Tooling and Fixture Engineer

Continuously evaluate production tooling to improve safety, ergonomics, quality, repeatability, productivity, and operator experience.

Identify and eliminate tooling-related quality issues including dimensional variation, cosmetic damage, tolerance concerns, and assembly inconsistencies.

Redesign or modify fixtures based on production feedback, quality trends, and operational performance.

Lead tooling improvement projects that reduce waste, improve efficiency, and support operational excellence.

Support Kaizen events and continuous improvement initiatives through tooling improvements and innovative manufacturing solutions.

Partner with New Product Development and Manufacturing Engineering during new product launches to ensure production tooling is successfully transitioned into manufacturing.

Evaluate launch tooling following SOP and implement improvements required for long-term production stability.

Convert temporary launch fixtures into robust production-ready tooling.

Ensure tooling evolves alongside engineering changes and manufacturing process improvements.

Develop and implement preventive maintenance standards for production tooling.

Establish routine inspection schedules for fixtures, locating surfaces, clamps, bushings, wear components, and critical tooling features.

Coordinate tooling repairs and refurbishment before production performance is impacted.

Develop replacement criteria for tooling wear components and critical fixture elements.

Respond to tooling issues impacting safety, quality, productivity, or delivery.

Prioritize tooling improvement activities based on business impact.

Work directly with operators, supervisors, quality technicians, manufacturing engineers, and maintenance personnel to resolve tooling concerns.

Participate in root cause investigations where tooling contributes to defects, variation, or production inefficiencies.

Maintain fixture drawings, engineering revisions, and supporting documentation.

Develop standard work for tooling maintenance, inspection, and operation.

Establish standardized tooling design principles across manufacturing.

Ensure tooling modifications are documented and communicated through appropriate engineering change processes.

Conduct routine production tooling audits to proactively identify deterioration, wear, operator workarounds, quality risks, ergonomic concerns, and opportunities for improvement.

Develop strong partnerships with production teams to identify tooling issues before they impact manufacturing performance.

Promote a culture of continuous improvement by treating production tooling as a strategic manufacturing asset.

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Technology, Engineering Technology, or related technical field; equivalent manufacturing experience may be considered.

Three (3) or more years of experience supporting manufacturing tooling, fixtures, or production equipment.

Strong mechanical aptitude and troubleshooting skills.

Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, specifications, and GD&T.

Experience with CAD software (SolidWorks preferred).

Knowledge of machining, fabrication, welding, and manufacturing processes.

Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills.

Experience designing production fixtures or manufacturing tooling.

Experience supporting high-volume manufacturing operations.

Knowledge of Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, and Six Sigma methodologies.

Experience with inspection fixtures and measurement systems.

Experience leading cross-functional manufacturing improvement projects.

Mechanical aptitude

Root cause analysis

Continuous improvement mindset

Critical thinking and problem solving

Project management

Collaboration and relationship building

Initiative and ownership

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Effective communication

This position works closely with:

Continuous Improvement

Operations

Production Supervisors

Manufacturing Engineering

New Product Development

Quality

Maintenance

Production Team Members

Reduction in tooling-related quality defects.

Reduction in cosmetic damage caused by fixtures.

Improvement in first-pass yield.

Reduction in dimensional variation attributable to tooling.

Preventive maintenance completion rate.

Tooling uptime and availability.

Time to resolve tooling-related production issues.

Number and impact of tooling improvement projects completed.

Successful transition of launch tooling into stable production tooling.

Positive feedback from production teams regarding tooling performance.