Tooling Engineer

Core Responsibilities

• Design & Development: Creating blueprints for specialized equipment like injection molds, stamping dies, and automated assembly fixtures using CAD software (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, or NX).
• Process Optimization: Identifying ways to reduce cycle times and material waste. If a part takes 30 seconds to mold, a Tooling Engineer figures out how to make it take 25.
• Troubleshooting: When a production line goes down because a part is coming out warped, the Tooling Engineer performs root-cause analysis to fix the tool.
• Vendor Management: Collaborating with external tool shops to oversee the fabrication of new designs and ensuring they meet strict tolerances.
• Prototyping: Testing new tools through "tool trials" and iterating on the design until the output is perfect.

Category Skills

Technical - CAD/CAM Proficiency, GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing), CNC Programming.

Materials - Deep knowledge of metallurgy, plastics, and heat treatment processes.

Analytical - Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Moldflow analysis to predict how tools will perform under pressure.

Soft Skills - Project management and the ability to explain complex technical issues to non-engineers.