Senior Plastics Supplier Development Engineer – Injection Molding

Senior Staff Plastics Supplier Development Engineer

Department: Supplier Development Engineering – Global Procurement

Employment Type: 6-Month Contract with opportunity to extend

Location: Acton, MA 01720

Pay Rate: $91.21 per hour or about $186,000 a year

Travel Requirements: 15–25% domestic and international travel, with up to 40% as needed

Position Overview

This company is seeking an experienced Senior Staff Plastics Supplier Development Engineer to join its Global Procurement and Supplier Development organization. This position will serve as a technical subject matter expert (SME) in plastic injection molding, tooling design, silicone molding, and supplier manufacturing processes, supporting a global supply chain of precision components used in innovative medical devices.

The successful candidate will lead the development, optimization, and standardization of injection molding tooling, equipment, and manufacturing processes across global suppliers. This role focuses on improving product quality, reducing manufacturing variation, shortening lead times, and implementing advanced molding technologies to support high-volume medical device production.

Working closely with Quality, Strategic Sourcing, Manufacturing, and Lifecycle Engineering teams, the Senior Staff Engineer will lead new tooling and capital equipment implementations, support new product introductions (NPI), drive continuous improvement initiatives, and resolve complex supplier-related technical and quality challenges.

The ideal candidate brings extensive experience in scientific injection molding, mold design, Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Moldflow analysis, silicone processing, and supplier development. Strong technical leadership, problem-solving abilities, and experience collaborating with global manufacturing suppliers are essential.

Key Responsibilities

Injection Molding & Tooling Engineering

• Serve as the technical SME for plastic injection molding, tooling design, silicone molding, and plastic component design.
• Lead the design, development, qualification, and optimization of injection molds and manufacturing processes for high-volume medical device components.
• Review and evaluate plastic and silicone component designs to ensure manufacturability, dimensional accuracy, process capability, and production scalability.
• Utilize Moldflow simulation, tooling design software, and DFM methodologies to identify manufacturing risks and recommend design improvements.
• Develop technical risk assessments, engineering recommendations, and mitigation plans for tooling and component designs.
• Provide technical guidance on advanced molding technologies, including multi-shot molding, cube molds, stack molds, and scientific molding processes.
• Evaluate and implement cavity pressure monitoring technologies to improve process consistency and reduce variation.

Supplier Development & Manufacturing Optimization

• Partner with domestic and international suppliers to improve injection molding capabilities, tooling performance, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Lead technical discussions with suppliers regarding tooling specifications, process development, equipment capabilities, and manufacturing requirements.
• Support the implementation of new injection molding equipment, tooling, automation, and capital investments at supplier facilities.
• Develop standardized tooling specifications, design requirements, qualification procedures, and best practices across the global supplier network.
• Lead tooling kickoffs, development timelines, and production readiness activities based on component demand and manufacturing ramp-up requirements.
• Support supplier manufacturing process evaluations, technical assessments, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with commodity managers and sourcing teams to identify and implement cost-reduction opportunities.

Process Development & Continuous Improvement

• Lead Design for Manufacturability (DFM) initiatives to optimize component designs, improve production efficiency, and support manufacturing scalability.
• Apply scientific injection molding principles to improve process capability, repeatability, and product quality.
• Identify opportunities to reduce scrap, manufacturing defects, cycle times, and tooling-related variation.
• Conduct Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and lead corrective action initiatives to resolve complex manufacturing and supplier quality issues.
• Develop and implement standardized processes for tooling acceptance, including Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), tooling qualifications, and engineering documentation.
• Evaluate emerging molding technologies and recommend improvements to manufacturing equipment, tooling, and processes.
• Apply advanced engineering principles and structured problem-solving methodologies to resolve technical challenges.

Equipment, Automation & Technical Leadership

• Lead the technical design, specification, and implementation of complete injection molding manufacturing cells.
• Evaluate injection molding machines, hot runner systems, tooling, auxiliary equipment, automation, and vision inspection technologies.
• Provide technical recommendations for new and existing molding cells to improve productivity, quality, and cost efficiency.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering, manufacturing, quality, and supplier teams to implement new technologies and process improvements.
• Ensure suppliers maintain accurate engineering drawings, specifications, bills of materials (BOMs), and technical documentation.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to internal teams and external suppliers.
• Support additional engineering and supplier development initiatives as required.

Required Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Plastics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.

Professional Experience

• Minimum 8 years of experience in plastic injection molding tooling, mold design, plastic component design, or related manufacturing engineering.
• Strong knowledge of injection molding processes, tooling development, and manufacturing optimization.
• Experience with scientific injection molding principles and process development.
• Knowledge of silicone molding processes, silicone tooling, and silicone component manufacturing.
• Experience reviewing tooling designs and applying Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles.
• Ability to identify manufacturing risks, perform technical assessments, and develop mitigation strategies.
• Strong Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and structured problem-solving skills.
• Experience collaborating with manufacturing suppliers and cross-functional engineering teams.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical recommendations to stakeholders at multiple organizational levels.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in medical device manufacturing or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Advanced knowledge of injection molding technologies, including two-shot molding, cube molds, and stack molds.
• Experience with medical-grade polymers, silicone materials, and silicone processing technologies.
• Proficiency with Moldflow simulation software, mold design tools, and DFM analysis.
• Experience with cavity pressure sensors and process monitoring technologies.
• Comprehensive understanding of injection molding manufacturing cells, including:
• Injection molding machines and tooling
• Hot runner systems
• Automation and robotic systems
• Vision inspection systems
• Auxiliary molding equipment
• Experience with tooling qualification, Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT), and manufacturing process validation.
• Experience leading supplier tooling programs, capital equipment implementations, or new product introductions.
• Six Sigma certification or demonstrated experience applying Lean/Six Sigma continuous improvement methodologies.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Microsoft Project.
• Experience supporting global supplier development and manufacturing scale-up initiatives.