Lead Tooling Engineer

Express Employment; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Express Employment seeks a hands-on Lead Tooling Engineer to oversee tooling design and drive continuous improvement in heavy manufacturing. You will lead projects from concept through production, mentor a team, and implement innovative tooling solutions.

The role demands strong GD&T knowledge, 3D CAD proficiency (Autodesk Inventor), and a track record of improving tool life, reducing downtime, and collaborating across production, quality, and maintenance teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, or related field (or equivalent hands-on experience).
• 5+ years of tooling design experience in metal forming, forging, stamping, mold design, or heavy manufacturing.
• Strong experience with 3D CAD software (Autodesk Inventor preferred).
• Knowledge of tool steels, heat treating, and hot-work tooling applications.
• Strong understanding of GD&T and manufacturing drawings.
• Experience troubleshooting tooling issues in a manufacturing environment.
• Excellent project management, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Comfortable working on the production floor in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead tooling design, development, and improvement projects from concept through production.
• Design dies, punches, mandrels, fixtures, gauges, and tooling using Autodesk Inventor or similar 3D CAD software.
• Manage tooling projects, priorities, timelines, and vendor relationships.
• Provide technical leadership to the tool and die team.
• Troubleshoot tooling issues to improve quality, tool life, and downtime.
• Collaborate with production, quality, maintenance, and engineering teams to support operations.
• Reverse engineer tooling using drawings, parts, and 3D scanning.
• Produce manufacturing drawings with GD&T for machining and vendors.
• Evaluate tooling materials, heat treatments, and finishes for high-temp metal forming.

Skills

Tooling design

Autodesk Inventor

GD&T

Project leadership

Manufacturing troubleshooting

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's in Mechanical/Manufacturing/Industrial Engineering

Tools

Autodesk Inventor

CNC programming

3D scanning

PDM/PLM systems

Job description

Job Description

Lead Tooling Engineer

Location: Shreveport, LA
Salary$125,000-175,000/year DOE

Are you a hands-on engineering leader who thrives on solving complex manufacturing challenges? We're seeking an experienced Lead Tooling Engineer to oversee tooling design, lead engineering projects, and drive continuous improvement in a heavy manufacturing environment. This is a high-impact leadership role where you'll have the opportunity to influence production, mentor a skilled team, and bring innovative tooling solutions from concept to completion.

What You'll Do

• Lead all tooling design, development, and improvement projects from concept through production.
• Design dies, punches, mandrels, fixtures, gauges, and custom tooling using Autodesk Inventor or similar 3D CAD software.
• Manage tooling projects, priorities, timelines, and vendor relationships.
• Provide technical leadership to the tool and die team.
• Troubleshoot tooling issues to improve quality, increase tool life, and reduce downtime.
• Work closely with production, quality, maintenance, and engineering teams to support manufacturing operations.
• Reverse engineer existing tooling using drawings, physical parts, and 3D scanning technology.
• Produce detailed manufacturing drawings with GD&T for internal machining and outside vendors.
• Evaluate tooling materials, heat treatments, and surface finishes for high-temperature metal forming applications.
• Support capital equipment projects, tooling asset management, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop and maintain tooling documentation, revision control, and engineering standards.

What We're Looking For

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial Engineering, or related field (or equivalent hands-on experience).
• 5+ years of tooling design experience in metal forming, forging, stamping, mold design, or heavy manufacturing.
• Strong experience with 3D CAD software (Autodesk Inventor preferred).
• Knowledge of tool steels, heat treating, and hot-work tooling applications.
• Strong understanding of GD&T and manufacturing drawings.
• Experience troubleshooting tooling issues in a manufacturing environment.
• Excellent project management, leadership, and organizational skills.
• Comfortable working on the production floor in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Highly detail-oriented with exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities.

Preferred Experience

• Pipe fittings, forging, pressure vessels, or hot-forming operations.
• 3D scanning or reverse engineering.
• FEA or forming simulation.
• CNC programming and CAM software.
• Engineering document control, PDM, or PLM systems.
• Equipment installation, commissioning, or process improvement projects.

Why You'll Want This Role

• Leadership opportunity with significant technical ownership and decision-making authority.
• Challenging engineering projects with a direct impact on manufacturing performance.
• Collaborative, team-oriented environment focused on innovation and continuous improvement.
• Competitive compensation based on experience.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off, life insurance, and relocation assistance.

About the Company

Our client is a well-established manufacturer with more than 75 years of experience producing precision steel pipe fittings for the oil and gas industry. Known for its commitment to quality, innovation, and continuous improvement, the company specializes in manufacturing high-performance products that meet demanding industry standards. With a strong focus on engineering excellence and advanced manufacturing processes, they offer employees the opportunity to work on challenging projects while making a meaningful impact on production and operational success.

If you're ready to lead tooling innovation and make a lasting impact in a growing manufacturing operation, we'd love to hear from you.

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