Tooling and Fixture Engineer

Premier Marine•Big Lake, MN

2d•$100,000 - $115,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Tooling & Fixture Engineer is responsible for the lifecycle ownership, maintenance, continuous improvement, and standardization of production tooling used throughout manufacturing. This includes drill fixtures, assembly fixtures, inspection fixtures, check gauges, designated weld fixtures, templates, and other production tooling critical to safety, quality, delivery, and productivity. Reporting through the Continuous Improvement team, this position serves as the primary owner of production tooling after product launch, ensuring tooling remains capable, repeatable, and production-ready throughout its lifecycle. This role partners closely with Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, New Product Development (NPD), Quality, and Maintenance to continuously improve production tooling and eliminate variation, waste, and inefficiencies from manufacturing processes.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Technology, Engineering Technology, or related technical field; equivalent manufacturing experience may be considered.
Three (3) or more years of experience supporting manufacturing tooling, fixtures, or production equipment.
Strong mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting skills.
Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and GD&T.
Experience with CAD software (SolidWorks preferred).
Knowledge of machining, fabrication, welding, and manufacturing processes.
Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience designing production fixtures or manufacturing tooling.
Experience supporting high-volume manufacturing operations.
Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, and Six Sigma methodologies.
Experience with inspection fixtures and measurement systems.
Experience leading cross-functional manufacturing improvement projects.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary owner of production tooling following product launch.
Manage the complete lifecycle of drill fixtures, assembly fixtures, inspection fixtures, check gauges, designated weld fixtures, templates, and other production tooling.
Establish and maintain a standardized lifecycle management process for production tooling, including ownership, preventive maintenance, capability reviews, engineering revisions, and retirement.
Develop and maintain an organized inventory and documentation system for production tooling.
Ensure production tooling remains safe, capable, repeatable, and aligned with manufacturing requirements.
Continuously evaluate production tooling to improve safety, ergonomics, quality, repeatability, productivity, and operator experience.
Identify and eliminate tooling-related quality issues including dimensional variation, cosmetic damage, tolerance concerns, and assembly inconsistencies.
Redesign or modify fixtures based on production feedback, quality trends, and operational performance.
Lead tooling improvement projects that reduce waste, improve efficiency, and support operational excellence.
Support Kaizen events and continuous improvement initiatives through tooling improvements and innovative manufacturing solutions.
Partner with New Product Development and Manufacturing Engineering during new product launches to ensure production tooling is successfully transitioned into manufacturing.
Evaluate launch tooling following SOP and implement improvements required for long-term production stability.
Convert temporary launch fixtures into robust production-ready tooling.
Ensure tooling evolves alongside engineering changes and manufacturing process improvements.
Develop and implement preventive maintenance standards for production tooling.
Establish routine inspection schedules for fixtures, locating surfaces, clamps, bushings, wear components, and critical tooling features.
Coordinate tooling repairs and refurbishment before production performance is impacted.
Develop replacement criteria for tooling wear components and critical fixture elements.
Respond to tooling issues impacting safety, quality, productivity, or delivery.
Prioritize tooling improvement activities based on business impact.
Work directly with operators, supervisors, quality technicians, manufacturing engineers, and maintenance personnel to resolve tooling concerns.
Participate in root cause investigations where tooling contributes to defects, variation, or production inefficiencies.
Maintain fixture drawings, engineering revisions, and supporting documentation.
Develop standard work for tooling maintenance, inspection, and operation.
Establish standardized tooling design principles across manufacturing.
Ensure tooling modifications are documented and communicated through appropriate engineering change processes.
Conduct routine production tooling audits to proactively identify deterioration, wear, operator workarounds, quality risks, ergonomic concerns, and opportunities for improvement.
Develop strong partnerships with production teams to identify tooling issues before they impact manufacturing performance.
Promote a culture of continuous improvement by treating production tooling as a strategic manufacturing asset.