Tooling Project Engineer

Contechs; Rotherham; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 101,000; Full time

Job summary

Contechs are recruiting on behalf of a leading engineering organisation to fill a Tooling Project Engineer role in Sheffield. The position is hybrid and on a 6-month contract, focusing on taking ownership of tooling projects from concept to delivery.

You will guide tooling strategies, manage plans, budgets, and risks, and collaborate across engineering, manufacturing, quality, procurement and suppliers. A background in composite tooling and manufacturing engineering is required.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Composites Engineering, or related discipline.
• Minimum 2 years' experience within tooling, composites, manufacturing engineering, automotive, motorsport, aerospace, or related industry.
• Experience delivering tooling projects from concept through to implementation.
• Experience with composite tooling would be highly advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Manage tooling projects throughout the full project lifecycle, ensuring delivery against cost, quality, and timing targets.
• Develop and maintain project plans, budgets, schedules, and risk management activities.
• Assess tooling requirements and develop effective tooling strategies with stakeholders and manufacturing teams.
• Determine and manage tooling delivery routes balancing internal capability, supplier capacity, cost, timing, and technical requirements.
• Coordinate activities across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, Programme Management, and external suppliers.
• Act as the technical authority for tooling-related activities, providing guidance and support across the wider business.
• Identify, evaluate, and implement innovative tooling technologies and manufacturing improvements.
• Support the development and continuous improvement of tooling standards, specifications, processes, and best practices.
• Manage multiple tooling projects and competing priorities across programmes and manufacturing activities.

Skills

Composite tooling

Tooling principles

Composite manufacturing processes

Project cost management

Scheduling and risk management

External suppliers management

Tooling strategy development

Engineering drawings and CAD

Tooling innovation & continuous improv

Communication and problem-solving

Education

Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Composites Engineering, or related discipline

Job description

Sector: Automotive / Manufacturing Engineering

Location: Sheffield (Hybrid)

Position Type: Contract

Duration: Initial 6 Months

About the Company

Contechs are recruiting on behalf of a leading engineering organisation seeking a proactive and technically capable Tooling Project Engineer to join their In-House Tooling Team.

This role will take ownership of tooling projects from initial requirement through to delivery and implementation, ensuring tooling solutions are delivered safely, efficiently, and in line with business, quality, cost, and timing objectives. The successful candidate will act as a technical authority for tooling activities whilst supporting multiple programmes and driving tooling innovation, continuous improvement, and best practice development.

Job Description

As a Tooling Project Engineer, your main responsibilities are:

• Manage tooling projects throughout the full project lifecycle, ensuring delivery against agreed cost, quality, and timing targets.
• Develop and maintain project plans, budgets, schedules, and risk management activities.
• Assess tooling requirements and develop effective tooling strategies in collaboration with key stakeholders and manufacturing teams.
• Determine and manage the most appropriate tooling delivery route, balancing internal capability, supplier capacity, cost, timing, and technical requirements.
• Coordinate activities across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Procurement, Programme Management, and external suppliers.
• Act as the technical authority for tooling-related activities, providing guidance and support across the wider business.
• Identify, evaluate, and implement innovative tooling technologies and manufacturing improvements.
• Support the development and continuous improvement of tooling standards, specifications, processes, and best practices.
• Manage multiple tooling projects and competing priorities across a range of programmes and manufacturing activities.

Qualifications / Skills Needed

• Strong understanding of composite tooling, tooling principles, and composite manufacturing processes.
• Proven experience delivering tooling projects within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing project cost, timing, risk, and stakeholder expectations.
• Experience working with external suppliers and outsourced tooling activities.
• Ability to develop practical tooling strategies that balance technical, commercial, and programme requirements.
• Good understanding of engineering drawings, CAD models, and tooling design principles, with the ability to review and interrogate engineering data.
• Knowledge of tooling innovation, continuous improvement, and manufacturing process optimisation.
• Excellent communication, organisational, and problem-solving skills.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Composites Engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent technical qualification and industry experience.
• Minimum 2 years' experience within tooling, composites, manufacturing engineering, automotive, motorsport, aerospace, or a related industry.
• Experience delivering tooling projects from concept through to implementation.
• Experience with composite tooling would be highly advantageous.

Personal Attributes

• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently.
• Strong organisational and project management skills.
• Technically curious with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement.
• Commercially aware and capable of balancing competing business priorities.