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Plastic Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Apple

Tooling Engineer - Plastics

Cupertino, CA · On-site

Description Lead the development of new plastic injection tooling projects to meet a wide range of ... Train engineers at supplier plants in Asia to utilize new tooling materials and fabrication ...

Apple

Tooling Engineer - Plastics

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$163K - $246K/yr

Description Lead the development of new plastic injection tooling projects to meet a wide range of ... Train engineers at supplier plants in Asia to utilize new tooling materials and fabrication ...

Apple Inc.

Tooling Engineer - Plastics

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$163K - $246K/yr

Description Lead the development of new plastic injection tooling projects to meet a wide range of ... Train engineers at supplier plants in Asia to utilize new tooling materials and fabrication ...

Bausch+Lomb Companies Inc.

The engineer will drive the design, qualification, and continuous improvement of primary plastic ... Serve as the plastics packaging and sustainability SME on project teams, providing guidance on ...

Apple

Hardware Polymers Materials Engineer

Cupertino, CA · On-site

$150K - $277K/yr

Description As a Materials Engineer within the Product Design organization, you will drive the development of new plastic materials and processes to meet the structural and aesthetic requirements ...

Apple

Tooling Engineer - Plastics

Cupertino, CA

$194K - $293K/yr

Description Lead the development of new plastic injection tooling projects to meet a wide range of ... Train engineers at supplier plants in Asia to utilize new tooling materials and fabrication ...

Apple

Tooling Engineer - Plastics

Cupertino, CA · On-site

Description Lead the development of new plastic injection tooling projects to meet a wide range of ... Train engineers at supplier plants in Asia to utilize new tooling materials and fabrication ...

pelican

Tooling Engineer II

Torrance, CA

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Plastics Engineering, or related engineering discipline. * 4-6 years of experience in tooling engineering, mold design, tooling ...

pelican

Tooling Engineer II

Torrance, CA · On-site

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Plastics Engineering, or related engineering discipline. * 4-6 years of experience in tooling engineering, mold design, tooling ...

pelican

Tooling Engineer II

Torrance, CA · On-site

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Plastics Engineering, or related engineering discipline. * 4-6 years of experience in tooling engineering, mold design, tooling ...

pelican

Tooling Engineer II

Torrance, CA · On-site

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Plastics Engineering, or related engineering discipline. * 4-6 years of experience in tooling engineering, mold design, tooling ...

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All JobsPlastic Engineer JobsPlastic Engineer Jobs in California

Plastic Engineer information

See California salary details

$36K

$64.4K

$107.1K

How much do plastic engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 14, 2026, the average yearly pay for plastic engineer in California is $64,411.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $47,900.00 and $78,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a plastic engineer do?

A Plastic Engineer specializes in designing, developing, and manufacturing products made from plastic materials. They work with various types of plastics to create items ranging from packaging and consumer goods to automotive parts and medical devices. Their responsibilities may include selecting the appropriate plastic material, optimizing manufacturing processes, ensuring product quality, and considering environmental impacts such as recyclability. Plastic Engineers often collaborate with other engineers and designers to innovate and improve plastic products.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a plastic engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Plastic Engineer, you need a solid background in polymer science, material properties, and design engineering, typically supported by a degree in chemical, materials, or plastic engineering. Familiarity with CAD software, simulation tools, injection molding machinery, and relevant industry certifications like Six Sigma or PMP is often required. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective communication help distinguish top professionals in this field. These competencies ensure the development of high-quality, cost-effective plastic products and successful collaboration with manufacturing and design teams.

What are the typical challenges a plastic engineer faces when scaling up from prototype to mass production?

Plastic Engineers often encounter challenges when transitioning a design from prototype to large-scale manufacturing, such as material selection discrepancies, maintaining consistent quality, and optimizing mold design for efficiency. Balancing cost-effectiveness with durability and performance is crucial, as even minor design changes can have significant impacts on production time and expenses. Collaborating closely with design, production, and quality assurance teams helps address these challenges and ensures a smooth scale-up process.

What is the difference between Plastic Engineer vs Materials Scientist?

AspectPlastic EngineerMaterials Scientist
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Plastic Engineering, Polymer Science, or related fieldsBachelor's or Master's in Materials Science, Chemistry, or Physics
Work EnvironmentManufacturing plants, R&D labs, product design facilitiesResearch labs, academia, industrial R&D
Industry UsagePlastic product development, injection molding, extrusionMaterial development, testing, and analysis across various materials

Plastic Engineers focus on designing, developing, and testing plastic products and processes, often working directly in manufacturing settings. Materials Scientists study the properties and behaviors of various materials, including plastics, to innovate and improve materials across industries. While both roles require knowledge of polymers, Plastic Engineers are more application-oriented, whereas Materials Scientists are research-focused.

What cities in California are hiring for Plastic Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Plastic Engineer job openings:

Plastic Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Plastic Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 95% Full Time, 2% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $64,411 per year, or $31 per hour.

Tooling Engineer - Plastics

Cupertino, CA • On-site

Apple
Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing • 10K+ employees
Learn more about Appleexternal

Full-time

Re-posted 25 days ago

Apple rating

8.1

Company rating: 8.1 out of 10

Based on 685 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish.
The people here at Apple don't just build products - they craft the kind of wonder that's revolutionized entire industries. It's the diversity of those people and their ideas that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do, from amazing technology to industry-leading environmental efforts. Join Apple, and help us leave the world better than we found it.
Description
Lead the development of new plastic injection tooling projects to meet a wide range of product performance and cosmetic requirements.
Lead Apple suppliers to design and produce world-class plastic tooling. Lead tool design and build, tool and process development and tool qualifications at the supplier.
Collaborate with supply management, product design, industrial design, and manufacturing engineering groups on material selection, design feasibility and aesthetics of new plastic part & tooling designs.
Serve as Apple's internal plastic tooling and manufacturing authority by demonstrating a thorough understanding of properties of various mold-making materials and tool component fabrication techniques.
Institute continuous process improvement measures from initial product design through production ramp of new products.
Proficient with the use of Design For Manufacturing, SPC, DOE and Six Sigma techniques.
Take the leading role in driving the improvement of productivity and quality of plastic part manufacturing, molding and tooling techniques.
Train engineers at supplier plants in Asia to utilize new tooling materials and fabrication techniques.
Develop collaborative relationships with Apple suppliers through training and quality control visits. Advise supplier plants on maintaining correct controls on the processes.
Minimum Qualifications
Position requires 10+ years in the mold making and molding industry
25% Travel required
Preferred Qualifications
Extensive experience in tooling design and manufacturing required.
Knowledge of plastic materials and design for manufacturing in terms of geometry and cosmetic quality.
Lens and optical tooling experience
Experience in developing plastic processing parameters.
Experience in leading complex development programs with overseas vendors (Asia) is preferred.
Excellent written and oral communication skills are necessary.
BS or MS Plastics Engineer preferred

What Apple employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

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About Apple

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Imagine what you could do here! At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming extraordinary products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Dynamic, intelligent people and inspiring, innovative technologies are the norm here. The people who work here have reinvented entire industries with all Apple Hardware products. The same real passion for innovation that goes into our products also applies to our practices strengthening our dedication to leave the world better than we found it.

Industry

Computer and electronic product manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Cupertino, CA, US

Year founded

1976

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