Tooling Manager - Injection Molding

Tooling Manager – Plastic Injection Molding

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Employment Type: Full-Time

Industry: Plastics Manufacturing / Injection Molding

About the Role

We are looking for an experienced Tooling Manager with a strong background in large part plastic injection molding to lead our tooling operations. This position is responsible for mold procurement, maintenance, repair, and lifecycle management for all injection molds used in production. If you have hands-on expertise in injection mold design, tooling maintenance, and vendor management, we want to hear from you!

Key Responsibilities

Injection Mold Procurement

• Manage sourcing, design review, and acquisition of new molds for large part injection molding.
• Work closely with engineering and suppliers to ensure molds meet specifications, timelines, and cost targets.
• Negotiate with tooling vendors and oversee mold trials and approvals.

Tooling Maintenance & Repair

• Develop and implement preventive maintenance programs for injection molds.
• Coordinate in-house and outsourced mold repairs to minimize downtime.
• Troubleshoot mold issues and lead root cause analysis for corrective actions.

Lifecycle Management

• Maintain detailed records of mold performance, repairs, and modifications.
• Plan refurbishments and replacements based on production requirements and wear analysis.
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, and ISO standards.

Leadership & Continuous Improvement

• Supervise and mentor tooling technicians and maintenance staff.
• Drive cost reduction and efficiency improvements in tooling processes.
• Collaborate with production, quality, and engineering teams to optimize mold performance.

Qualifications

• Experience: 7 years in plastic injection molding tooling, with emphasis on large part molds.
• Technical Skills: Knowledge of mold design, steel selection, cooling systems, and injection molding processes.
• Management Skills: Proven ability to lead teams and manage multiple tooling projects.
• Education: Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field preferred.
• Other: Strong problem-solving, communication, and vendor negotiation skills.

Skills: Injection molding, tooling manager, mold maintenance, mold repair, plastic manufacturing, large part injection molding, tooling engineer, mold procurement, mold lifecycle management, preventive maintenance, mold troubleshooting.

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary and benefits.
• Opportunity to lead critical tooling operations in a growing manufacturing environment.
• Collaborative and innovative team culture.