Tooling Manager

Tooling Engineer

Location:

Williamsburg, MI

Position Summary

The Tooling Engineer is responsible for supporting the design, development, launch, maintenance, and continuous improvement of tooling used in automotive plastic injection molding operations. This role partners closely with Manufacturing, Engineering, Quality, Program Management, and external tooling suppliers to ensure tooling meets production, quality, and cost objectives throughout the product lifecycle.

The ideal candidate will have experience with plastic injection molds, mold troubleshooting, tooling improvements, and production support in an automotive manufacturing environment. This is a hands-on engineering position requiring strong technical problem-solving skills and the ability to drive tooling performance from prototype through production.

Key Responsibilities

Tooling Development & Launch

• Support the design, development, procurement, and validation of injection molds for new product launches
• Collaborate with product engineering to ensure tooling designs support manufacturability and production requirements
• Participate in design reviews and provide Design for Manufacturability (DFM) recommendations
• Coordinate mold sampling, tryouts, and production readiness activities
• Manage tooling timelines to support successful program launches

Production Support

• Provide engineering support for production tooling and molding operations
• Troubleshoot tooling-related issues affecting quality, productivity, or cycle time
• Recommend and implement tooling modifications to improve performance and reliability
• Work closely with production personnel to minimize downtime and improve operational efficiency
• Support root cause investigations related to tooling failures and manufacturing issues

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve mold performance, cycle times, product quality, and overall manufacturing efficiency
• Lead tooling improvement projects focused on cost reduction and waste elimination
• Utilize structured problem-solving methodologies to implement permanent corrective actions
• Support Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives

Supplier & Tool Shop Coordination

• Work with external mold builders, tooling suppliers, and repair vendors
• Review tooling quotations, schedules, and engineering changes
• Coordinate mold repairs, preventative maintenance, and refurbishment activities
• Monitor supplier performance related to tooling quality and delivery

Documentation & Engineering Support

• Maintain tooling documentation, engineering changes, and maintenance records
• Develop tooling standards and best practices
• Support PPAP activities, APQP deliverables, and engineering change implementation
• Maintain tooling inventory and lifecycle documentation

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, Maintenance, Program Management, and Product Engineering teams
• Support customer launch activities and production readiness reviews
• Provide technical guidance regarding tooling capabilities and manufacturing processes

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Plastics Engineering, Tooling Engineering, or a related technical discipline

Experience

• 5+ years of tooling engineering experience
• Experience supporting plastic injection molding operations
• Experience with automotive manufacturing processes
• Experience supporting new product launches and production tooling

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of:
• Plastic injection molding processes
• Injection mold construction and operation
• Mold troubleshooting and repair
• Tool steel applications
• Mold cooling and venting systems
• Hot runner and cold runner systems
• Experience reading and interpreting:
• Engineering drawings
• Mold designs
• GD&T
• Familiarity with CAD software and engineering documentation
• Understanding of mold qualification, sampling, and validation activities

Professional Skills

• Strong troubleshooting and root cause analysis abilities
• Excellent communication and project management skills
• Ability to manage multiple tooling projects simultaneously
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work effectively with internal teams and external suppliers

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting automotive Tier 1 or Tier 2 suppliers
• Experience with APQP, PPAP, FMEA, and Control Plans
• Experience with scientific molding principles
• Knowledge of resin behavior and plastic material characteristics
• Familiarity with mold flow analysis
• Experience with CAD platforms such as Solid Works, NX, or Creo
• Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma experience
• Experience managing mold builds through launch and production

Core Competencies

• Plastic Injection Molding
• Injection Mold Design & Development
• Tooling Launch Support
• Mold Troubleshooting
• Root Cause Analysis
• Continuous Improvement
• APQP & PPAP
• GD&T Interpretation
• Supplier Management
• Cross-Functional Collaboration

EOE (including Disability/Veterans)

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