Tooling Engineer

Sika•Grandview, MO

13h

About The Position

The Tooling Engineer specifies, sources, and approves new production injection mold tooling for parts designed by the automotive application engineering group, and supports tools from kickoff through launch and into production. The role focuses on complex multi-shot tooling, including 2-shot and 3-shot rotary and index molds run on 500- to 1,300-ton presses. The engineer works with design engineering, process engineering, quality, and domestic and international tool shops to deliver tools that meet print, timing, and budget requirements. In the plant, the engineer partners with the tooling supervisor, tooling technicians, tool setters, and molding operators to provide technical oversight of production molds and resolve tooling issues. The plant uses 2-shot and 3-shot rotary and index molds, family tools, and valve gate, thermal gate, and cold runner manifold systems. Most parts are molded in nylon and Sika proprietary materials. The Tooling Engineer typically manages 20 or more new tool builds and 10 or more engineering changes or repairs simultaneously, working with tool shops in the United States, Canada, China, and Portugal. The position covers new tool development and launch, engineering changes and production tooling support, and tooling standards and continuous improvement. It includes reviewing part designs for tooling feasibility and manufacturability; developing tooling estimates and evaluating tool shop quotes; leading tool design reviews; attending molding trials; resolving tooling and process discrepancies; supporting tool setup, verification, launch, and PPAP requirements; tracking tooling status, timing, and costs; coordinating engineering changes and repairs; maintaining mold maintenance histories; and improving tooling standards and performance. The role also requires following plant safety requirements and completing other tasks assigned by the Launch Director.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in the design, development, or sourcing of plastic injection mold tooling.
Experience managing multiple new tool builds simultaneously with outside tool shops, from design review through tool trials and approval.
Ability to read and interpret part prints, mold drawings, GD&T, and dimensional layout reports.
Proficiency in SolidWorks for part and tool design reviews.
Strong internal and external relationship-building and communication skills, including with tool shops, design engineers, and plant floor teams.
Ability to travel 20–30% of the time domestically and internationally for design reviews and tool trials.
Valid passport or ability to obtain one before the first international trip.
A bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline (plastics, mechanical, or manufacturing) is strongly preferred. Candidates without a bachelor's degree will be considered with an associate's degree or journeyman mold maker credential plus at least 8 years of injection mold tooling experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience with multi-shot tooling, including 2-shot or 3-shot rotary and index molds.
Experience with large tools for presses of 500 tons or more.
Experience with precision, multi-cavity, and family tooling, including valve gate, thermal gate, and cold runner manifold systems.
Experience with Autodesk Moldflow or similar mold flow analysis.
Plastics technology or plastics engineering focus in education or training.
Experience in the automotive industry, preferably with a Tier 1 or Tier 2 supplier.
Working knowledge of APQP and PPAP.
Hands-on mold making or tool shop background.
Experience managing offshore tool builds, including in China or Europe.
Experience with scientific or decoupled molding principles.

Responsibilities

Review injection-molded part design concepts with design engineering for tooling feasibility, cavitation, and manufacturability, and recommend part and tool design changes.
Develop tooling estimates for cost, timing, cavitation, and press size, and solicit, compare, and recommend tool shop quotes.
Participate in part and tool design reviews to establish final designs capable of meeting customer requirements.
Kick off and track new injection mold tooling, lead tool design reviews with tool shops, approve design details, and ensure Sika molding standards are applied.
Set up and attend molding trials at domestic and international tool shops and in the plant; review tool and part dimensional layouts and drive corrections until tools produce parts to print.
Partner with process engineering on setup, verification, and launch of new injection mold tools, including support for customer PPAP requirements.
Serve on program launch teams and report tooling status, issues, timing, and cost.
Manage 20 or more tool builds simultaneously from kickoff through production and track tooling spend against quotes and program budgets.
Manage engineering changes to existing tools, including scope, quoting, tool shop coordination, trials, and approval.
Provide technical oversight of production molds in collaboration with the tooling supervisor, tooling technicians, tool setters, and molding operators.
Assist process engineering and production with troubleshooting production tools; determine, schedule, track, and confirm corrective actions.
Maintain the history of mold maintenance and repairs on assigned tools and use it to guide repair, refurbishment, and replacement decisions.
Apply lessons learned from tooling performance, including downtime, scrap, and repair trends, to new tool designs.
Develop and update Sika tooling standards as part of the tooling group.
Identify and implement tooling technologies and techniques that improve tool performance, cost, or lead time.
Follow plant safety requirements for mold handling, trials, and work around molding equipment.
Complete other tasks as assigned by the Launch Director.