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Plastic Tooling Engineer Jobs in Michigan (NOW HIRING)

Midland-Marvel Recruiters

Plastics Engineer

Troy, MI · On-site

$80K - $130K/yr

Large plastic resins supplier has an excellent opportunity available in the Detroit, Michigan area ... tooling and design guidance. * Implements the recommendations of the strategic application ...

PTI Engineered Plastics

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Manufacturing Automation Technician/Engineer

Macomb, MI · On-site

$83K - $107K/yr

If you understand the plastics industry and are mechanically inclined, and can work well with ... Participate as required in product, tooling and secondary equipment design reviews to ensure ...

fng

Manufacturing Plastics Process Engineer

Evart, MI · On-site

The Plastics Process Engineer is responsible for setting up, adjusting, and maintaining plastic ... Strong understanding of plastic materials, tooling, and processing principles. * Familiar with ...

fng

Manufacturing Plastics Process Engineer

Evart, MI · On-site

The Plastics Process Engineer is responsible for setting up, adjusting, and maintaining plastic ... Strong understanding of plastic materials, tooling, and processing principles. * Familiar with ...

SL Michigan

Program Engineer

Auburn Hills, MI · On-site

The Program Engineer III is responsible for supporting the design, development, validation, and ... Knowledge of plastic components, tooling, and manufacturing processes is highly preferred. * Strong ...

SL Michigan

Program Engineer

Auburn Hills, MI · On-site

The Program Engineer III is responsible for supporting the design, development, validation, and ... Knowledge of plastic components, tooling, and manufacturing processes is highly preferred. * Strong ...

Flex-N-Gate

Manufacturing Plastics Process Engineer

Evart, MI · On-site

$65K - $87K/yr

The Plastics Process Engineer is responsible for setting up, adjusting, and maintaining plastic ... Strong understanding of plastic materials, tooling, and processing principles. * Familiar with ...

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Plastic Tooling Engineer information

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.

What cities in Michigan are hiring for Plastic Tooling Engineer jobs?

Cities in Michigan with the most Plastic Tooling Engineer job openings:

Plastic Tooling Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Plastic Tooling Engineer job openings in Michigan as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 6% Part Time, 5% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution.

Plastic Process Technician - 3rd Shift

Cascade Engineering

Grand Rapids, MI

$24.76 - $39.78/hr

Full-time

Re-posted 9 days ago

Job description

Cascade Engineering is a Family of Companies that invests in our triple bottom line philosophy - People, Planet and Profit. We have been in business for over 50 years in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We manufacture injection molding/plastic products for automotive, office furniture, polymer compounding, waste and recycling industries. We focus on driving organizational excellence through a people centered leadership culture based on the principles of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

Are you looking for a positive and encouraging environment? Are you seeking a position where you are included, recognized and celebrated? You belong here! Are you excited for what is ahead? We are too!

Scope of Responsibility

Cascade Engineering is currently hiring for the position of Set Up/Process Technician level 3 or 4. In this role, you will be responsible for setting up, shutting down, mold changes and troubleshooting mold defects and machines. In this opportunity, you will have the ability to develop and grow your technical skills.

You will have an opportunity to work with a diverse, supportive and driven team across all the plants! With this opportunity, you will be collaborating with your team to produce high quality components while learning to build new processes and work as a team to solve complex issues while working with large-scale plastic molding presses.

Location: West Plant (5055 35th St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49512)

Shift: 3rd shift from 11pm - 7:10am (Sunday - Thursday)

Target Pay:The target starting base salary for this position is $24.76 - 39.78/hour (plus $1.00 shift premium plus quarterly bonus incentive). Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. Cascade Engineering considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and business considerations when extending an offer.

General Responsibilities

Day to day - Responsible for starting up and shutting down of plastic injection molding equipment. Conducting timely and accurate installations and removal of injection molds and dies. Assisting with troubleshooting of plastic injection molding presses

Troubleshooting - In this role, you will lean on your extensive knowledge of plastics and communicate any equipment issues/breakdowns to maintenance. Troubleshoot molding defects such as splay and short shots and identify continuous improvement opportunities. You will have the opportunity to work in a team environment to diagnose, troubleshoot and solve complex issues dealing with robots, hot stamp technology and other tooling issues

Support - While working collaboratively with all levels of the team you will be responsible for offering support where needed. This could include cleaning hoppers, doing moisture checks and setting up dryers. You could be called upon to help with various mold changes, crane operation and color changes

Culture Bearer

  • Understands and supports the values of the Triple Bottom Line (TBL)
  • Exhibits high moral and ethical standards and high integrity
  • Values people regardless of their background
  • Exhibits the traits of a servant leader
  • Exhibit the principles of 7 Habits and Emotional Intelligence
  • Encourages open dialogue and communication
  • Develops high trust relationships within all levels of the organization
  • Pursues Excellence

At Cascade Engineering, we welcome and celebrate diversity and inclusion. We are committed to fostering an authentic workplace where everyone belongs and thrives, and we look forward to welcoming candidates who are enthusiastic about contributing to our community. If you are passionate about this role, we encourage you to apply. We recognize that women and people of color are often underrepresented in manufacturing and want to see this change. Whenmaking hiring decisions, we believe in considering the whole person and the life experiences they bring to our teams. Our diversity drives our innovation and has been integral to our success.

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