Mold Setup Technician

Grote Industries, Inc.; Town of Avon (NY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Grote Industries is seeking an Injection Molder/Setup Technician to prepare plastic molds, monitor process parameters, and ensure quality parts. Responsibilities include connecting water lines, maintaining water flow, stabilizing thermolator temperatures, and preparing molds for production.

You will troubleshoot molding issues, purge old materials, and operate equipment such as hot runner controllers, forklifts, and robots, while following safety and 5S practices and contributing to GPS

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED.
• Read part and tool drawings.
• Must pass any pre-screening test(s).

Responsibilities

• Set up molds to meet process tolerances.
• Inspect parts for cosmetic and functional defects.
• Purging old materials from molding machines.
• Operate equipment safely: forklift, hot runner controllers, robots.
• Maintain 5S and organized work areas.
• Record set-up scrap and material usage.
• Assist in problem solving and GPS activities.
• Communicate effectively with team and supervisor.

Skills

Molding concepts

Machinery operation

Organizational skills

Communication

Problem solving

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

Forklift operation

Stand-up lift

Hot runner controllers

Press monitoring system

Robots handling

Job description

Job Role/Summary

Responsible for setting plastic injection molds to run consistent quality parts per the production standard and within the process parameter tolerances established on the process sheet. Must be able to correctly hook up all necessary water lines, ensure properly water flow, and set the thermolator temperatures as outlined on the process sheet. Must be able to clean, load new material, and set drying parameters on hopper/dryers. Must be able to troubleshoot, and make appropriate process adjustments to resolve injection molding cosmetic or performance issues. Must be able to safely and proficiently operate all necessary equipment: hot runner controllers, chain hoist, fork lift, stand‑up lift, scales, press monitoring system, and parts‑picking robots. The employee must complete all necessary lot control and tracking paperwork as required, and notify the Crew Leader/Lead Person when a mold is ready to start normal production.

Job Responsibilities

Safety

• Responsible to follow all safety procedures and practices.

Quality

• Ensures and maintains the quality guidelines, procedures, and standards are consistently followed throughout the manufacturing operation.
• Visually inspect parts for cosmetic and functional defects to ensure quality parts before turning over the press to production.
• Purging of old materials from molding machines.

Responsibility & Customer-Focused

• Selection of the proper mold from the storage racks to produce the part.
• Set up processes within the tolerances established on the process sheets to meet customer requirements.
• Remove the mold from the equipment.
• Setting up the new mold.
• Key information into press monitoring system (Matec).
• Understand how to read and interpret part print drawings and/or tool drawings.
• Effectively communicate with others.
• Keep track of set‑up scrap, and weigh/record material amounts.

Integrity

• Maintain 5S and keep work areas clean and organized.

Other Functions

• Participate in problem solving activities.
• Participate in Grote Production System (GPS) activities.
• Required to follow any other instructions and to perform any other duties as requested by supervisor.
• Safety Awareness.
• Quality Driven.
• Respectful.
• Customer Driven.
• Family Oriented.
• Responsible.
• Team Player.
• Detail Oriented.
• Effective Communication (written and verbal).
• Results Oriented.
• Process Improvement.
• Cooperation with Others.
• Consistency.
• Following Directions.
• Persistence.

Education, Experience, Training, Certifications and Licenses

Degree or equivalent experience

• High School diploma or GED equivalent.

Years of experience

• N/A

Training in

• As required.

Licenses in

• As required.

Certifications in

• As required.

Other requirements

• Must successfully pass any pre‑screening test(s).

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge in

• Molding concepts and machinery.

Skills in

• Organization
• Excellent written and oral communication

Demonstrated ability to

• Capable of adjusting the molding machine for temperatures and pressures.
• Work at a highly motivated level with a sense of urgency and dedication to accomplishing tasks.
• Adapt to frequent changes in work environment & prioritization.
• Work with general or minimal supervision.
• Leverage existing and potential training.

Experience with

• Use of hand tools and power tools.
• Operating a forklift of stand‑up lift.
• Conveyors, thermolators, parts‑picking robots, chain hoists, hot runner controllers.

Other

• N/A

Travel

• Less than 10%
• Manufacturing and/or professional environment.
• Able to work overtime as needed.
• Environment can be hot or cold depending on outside temperatures.
• Requires flexibility to schedule and work hours.

Physical and Mental Requirements

Physical

• Climbing Stairs: Ascending or descending stairs to gain access to a building or to move from one floor to another.
• Light Carrying: Physically transporting general office items/materials from one location to another.
• Fingering: Typing for extending periods of time, or otherwise working primarily with fingers rather than with the whole hand or arm.
• Sitting: Particularly for sustained periods of time.
• Visual Requirement: Able to see and read PC screens; detect color coding, read fine print, and/or normal type size print.
• Bending and Stooping: Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist.

Mental

• Ability to understand, remember, and apply oral and/or written instructions or other information.
• Ability to organize thoughts and ideas into understandable terminology.
• Ability to compose letters, outlines, memoranda, and basic reports and/or to orally communicate technical information.
• Ability to communicate with individuals utilizing a telephone; requires ability to hear and speak effectively on phone.
• Ability to express or exchange ideas by means of the spoken word, communicating orally with others accurately.

Grote Industries will provide reasonable accommodations, if needed, to qualified individuals with disabilities to assist employees in performing the essential functions of their jobs, unless such an accommodation would create an undue hardship on Grote Industries.