Associate Manager, Tooling and Process Engineering

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