Senior Tooling Engineer - Production

Position Summary

Senior Tooling Engineer – Seats Production is responsible for the design, development, sourcing, validation, and launch support of production tooling used in automotive seat manufacturing operations. This role plays a critical part in supporting new product launches, process improvements, and capacity expansion initiatives by ensuring tooling solutions meet requirements for safety, quality, cost, ergonomics, and production efficiency.

Working cross‑functionally with manufacturing, quality, product engineering, automation, and external suppliers, the Senior Tooling Engineer delivers robust, production‑ready tooling and fixtures while driving continuous improvement throughout the tooling lifecycle.

• Tool Design & Development
  • Design and develop jigs, fixtures, gauges, and production tooling for seat manufacturing processes.
  • Ensure tooling designs meet product specifications, dimensional tolerances, and quality standards.
  • Collaborate with product and process engineering teams to support Design for Manufacturability (DFM) initiatives.
  • Evaluate tooling concepts and recommend solutions that improve manufacturability, efficiency, and reliability.
• Tool Procurement & Supplier Management
  • Develop tooling specifications and manage requests for quotation (RFQs).
  • Identify, evaluate, and select tooling suppliers based on quality, cost, technical capability, and delivery performance.
  • Coordinate tool fabrication activities and monitor supplier progress to ensure program timing requirements are met.
  • Support supplier issue resolution and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Tool Validation & Production Readiness
  • Plan and execute tooling trials and validation activities.
  • Verify tooling performance against design and production requirements.
  • Perform dimensional reviews and ensure compliance with engineering specifications.
  • Approve tooling for production use following successful validation and sign‑off processes.
• Maintenance & Troubleshooting
  • Develop and maintain preventive maintenance plans for production tooling.
  • Troubleshoot tooling‑related issues impacting safety, quality, or productivity.
  • Implement corrective actions and drive root‑cause analysis activities.
  • Manage tool life tracking and replacement planning to maintain operational efficiency.
• Cost & Process Optimization
  • Analyze tooling expenditures and identify opportunities for cost reduction.
  • Optimize tooling designs to improve durability, reduce cycle times, and minimize downtime.
  • Support Lean Manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Drive process enhancements focused on quality, throughput, and operational performance.
• New Program Launch Support
  • Participate in cross‑functional program launch activities and readiness reviews.
  • Ensure tooling availability and readiness for prototype, pilot, and production builds.
  • Coordinate tooling modifications resulting from engineering changes.
  • Provide technical support during launch, ramp‑up, and production stabilization activities.

• Education & Experience
  • Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field with 12+ years of manufacturing experience
  • OR Master’s degree with 8+ years of relevant manufacturing experience
  • OR Ph.D. with 5+ years of relevant manufacturing experience
  • OR equivalent combination of education and experience
  • Experience supporting automotive manufacturing environments
  • Experience with Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma methodologies, and ERP systems
  • Experience supporting Just‑In‑Time (JIT) manufacturing operations
  • Automotive OEM or Tier1 supplier experience preferred
• Technical Skills
  • Strong expertise in production tooling, fixtures, gauges, and manufacturing processes
  • Knowledge of automotive seating systems, trim operations, and interior component manufacturing preferred
  • Ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, and manufacturing specifications
  • Experience leading tooling validation and launch activities
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and production planning tools
• Leadership Competencies
  • Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional projects and influence stakeholders
  • Strong problem‑solving and root‑cause analysis skills
  • Excellent communication, project management, and organizational abilities
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced manufacturing environment

Manufacturing plant environment with regular exposure to industrial equipment and machinery. Exposure to noise, moving equipment, and standard manufacturing conditions. Occasional travel to supplier locations and manufacturing facilities may be required. Flexibility to support off‑shift, weekend, or launch activities as business needs dictate.

Target Base Salary Range:$114,000–$172,000 annually