Senior LSR/HCR Molding Engineer — Process & Yield Innovator

Massachusetts Gaming Commission; Buffalo Grove (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits

On-site work Buffalo Grove

Job summary

Actalent in Buffalo Grove, IL is seeking a Sr. Molding Engineer to lead development, optimization, and maintenance of LSR and HCR molding processes. You will manage injection, transfer, and compression molding, drive process capability, and support new mold trials for successful product launches.

The role requires 5+ years in silicone/rubber molding, strong DOE/SPC skills, and experience with SolidWorks and mold flow analysis. On-site in Buffalo Grove with full client benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Materials, Plastics, or Polymer Engineering.
• 5+ years experience in silicone and/or rubber molding.
• Strong understanding of LSR injection, HCR molding, and compression and transfer molding.
• Proficiency in cure cycles, post-cure, material behavior, and tool design elements.
• Experience using DOE, SPC, and statistical tools for process improvement.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, CAD models, and specifications.
• Proven success in troubleshooting complex molding issues.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, and optimize molding processes for LSR injection molding, HCR injection, compression, and transfer molding.
• Apply scientific molding techniques to establish injection/fill profiles, pack/hold strategies, and cure and thermal control profiles.
• Perform process determination and DOE studies to improve process capability and reduce variation.
• Establish and maintain standardized process parameter sheets, recipes, and work instructions.
• Provide daily technical support to address molding issues such as flash, short shots, and cure variations.
• Lead structured root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
• Train operators and technicians in molding best practices.
• Partner with Tooling Engineer on gate/vent design, cold runner or valve-gate LSR systems, and mold qualification.
• Drive improvements in cycle time, downtime, rework rates, material usage, and yield optimization.
• Participate in LEAN, Kaizen, 5S, and efficiency projects.
• Collaborate with NPI Engineering on feasibility reviews, new mold trials, and launch readiness.
• Communicate clearly with Production and Quality teams on process changes and improvement projects.

Skills

LSR molding

HCR molding

DOE

SPC

Process optimization

Root cause analysis

Education

Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Mold flow analysis

Job description

Actalent in Buffalo Grove, IL is seeking a Sr. Molding Engineer to lead development, optimization, and maintenance of LSR and HCR molding processes. You will manage injection, transfer, and compression molding, drive process capability, and support new mold trials for successful product launches.

The role requires 5+ years in silicone/rubber molding, strong DOE/SPC skills, and experience with SolidWorks and mold flow analysis. On-site in Buffalo Grove with full client benefits.