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Plastic Tooling Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Lavelle Industries, a leading rubber and plastics manufacturer, is seeking a Tooling Engineer to join the team. The Tooling Engineer will be responsible for managing all aspects of Lavelle's plastic ...

Tooling Engineer Position Summary As a Plastics Tooling Engineer, you will design, develop, and optimize tooling solutions that support the production of high-quality plastic components. Working in a ...

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 ...

... Engineering team. Products include (but are not limited to) LED headlamps & fog lamps, LED signal ... Plastic Materials - Provide input to plastic material selection based on intended use, operating ...

Tooling Engineer

Sandwich, IL ยท On-site

$90 - $120/hr

Position Summary As a Plastics Tooling Engineer, you will design, develop, and optimize tooling solutions that support the production of high-quality plastic components. Working in a collaborative ...

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 ...

Tooling Engineer - Plastics

Cupertino, CA ยท 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 ...

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 ...

Tooling Engineer - Plastics

Cupertino, CA ยท On-site

$163.50 - $246.20/hr

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 ...

Tooling Engineer

Manchester, CT ยท On-site

$110K - $150K/yr

Tooling Engineer Manchester, Connecticut, United States (On-site) Senior Injection Molding Tooling ... The ideal candidate will have strong experience with plastic injection mold design, new mold builds ...

However, we will strongly consider any individual with 5+ years in designing plastic injection tooling. * Candidates with a Mechanical Engineering degree, 2-year mechanical design degree, or trade ...

However, we will strongly consider any individual with 5+ years in designing plastic injection tooling. * Candidates with a Mechanical Engineering degree, 2-year mechanical design degree, or trade ...

Tooling Engineer

Saint Paul, MN ยท On-site

$48 - $63/hr

Tooling Engineer The Tooling Engineer develops and optimizes robust injection molding processes ... Strong knowledge of plastics injection molding and tooling, including molding machine setup and ...

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Plastic Tooling Engineer information

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$54K

$110K

$163.5K

How much do plastic tooling engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for plastic tooling engineer in the United States is $109,987.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,000.00 and $123,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a plastic tooling engineer?

A Plastic Tooling Engineer is a specialized professional responsible for designing, developing, and maintaining molds and tooling used in the manufacturing of plastic parts and products. They work closely with product designers, machinists, and production teams to ensure that the tooling meets specifications for quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Their work involves material selection, CAD modeling, troubleshooting tooling issues, and optimizing the manufacturing process for plastic components. Plastic Tooling Engineers play a crucial role in industries such as automotive, consumer goods, and electronics, where precision and reliability in plastic parts are essential.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a plastic tooling engineer?

To thrive as a Plastic Tooling Engineer, you need expertise in mechanical engineering principles, plastics manufacturing, and tooling design, often backed by a relevant engineering degree. Familiarity with CAD software, mold flow analysis tools, and knowledge of industry standards or certifications such as Six Sigma is typically required. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective communication are vital soft skills for collaborating with cross-functional teams and resolving production challenges. These abilities ensure the efficient design, manufacture, and optimization of plastic tooling, leading to high-quality products and cost-effective processes.

What are some common challenges faced by plastic tooling engineers during the design and manufacturing process?

Plastic Tooling Engineers often encounter challenges such as achieving precise tolerances, managing material flow, and minimizing defects like warping or sink marks. Balancing design complexity with manufacturability is crucial, as intricate parts can increase tooling costs and difficulty. Effective communication with product designers, mold makers, and production teams is essential to ensure that tooling meets both quality standards and project timelines. Staying updated on new materials and tooling technologies can also help overcome these challenges and improve production efficiency.

What is the difference between Plastic Tooling Engineer vs Injection Molding Technician?

AspectPlastic Tooling EngineerInjection Molding Technician
Primary FocusDesign, develop, and maintain plastic molds and toolingOperate and troubleshoot injection molding machines
Skills & CertificationsCAD, mold design, manufacturing processesMachine operation, quality control, troubleshooting
Work EnvironmentDesign labs, manufacturing plants, mold shopsProduction floors, manufacturing facilities
Industry UsageUsed across automotive, consumer goods, medical devices

The Plastic Tooling Engineer focuses on designing and developing molds, ensuring they meet specifications, while the Injection Molding Technician operates and maintains the molding machines to produce parts. Both roles are essential in plastic manufacturing but differ in their responsibilities and skill sets.

More about Plastic Tooling Engineer jobs

What cities are hiring for Plastic Tooling Engineer jobs?

Cities with the most Plastic Tooling Engineer job openings:

What states have the most Plastic Tooling Engineer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Plastic Tooling Engineer jobs include:

Infographic showing various Plastic Tooling Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 3% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $109,987 per year, or $52.9 per hour.

Tooling Engineer

LAVELLE INDUSTRIES INC

Whitewater, WI โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Retirement, PTO

Posted 17 days ago


Key responsibilities

  • Manage all aspects of plastic tooling, including mold design, development, vendor management, and project management.

  • Support the implementation of new production processes and resolve current production issues related to tooling.

  • Interface with internal and external vendors to implement, install, and maintain tooling, ensuring compliance with ISO and Lean Manufacturing standards.


Job description

Description:

Join our team! Lavelle Industries, a leading rubber and plastics manufacturer, is seeking a Tooling Engineer to join the team. The Tooling Engineer will be responsible for managing all aspects of Lavelle’s plastic tooling, including mold design, development, vendor management, and project management. This position will support all of Lavelle’s facilities and will primarily work out of the Whitewater & Burlington locations. The ideal candidate has experience working cross-functionally with other engineering disciplines to resolve molding problems and to implement process improvements. 

 
 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Owns the timely procurement of tooling purchases and repairs in a manner that meets the company’s objective to ship good parts on time and keep improving

· Assume lead in furthering the preventative maintenance plans for individual tools

· Support all plastic tooling related functions within Lavelle.

· Work with operations, quality, industrial/manufacturing/engineering to implement new production processes from a tooling perspective

· Work with operations, quality, industrial/manufacturing/engineering to resolve current production issues

· Understand all phases of mold development

· Interface with internal and external tooling vendors to implement and install new tools

· Ensure compliance of ISO and Lean Manufacturing

· Respond decisively to design issues, whether internally or externally identified, and implement appropriate and effective countermeasures

· Support a dynamic and cross functional sales, engineering, and manufacturing team

· Research, analyze, recommend, and implement new technology to achieve corporate objectives

· Complete tool condition report for key tools at specified intervals

 
 

REQUIREMENTS:

The successful candidate will have the following qualifications for this position:

· Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree; or extensive related work experience

· 5+ years’ experience in plastic injection tooling (design, development, maintenance).

· Collaborative vendor management

· Experience developing and managing engineering staff in a cross-functional environment.

· Experienced with 3D modeling, preferably using Solidworks is a plus.

· Proven project driven results, focused on process improvement resulting in improved quality, delivery, and cost.

· Experience managing a high-performance team

· Experience with rubber mold design is a plus

 
 

EMPLOYEE PERKS:

· Over 100-year-old, thriving, woman-owned and family-owned business in a very stable industry and US manufacturer

· Competitive benefits package, 401k match and bonus profit-sharing, paid holidays and vacation time off.

· Free on-site health clinic that offers in-person and virtual appointments

· Feedback-oriented culture with strong focus on growth: Annual employee professional development process, Korky University training classes, weekly mentoring sessions, and defined path for career advancement

 
 

If you’re looking for an opportunity to make an impact in a thriving company that values innovation, quality, customer satisfaction, and career growth, we’d love to hear from you!

Requirements: