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Tooling Engineer
Job Title | Tooling Engineer |
Department | Tooling |
Reports To | General Manager |
Location | 7865 Northcourt Rd, Suite #100, Houston, Texas 77040 |
Effective/Revision Date | 6/2026 |
Role Purpose
The Tooling Engineer is responsible for the timely development, qualification, and implementation of tooling and related manufacturing process technologies required to deliver scalable, cost-effective solutions. This role oversees the Tooling Department and provides technical and functional leadership for design for manufacturability, tool sourcing, supplier coordination, tooling qualification, and tooling team performance within a plastic injection molding environment.
Scope & Responsibilities
Key Responsibilities:
- Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Collaborate with customers, suppliers, Sales, and Engineering to optimize part and tooling designs for manufacturability, cost, quality, and scalability.
- Tooling Development & Procurement: Develop prototype and development tooling RFQs, support supplier selection, and maintain comprehensive records of tooling procurement, status updates, and disposition.
- Supplier Technical Review: Review supplier DFM packages, including gating strategy, Moldflow analysis, Mold Warp analysis, and proposed tooling approaches to ensure alignment with program requirements.
- Tool Design & Qualification: Review and approve prototype and development tool designs, tooling maintenance procedures, and recommended design changes. Track supplier build progress and participate in T1 sample reviews and qualification activities.
- Tool Repair & Maintenance Coordination: Process tool repair requests and determine whether repairs should be completed in-house or outsourced to qualified external vendors.
- Technical Support: Provide mold-making and tooling expertise to internal and external stakeholders, supporting part design, tool design, process development, and launch readiness.
- Part Design Feedback: Offer technical feedback on product and part design to improve manufacturability, tooling performance, throughput, and quality outcomes.
- Tooling Department Leadership: Oversee daily activities of the Tooling Department, including performance evaluations, coaching, mentoring, training, work coordination, and support for personnel decisions involving tooling personnel.
- Documentation & Compliance: Maintain accurate tooling records and ensure all related activities are completed in accordance with documented procedures, work instructions, and company quality standards.
- Perform assigned duties in accordance with documented procedures and work instructions.
Work Experience & Skills
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, or a related technical field required. In lieu of a degree, ten (10) years of technical experience in mold design, mold making, or tooling engineering may be considered.
Experience: Minimum of five (5) years of direct hands-on experience in injection mold design, injection mold construction, or tooling engineering required. Candidates without an engineering degree should have ten plus years of relevant technical experience. Prior experience supporting supplier-managed tooling builds, DFM reviews, and tool qualification activities strongly preferred.
Skills / Knowledge: Extensive knowledge of injection molding tooling design and tool making processes; strong understanding of plastics molding-related process variables and their impact on throughput, quality, and yield; strong to expert-level 3D CAD skills, including advanced surfacing and large assemblies; working knowledge of scientific molding and/or RJG molding principles; proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and general computer applications; strong communication, conflict resolution, recordkeeping, and problem-solving skills; demonstrated ability to organize, direct, and oversee the activities and performance of tooling personnel effectively.
Working Conditions & Physical Requirements
Work environment: A combination of office, tool room, and manufacturing floor environment. The worker is subject to inside environmental conditions with exposure to normal manufacturing noise, moving equipment, and temperature variation, and may occasionally interact with outside suppliers or vendors.
Physical or operational requirements: Light to medium work. May exert up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 30 pounds of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Requires close visual acuity for reading technical documents, reviewing CAD data, inspecting tooling components, using measurement devices, and performing computer-based work.
Compliance Statements
Equal Opportunity Employer: Disability/Veteran
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