Key Responsibilities
Tooling Leadership & Mold Management
- Own the complete lifecycle of injection molds, including design reviews, sourcing, validation, launch, preventive maintenance, and refurbishment
- Establish and maintain mold PM standards, spare parts strategies, and tooling documentation
- Partner with tool shops and mold suppliers to ensure quality, timing, and cost targets are met
- Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for mold-related downtime, quality issues, or performance gaps
- Approve mold modifications and engineering changes to improve reliability, cycle time, and part quality
Process Engineering & Optimization
- Develop, standardize, and approve robust injection molding processes (Scientific / Decoupled Molding preferred)
- Lead process development for new product launches including DOE, mold trials, and validation
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives for scrap reduction, cycle-time optimization, and process stability
- Ensure documented process standards and setup sheets are controlled and followed
- Serve as escalation point for complex molding and processing issues
Team Leadership & Development
- Directly manage and mentor Tooling Technicians, Process Technicians, and Process Engineers
- Set performance expectations, conduct reviews, and create skill development plans
- Build bench strength through training, cross-functional exposure, and succession planning
- Promote a culture of safety, accountability, and continuous improvement
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Partner with Quality, Maintenance, Production, and Supply Chain to resolve technical issues
- Support audits, customer visits, and technical reviews as the senior molding expert
- Provide technical input to capital projects, automation, and equipment selection
- Support ISO, regulatory, and customer-specific compliance activities
Metrics & Accountability
- Improve mold uptime, scrap rates, and process capability (Cp/Cpk)
- Reduce startup, changeover, and launch inefficiencies
- Ensure new tools and processes meet performance and delivery expectations
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Plastics Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field (or equivalent experience)
- 10+ years of injection molding experience including tooling and process engineering
- 5+ years of leadership or supervisory experience
- Expert knowledge of mold design, thermoplastics processing, and scientific molding principles
- Strong problem-solving and root cause analysis skills
Preferred Qualifications
- RJG Master Molder certification or equivalent
- Experience with automated or high-cavitation molding environments
- Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma certification
- ERP or MES experience related to tooling and process control
Physical & Work Environment Requirements
Manufacturing environment with exposure to noise, heat, and moving equipment. Occasional travel to tool shops, suppliers, or customers. Off-shift support may be require