Aerospace Tooling Engineering Lead

Saab Aeronautics Indiana LLC; West Lafayette (IN); On-site; USD 132,000 - 171,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid time off

401(k) plan

Tuition assistance

Wellness resources

Employee stock purchase

Disability coverage

Job summary

Saab Aeronautics Indiana LLC in West Lafayette, IN seeks a Manager, Tooling Engineering to lead engineers and technicians supporting tooling resources and processes across the manufacturing operation. This role oversees lifecycle management, calibration, and tool control to meet aerospace quality standards.

You will own tooling lifecycle, drive continuous improvement, ensure calibration and audit readiness for FAA/AS9100, and partner with design and manufacturing on make/buy decisions.

Qualifications

• BS degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Own the full lifecycle of production tooling, fixtures, jigs, gauges, molds, and dies — from design concept through qualification, in-service use, calibration, refurbishment, and retirement.
• Develop and maintain a tooling master plan aligned to production schedules, new program launches, and rate increases.
• Establish and enforce tool control procedures, including numbering, storage, traceability, and configuration management in line with AS9100 requirements.
• Direct the design or redesign of tooling to support new part introductions, engineering changes, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Review and approve tool designs for manufacturability, ergonomics, cycle time, and compliance with engineering drawings and specifications.
• Partner with Manufacturing and Design Engineering on make/buy decisions for tooling.
• Oversee preventive maintenance, repair, and calibration programs for all production and inspection tooling.
• Ensure all tooling and gauging remain within calibration and are audit-ready for customer, FAA, and AS9100/NADCAP audits.
• Maintain accurate tooling records, including MRB dispositions, tool history files, and change logs.
• Manage, mentor, and develop tool designers, toolmakers, tool room technicians, and tool crib staff.
• Set performance goals, conduct reviews, and manage staffing levels against production demand.
• Foster a safety-first culture in the tool room consistent with OSHA and site EHS requirements.
• Contribute to a people-culture in alignment with the core Company values: Trust, Drive, Expertise and Support.
• Source, qualify, and manage relationships with external tooling vendors and machine shops.
• Negotiate cost, lead time, and quality terms for outsourced tooling builds and repairs.
• Manage the tooling capital budget, including forecasting, purchase justification, and cost tracking.
• Ensure tooling availability meets production schedules; lead root cause analysis and corrective action for tooling-related downtime or nonconformances.
• Support first article inspections (FAI/AS9102) and production part approval processes tied to tooling qualification.
• Drive continuous improvement (Lean/Six Sigma) initiatives to reduce tool changeover time, improve durability, and lower cost per part.

Skills

Leadership

AS9100 Knowledge

Project Management

Communication

Shop Floor Experience

Root Cause Analysis

Education

BS in Mechanical/Manufacturing/Industrial Eng

Tools

CATIA

SolidWorks

NX

ERP/MES tooling modules

Job description

Saab Aeronautics Indiana LLC in West Lafayette, IN seeks a Manager, Tooling Engineering to lead engineers and technicians supporting tooling resources and processes across the manufacturing operation. This role oversees lifecycle management, calibration, and tool control to meet aerospace quality standards.

You will own tooling lifecycle, drive continuous improvement, ensure calibration and audit readiness for FAA/AS9100, and partner with design and manufacturing on make/buy decisions.