Manufacturing Engineer - Plastic & Injection Molding

Molex; Saint Cloud (MN); On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Molex Aerospace & Defense Solutions is seeking a Manufacturing Engineer to develop and optimize injection molding and overmolding for high-reliability aerospace components. You will lead molding projects, drive DOE-based improvements, and collaborate with Product Engineering, Operations, Quality, and Tool Room to ensure quality, cost, and schedule goals are met.

Ideal candidates have 5+ years in plastics manufacturing, strong tooling and SPC knowledge, and experience with aerospace quality

Qualifications

• Experience supporting injection molding/overmolding processes.
• Experience with thermoplastics and tooling systems.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and specs.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, optimize, and sustain injection molding and overmolding processes.
• Lead process development using Scientific Molding, DOE, and data-driven decisions.
• Partner with Product Engineering to improve manufacturability, quality, and cost.
• Evaluate mold designs, tooling concepts, material selection, and process parameters.
• Lead mold qualifications, capability studies, FAI, and production validations.
• Troubleshoot molding, tooling, and process issues using root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Establish process windows, controls, and documentation for consistent quality.
• Support DFM, PFMEA, risk assessments, and new product introductions.
• Collaborate with Tool Room to develop and maintain molds and tooling systems.

Skills

Injection molding

Overmolding

Process validation

Root cause analysis

Lean Six Sigma

Education

Bachelor's degree in Plastics/Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering

Tools

Moldflow

Siemens NX

Creo

Job description

Your Job

As a Manufacturing Engineer, you will develop, validate, and improve injection molding and over-molding processes supporting the production of high-reliability aerospace and defense components. Working closely with Product Engineering, Operations, Quality, the Tool Room, Production Technicians, and Operators, you will ensure manufacturing processes meet quality, productivity, cost, and regulatory requirements.

You will serve as the technical lead for molding technologies, driving process development, scientific molding practices, tooling improvements, and shop-floor continuous improvement initiatives.

Our Team

You will serve as the technical lead for molding technologies, driving process development, scientific molding practices, tooling improvements, and shop-floor continuous improvement initiatives.

What You Will Do

• Develop, validate, optimize, and sustain injection molding and overmolding processes.
• Lead process development using Scientific Molding, DOE methodologies, and data-driven decision making.
• Partner with Product Engineering to improve manufacturability, quality, and cost.
• Evaluate mold designs, tooling concepts, material selection, and process parameters.
• Lead mold qualifications, capability studies, First Article Inspection (FAI), and production validations.
• Troubleshoot molding, tooling, and process issues using root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Establish process windows, controls, and documentation to ensure consistent product quality.
• Support DFM, PFMEA, risk assessments, and new product introductions.
• Work closely with the internal Tool Room to develop, modify, maintain, and optimize molds and tooling systems supporting new products, process improvements, and production reliability.
• Partner with production technicians and operators to standardize processes, resolve manufacturing challenges, and drive continuous improvement.
• Improve safety, quality, throughput, yield, and cost using Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma principles.

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• Bachelor's degree in Plastics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience supporting injection molding, overmolding, or related plastics manufacturing processes.
• Experience with thermoplastic materials, molding process optimization, tooling systems, and process validation.
• Knowledge of mold construction, statistical process control, and root cause analysis.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, tooling designs, and product specifications.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.

What Will Put You Ahead

• Experience in aerospace, defense, medical, automotive, or other high-reliability manufacturing environments.
• Experience with cable over-molding, insert molding, encapsulation, or connector manufacturing.
• Proficiency with Moldflow, Siemens NX, Creo, or similar engineering software.
• Expertise in Scientific Molding, DOE, and process capability analysis.
• Knowledge of AS9100, FAI, PFMEA, Control Plans, and aerospace quality systems.
• Tool room, mold building, machining, CNC, or EDM experience.
• Lean Manufacturing and/or Six Sigma certification.
• Experience supporting new product introductions and manufacturing transfers.

For this role, we anticipate paying $95,000k - $125,000k per year. This role is eligible for variable pay, issued as a monetary bonus or in another form.

At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location.

Hiring Philosophy

All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here.

Who We Are

As a Koch company, Molex Aerospace & Defense Solutions develops and manufactures mission-critical connectivity, electronic, and interconnect solutions that support aerospace, defense, space, and other high-reliability applications. Our products operate in some of the world's most demanding environments, where quality, reliability, and performance are essential.

At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.

Our Benefits

Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes - medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.

Equal Opportunities

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify.