Tooling Engineer - Injection Molding

UPG Company LLC•Houston, TX

1d•$120,000 - $130,000•Onsite

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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.
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.
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.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience supporting supplier-managed tooling builds, DFM reviews, and tool qualification activities strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with customers, suppliers, Sales, and Engineering to optimize part and tooling designs for manufacturability, cost, quality, and scalability.
Develop prototype and development tooling RFQs, support supplier selection, and maintain comprehensive records of tooling procurement, status updates, and disposition.
Review supplier DFM packages, including gating strategy, Moldflow analysis, Mold Warp analysis, and proposed tooling approaches to ensure alignment with program requirements.
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.
Process tool repair requests and determine whether repairs should be completed in-house or outsourced to qualified external vendors.
Provide mold-making and tooling expertise to internal and external stakeholders, supporting part design, tool design, process development, and launch readiness.
Offer technical feedback on product and part design to improve manufacturability, tooling performance, throughput, and quality outcomes.
Oversee daily activities of the Tooling Department, including performance evaluations, coaching, mentoring, training, work coordination, and support for personnel decisions involving tooling personnel.
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.