Toolmaker

Optima UK Inc Ltd; Portsmouth; On-site; GBP 15,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Up to £19.00 per hour

Permanent position

Monday to Friday - 40 hours per week

Stable working environment

Job summary

Optima UK Inc Ltd in Portsmouth is seeking an experienced Toolmaker to manufacture, assemble, fit, maintain and repair precision tooling used in our manufacturing processes. This hands-on role sits in an established Tool Room and offers variety across challenging projects.

You will work with lathes, milling machines, grinders and presses, read engineering drawings, and apply CAD/CAM where needed. The position is permanent, Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week, with a strong emphasis on quality,

Qualifications

• Experience as Toolmaker with tooling manufacturing and repair.
• Strong ability to read engineering drawings and interpret specifications.
• Skilled in measuring and marking out components with accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Manufacture, assemble, fit and repair precision tooling.
• Operate toolroom machinery and read/update engineering drawings.
• Diagnose tool faults and carry out repairs while maintaining quality standards.
• Document actions and issues and communicate across shifts.

Skills

Practical engineering

Toolmaking

Reading drawings

Measuring & marking

CAD/CAM software

Tools

Lathes

Milling machines

Grinders

Presses

Job description

Toolmaker

Location: Portsmouth

Commutable from: Southampton, Havant, Fareham, Chichester and surrounding areas

Salary: Up to £19.00 per hour

Hours: Monday to Friday - 40 hours per week

Job Type: Permanent

Sector: Precision Engineering / Manufacturing

Toolmaker | Up to £19.00 per hour | Monday to Friday | Precision Engineering | Permanent

About the Company

A prestigious and well-established manufacturing business based in Portsmouth is looking to strengthen its team with an experienced Toolmaker.

The company specialises in precision engineering and high-quality tooling solutions, operating within a professional manufacturing environment where quality, safety and continuous improvement are at the heart of the business.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Toolmaker looking for a stable, long-term position where their technical skills and attention to detail will be genuinely valued.

The Role

As a Toolmaker, you will be responsible for manufacturing, assembling, fitting, maintaining and repairing precision tooling used within the manufacturing process.

You'll work within an established Tool Room environment on a variety of technically challenging projects, using a broad range of toolroom machinery and your practical engineering expertise to ensure tooling performs to the required standards.

This is a hands-on role offering plenty of variety, ideal for a Toolmaker who enjoys problem-solving, precision work and seeing a project through from manufacture to completion.

Key Responsibilities

• Manufacturing, assembling, fitting and repairing precision tools.
• Working on complex toolmaking projects within the Tool Room.
• Stripping down tooling, diagnosing faults and carrying out repairs.
• Reading and interpreting engineering drawings.
• Measuring and marking out designs accurately.
• Operating a range of toolroom machinery, including:
  • Lathes
  • Milling machines
  • Grinders
  • Presses
• Using 2D and 3D CAD/CAM software.
• Carrying out modifications to moulds where required.
• Identifying tooling issues and providing practical solutions.
• Escalating production issues to the Tool Room Supervisor where appropriate.
• Maintaining high standards of housekeeping and quality.
• Following all health and safety procedures.
• Promoting and maintaining a safe working environment.
• Communicating effectively across shifts and accurately documenting actions and issues.

About You

We're looking for an experienced Toolmaker with a strong practical engineering background and the ability to manufacture, repair and modify precision tooling.

You will ideally have:

• Previous experience working as a Toolmaker.
• Proven experience manufacturing and repairing precision tooling.
• Strong understanding of engineering drawings.
• Experience measuring and marking out components accurately.
• Experience operating toolroom machinery.
• Good practical problem-solving skills.
• Strong attention to detail and a quality-focused approach.
• Knowledge of 2D and 3D CAD/CAM software would be advantageous.
• The ability to work independently while also contributing effectively within a team.

Key Attributes

• Excellent attention to detail.
• Strong practical engineering ability.
• Methodical and precise approach to work.
• Good problem-solving skills.
• Quality-focused.
• Reliable and professional.
• Able to work safely and maintain high standards.
• Good communication skills.
• Takes pride in producing high-quality tooling.

Benefits

• Up to £19.00 per hour.
• Permanent position.
• Monday to Friday - 40 hours per week.
• Stable working environment.
• Opportunity to work within a specialist precision engineering environment.
• Varied and technically interesting toolmaking work.
• Opportunity to develop your skills across a range of machinery and tooling projects.
• Professional working environment with a strong focus on quality and continuous improvement.

Work Location: In person