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Tool Development Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

First Solar

Development Engineer IV

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

Determine and evaluate material, target, and tool/equipment specifications for improved performance and organizational effectiveness. * Cross-Functional Leadership: Act as a core leader and ...

First Solar

Development Engineer IV

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

Determine and evaluate material, target, and tool/equipment specifications for improved performance and organizational effectiveness. * Cross-Functional Leadership: Act as a core leader and ...

Orbotech

Product Development Engineer

Milpitas, CA · On-site

... software engineers, application development engineers, and senior product technology process ... Support tool bring-up, preventive maintenance, and process optimization. * Operate, calibrate, and ...

Senior plc

Product Development Engineer

Burbank, CA · On-site

Summary: The Product Development Engineer (PDE) is a manufacturing expert who interprets ... Create tool orders * Review and approve tool designs for accuracy and correctness * Create visual ...

Semtech

Process Development Engineer

Alhambra, CA · On-site

$73K - $110K/yr

The Process Development Engineer - InP Wafer Fab position is responsible for development ... Monitor tool health and respond to excursions impacting yield or reliability * Support capacity ...

First Solar

Development Engineer II

Santa Clara, CA · On-site

May be responsible to determine and evaluate tool/equipment specifications. * Effective ... Reports to Development Engineer or Manager of Device Research. * May have direct reports. Travel:

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Tool Development Engineer information

What is a tool development engineer?

Tool Development Engineers are professionals who design, develop, and maintain tools, software, or equipment used to optimize production processes or support engineering teams. Their responsibilities often include understanding user requirements, creating prototypes, testing tools, and improving existing solutions to enhance efficiency and quality. They work closely with manufacturing, software, or hardware teams, depending on the industry. Tool Development Engineers play a critical role in increasing productivity and ensuring the reliability of tools used in various technical environments.

What are some common challenges faced by tool development engineers when collaborating with cross-functional teams?

Tool Development Engineers often work closely with software developers, QA testers, and product managers to create and refine tools. A common challenge is balancing differing priorities, such as development speed versus tool robustness or user-friendliness. Effective communication and flexibility are key to understanding and addressing the unique needs of each team. Regular feedback sessions and clear documentation help ensure that the tools developed meet the evolving requirements of all stakeholders.

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

To thrive as a Tool Development Engineer, you need a solid background in engineering principles, programming languages (such as Python, C++, or Java), and a relevant degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field. Familiarity with CAD software, version control systems, and automation tools, as well as certifications in relevant frameworks, are typically expected. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and effective communication enable collaboration and innovative tool design. These competencies are crucial for developing efficient, reliable tools that optimize engineering workflows and support organizational productivity.

What is the difference between Tool Development Engineer vs Manufacturing Engineer?

AspectTool Development EngineerManufacturing Engineer
Primary FocusDesigning, developing, and optimizing tools and equipment used in manufacturing processesPlanning, implementing, and improving manufacturing processes and workflows
Skills & CertificationsMechanical design, CAD, problem-solving, certifications like Six Sigma or LeanProcess engineering, project management, certifications like Six Sigma or Lean
Work EnvironmentDesign labs, manufacturing plants, R&D facilitiesFactories, production lines, plant floor
Industry UsageCommon in automotive, aerospace, electronics manufacturingWidely used across various manufacturing sectors including consumer goods and industrial equipment

While both roles support manufacturing operations, the Tool Development Engineer primarily focuses on creating and improving tools and equipment, whereas the Manufacturing Engineer concentrates on optimizing entire production processes. Understanding these distinctions helps in choosing the right career path or job search focus.

What are popular job titles related to Tool Development Engineer jobs in California?

For Tool Development Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Tool Development Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Tool Development Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Tool Development Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Tool Development Engineer job openings:

Tool Development Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Tool Development Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 4% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 6% Remote job distribution.

Product Development Process Engineer

Anduril Industries

Costa Mesa, CA • On-site

Full-time

Posted 15 days ago

Anduril rating

9.1

Company rating: 9.1 out of 10

Anduril

Based on 17 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

7.4

Company rating compared to similar companies: 7.4 out of 10

Manufacturers average

Based on 75,541 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

ABOUT THE TEAM
Anduril's Product Development Process (PDP) team is seeking a Product development process engineer to join our organization to support hardware product development. This role will work with our broader Engineering and Production team to ensure we are architecting robust and adaptable processes for our growing hardware product portfolio.
As a Product Development Process Engineer at Anduril, you will work within the product development organization to help develop and maintain process strategies for the design and development workflows. You will work cross-functionally with design, product development, tools development, and training teams to ensure our process is designed and accessible by the various engineering teams. You will serve as a critical technical expert and process expert on design and product maturity best practices.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
Process Requirements Management

  • Collaborate with Design, Program, and Cross-Functional leads to align on best practices and standards.
  • Develop PDP tool (GitHub, Party Bus, & Claude Collaboration)
  • Gather key requirements and develop the architecture for how processes are used across the various impacted teams. Deliverables will include releasing and maintaining these processes in the PDP tool.
  • Collaborate closely with our tool development team to create a user interface tool that is used for a large user base, across various products.
  • Define clear process requirements and expectations for design and product development teams based on collaboration feedback and industry insight/experience.
  • Own the central standards repository with key projects such as engineering design standards & analysis standards, product maturity framework, etc.
  • Partner with Engineering and cross-functional leadership on best design practices, test practices, and entry/exit criteria for qualification & build testing and design review gates.
  • Centralize requirements into clear resources for the functional teams to leverage during R&D, Design Review Preparations, Qualification Campaign definition, and production readiness.

Process Development and Rollout

  • Draft process workflows, user guides, and formal specifications/standard operating procedures to instruct the various teams on usage of the design and development resources.
  • Collect feedback and buy in on key process artifacts, and lead continuous improvement initiatives.
  • Lead and coordinate the release and department rollout of new processes.

Training, Documentation & Continuous Improvement

  • Support development of training guides, modules, training videos, etc.
  • Coordinate release kickoff meetings and training workshops.
  • Continually monitor adoption with each key stakeholder and associated leadership.
  • Develop feedback loop/release update process and communications strategy.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • B.S. Degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering or a related technical field.
  • 8+ years of Industry Experience as a Design Engineer, Development Engineer, Process Development Engineer, Product Manager, or similar role.
  • Must have Mechanical or Electrical design/development experience and expertise bringing new products to market.
  • Experience working on advanced hardware systems.
  • Experience working with IT tools relevant to design and development (CAD, PLM, etc.).
  • Experience or familiarity with relevant defense industry standards and compliance.
  • Experience working with cross-functional teams to establish requirements.
  • Must be a US Person.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

  • M.S. Degree in technical engineering field.
  • Able to obtain and hold a U.S. Secret Clearance
  • Experience designing / architecting custom design and development tools.
  • Experience with training and document creation.
  • Project management experience or certification in project management.

Working at Anduril

About Anduril, in their own words

From Anduril

As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril delivers cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the warfighter in months, not years.

What Anduril employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Anduril Industries logo

About Anduril Industries

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Anduril Industries is a trailblazer in the technology industry based in Costa Mesa, CA, US. Founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the creator of Oculus VR, the company focuses on developing innovative technology to equip and empower those in the defense sector. Its primary products include cutting-edge autonomous systems and AI software that assist in combating threats to national and global security. The mission of Anduril Industries is to integrate technology and defense by building transformative, scalable solutions that ensure a safer world.

Industry

Guided missile and space vehicle manufacturing

Company size

501 - 1,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Costa Mesa, CA, US

Year founded

2017

Social media

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