Tooling Development Engineer

ARaymond•Rochester Hills, MI

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Tooling Development Engineer plays a critical role in validating and industrializing injection-molded tooling for plastic quick connectors, clips, and fastening solutions. This position supports product development and industrialization activities for NA customers while partnering closely with global engineering, process teams, and tooling suppliers. This role will use simulation and tooling expertise to ensure molds built for North American programs meet ARaymond standards for performance, manufacturability, cost efficiency, and long-term reliability.

Requirements

Associate or bachelor’s degree in Plastics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Tool & Die Design, or equivalent experience.
5+ years of mold flow simulation and/or injection mold tooling experience.
Strong proficiency with Moldflow, Moldex3D, or equivalent CAE tools.
Solid CAD competency (CATIA preferred; NX/SolidWorks also acceptable).
Understanding of polymer materials used in ARaymond components (GF nylon, PPA, PP, elastomeric materials).
Experience supporting automotive or industrial injection‑molded product launches.
Strong analytical mindset and problem‑solving ability.
Ability to independently evaluate complex simulation data and translate it into actionable tooling direction.
Comfortable working cross-functionally across departments, sites, and/or global teams.
Strong communication skills, especially when working with external suppliers/internal engineering teams.
Ability to think strategically and understand customer priorities.
Ability to work closely with others in a collaborative team environment.
Proficient in Microsoft Office 365 (Teams, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
Professional demeanor and ethical conduct, including handling confidential information appropriately.

Nice To Haves

Experience with PLM, ERP, or PDM systems used in automotive environments, preferred.
Experience with plastic quick connectors, clips, fasteners, or fluid handling components, preferred.
Hands-on experience with NA mold shops and tool trials, preferred.
Knowledge of GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and dimensional control strategies, preferred.

Responsibilities

Conduct mold flow analysis (Fill, Pack, Cool, Warp, Fiber Orientation) for NA quick connector, clip, and fastening programs.
Interpret simulation results and propose part or tooling modifications to optimize quality, cycle time, gate placement, weld-line behavior, and dimensional stability.
Develop simulation reports and recommendations used by Product Engineering, Tooling, and Process Engineering teams.
Maintain alignment with ARaymond global simulation standards while adapting to NA-specific tooling practices.
Review, guide, and validate mold designs developed by external North American tool shops.
Ensure tools meet ARaymond tooling guidelines, cooling requirements, gating standards, and maintainability expectations.
Support tool trials (T0/T1/Tn), gate freeze studies, capability builds (SOP readiness), and troubleshooting.
Participate in supplier reviews, design-for-manufacture (DFM) sessions, and onsite tool tryouts when needed.
Work closely with Product Engineering/Manufacturing, Product Development, Supplier Tooling Teams, and Global Industrialization Teams to evaluate and optimize part designs prior to release.
Support design reviews, feasibility reviews, PFMEAs, and customer launch readiness activities.
Provide technical input during APQP milestones and PPAP preparation.
Identify manufacturability risks specific to connector and clip families.
Provide recommendations aligned with ARaymond DFM rules and NA customer expectations.
Develop detailed tooling cost models during RFQ phase.
Partner with Costing team to ensure accuracy of cost models, quote validation, alignment of cycle time, piece price, etc.
Contribute to North American tooling standards, simulation templates, and best practices.
Support problem-solving efforts for molding issues at NA plants (e.g., dimensional drift, flash, warpage, short shot conditions).
Stay up to date on material behavior, new molding methodologies, and improvements that can strengthen ARaymond NA competitiveness.
Other related duties and/or projects as assigned.
Comply with all company health and safety guidelines and procedures.
Participate in all required health and safety trainings to stay informed about best practices and regulatory requirements.