.
- Hands-on experience working with natural stone or other natural materials, ideally within a masonry, quarrying, or architectural new build environment.
- Experience working within a production-based or manufacturing company, with an understanding of how design decisions affect the production process.
- A track record of managing design on large contract value projects, ideally within high-value, quality-focused developments.
- Based within approximately 30 miles of Ipsden, Oxfordshire, or able to commute to site reliably.
- Strong attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy and quality in all design output.
- Excellent communication skills, with the confidence to liaise directly with clients, architects, and site teams.
- Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
- A proactive, solutions-focused approach and the ability to work well within a close-knit production team.
Desirable
- A relevant qualification in architecture, structural design, building surveying, or a stone/masonry-related discipline.
- Previous experience within the stonemasonry, heritage, or natural stone industry specifically.
- Experience working on listed buildings, heritage restoration, or bespoke architectural stone projects.
- People management experience, having previously led or mentored a small design team.
What we offer
- The opportunity to work on prestigious, high-value contracts within a respected stonemasonry business.
- A collaborative, production-focused environment where design has a direct and visible impact on the finished product.
- Competitive salary, dependent on experience.
- Pension, 22 days holiday allowance plus bank holidays, training and development.
- Cycle to work scheme.
- Free on-site parking.
How to apply
To apply for the Design Manager role, please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your relevant experience to info@afjones.co.uk.
04
Marble and Granite Mason
Interiors Workshop · Full-time, Permanent
A role in our interiors workshop for a mason with experience in stone production. You will run CNCs and bridge saws, finish and check work against the drawings, and help plan the interior works.
Apply: info@afjones.co.ukResponsibilities
- Running CNCs and bridge saws
- Finishing and quality checking work
- Planning interior works to meet delivery dates
- Checking all work against the drawings
- Assisting on site with interior installations
What's offered
- Competitive salary
- Company pension
- 22 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Cycle to work scheme
- Free on-site parking
Role summary
Location
Ipsden, Oxfordshire
Job type
Permanent, full-time, 8 hour shift
Experience
Masonry: 1 year (preferred)
Licence
Driving licence (preferred)
About AFJONES
AFJONES is an ambitious business founded upon strong values and culture, centred around our obsessive commitment to quality, craft and innovation. Whilst we are proud to be family run and owned since 1858, our vision and mission is firmly set on the future. We want to work on the most challenging and intricate projects across the Architectural, Interiors & Heritage building sectors. We work hard every day with the knowledge our masonry will leave a profound legacy to be enjoyed by generations to come and be recognised as industry leading.
Ideal candidate
The ideal candidate will have worked in this environment before and be a key member of the Production Team. They should have high literacy skills and enjoy working in a busy environment. Must be able to work in a labour-intensive environment.
Job description
- Helping to schedule and plan the interior works to run effectively and efficiently to meet customer and business demands
- Agreeing production dates on a weekly basis at the production meeting and ensuring the delivery date is met
- Producing work to a great standard, including running of CNCs and bridge saws, working in the finishing area and QA work
- Working alongside existing team members to help develop production and move the interior workshop forwards
- Helping to contribute to improving the process for interior production
- Liaising with the production manager and interior workshop supervisor on new methods of production, software upgrades and changes in strategy of stone production
- Self-checking of own work continuously
- Keeping working areas tidy and professional
- Attending and contributing to team meetings
- Assisting on site when required with interiors installations
- Attending relevant training to improve knowledge and skills
- Ensuring jobs are completed on time, packaged together, checked and installation teams are sent to site with the correct material to the correct sizes
- Reading drawings accurately
- Checking work fully to ensure it matches the drawings and production processes and standards
- Following all health and safety processes to ensure the AFJONES workshop is a safe place for all staff and visitors
Qualifications and skills
- Experience in stone production essential
- Experience with CNC and CNC programming essential
- CAD experience useful
- A good understanding of production drawings essential
- Experience with Excel useful
- Forklift driving capability or experience would be a very useful skill
- English literacy
- Excellent communication skills
- Excellent mathematical skills
- Excellent problem solving
- Computer literacy skills
- Strong attention to detail
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Effective time management skills
- Ability to work effectively within a team
Benefits
- Competitive salary and a yearly bonus
- Company pension
- 22 days holiday allowance plus bank holidays
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Cycle to work scheme
- Free on-site parking
How to apply
To apply for the Marble and Granite Mason role, please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your relevant experience to info@afjones.co.uk.
Why Join
AFJONES
A Business That Invests in People.
Established Craft
Founded in 1858, we carry over 160 years of stonemasonry expertise. We work on prestigious projects across the UK, from conservation of historic buildings to cutting-edge structural stone installations.
Real Responsibility
From day one, you'll work alongside experienced craftspeople on live projects. Apprentices at AFJONES learn the full breadth of stonemasonry, traditional hand-finishing alongside advanced CNC technology.
People & Culture
We are a professional, family-run business. We take pride in our people as much as our stonework. Our best craftspeople have grown with us for decades, and we are committed to continuing that tradition.
How to Apply
Get in Touch,
Start the Conversation.
To apply or enquire about current opportunities, please get in touch. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds who have a passion for craft and a willingness to learn.
Phone
01491 835 032Head Office
33 Bedford Rd, Reading, RG1 7EX
Production Yard
Old Quarry Works, Portway, Ipsden, OX10 6AF
Get in Touch
Start a
Conversation
Tell us about your project and one of our team will come back to you within one working day. Early advice on stone selection, structure and budget is always free.