Programmer/Fixture Design Engineer

TRUMPF North America; Farmington (CT); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

TRUMPF North America in Farmington, CT, seeks a Programmer/Fixture Design Engineer to develop work‑piece holding devices and fixtures for our large Forest Line milling machines. This role blends mechanical engineering with creative problem solving to enhance productivity, precision, and safety across our fixture portfolio.

The position requires strong fixture design skills, GD&T knowledge, and collaboration with CNC programming and manufacturing teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent technical qualification.
• Minimum 5 years of fixture design and work holding systems experience.
• Strong understanding of GD&T principles and machining processes.

Responsibilities

• Update existing and develop new fixtures to fulfill machining requirements and improve efficiency.
• Develop fixture concepts to optimize processes, reduce cycle times, and improve part quality.
• Collaborate with product development, CNC programming and machining teams to meet requirements.
• Design tooling and fixtures using SolidWorks, ensuring compatibility with existing tooling and machines.
• Create detailed 2D drawings, BOMs, fixture assembly drawings, and 3D models for fixtures.

Skills

Fixture design

Machining processes

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

SolidWorks CAD

Job description

As a family‑run, high‑tech company with nearly 19,000 employees at 71 locations worldwide, we are looking for forward thinkers with unconventional ideas and drive to join our team. Our company culture, which values collaboration and mutual trust, creates the ideal framework for boldly trying new things and questioning the status quo. Our technologies inspire people to develop and produce things that are currently unimaginable. Whether lasers, machine tools, EUV or electronics – TRUMPF is building technological worlds for future generations. Are you ready for new challenges?

Programmer/Fixture Design Engineer develop and design work‑piece holding devices and fixtures for our large Forest Line milling machines. This role combines mechanical engineering expertise with creative problem‑solving to create fixtures that enhance productivity, precision, and safety across our product portfolio.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Update existing and develop new fixtures, custom and modular, to fulfill machining requirements, address production challenges, improve efficiency and support new product introductions.
• Develop fixture concepts that optimize machining processes, reduce cycle times, and improve part quality.
• Collaborate with product development, CNC programming and machining team to ensure fixture designs meet all technical requirements. Conduct analysis and simulations in cooperation with CNC programming to validate fixture performance and safety.
• Design and develop tooling and fixtures using SolidWorks, ensuring compatibility with existing tooling, products and machines.
• Create detailed 2D drawings, following TRUMPF blueprint standards, incorporating GD&T principles. Create fixture BOMs, fixture assembly drawings for the manufacturing and assembly process of fixtures. Create fixture layouts for installation of fixtures on the machining tables and schematics for hydraulic fixture connections. Create 3D models of fixture components or fixture assemblies for production processes, CNC programmers and operators as needed.

Experience / Education

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent technical qualification
• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in fixture design and work holding systems.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks CAD software
• Strong understanding of machining processes, particularly milling operations on large machine tools
• Experience with GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) principles
• Knowledge of fixture manufacturing techniques and cost‑effective production methods
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a technical team environment.