Senior Tooling Engineer

Sterling Engineering; Libertyville (IL); On-site; USD 145,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling Engineering is seeking a seasoned Principal Tooling Engineer to lead the design, development, and implementation of advanced injection molding tooling for a flagship medical program. This role drives U.S.

manufacturing launch, partnering with global teams and customers throughout the tooling lifecycle. The ideal candidate will have 15+ years in tooling, deep mold design expertise, and experience with DFM, mold flow, and tooling qualification.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or technical field.
• 15+ years of injection molding tooling experience.
• Knowledge of mold design, validation, troubleshooting, and process optimization.
• Understanding of thermoplastics and/or thermoset molding.
• Experience with DFM, mold flow analysis, and tooling qualification.
• Hands-on tooling, mold shops, or production operations background.
• Excellent communication across engineering disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and development of precision injection molds, fixtures, and manufacturing tooling.
• Evaluate designs for manufacturability and provide DFM recommendations during development.
• Support tooling validation activities, mold trials, and production readiness.
• Troubleshoot tooling and molding issues and implement corrective actions.
• Drive tooling modifications, engineering changes, and cost-quality improvements.
• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and customers during qualification and launch.
• Create tooling documentation, standards, and procedures.
• Mentor tooling technicians and share expertise across teams.
• Track milestones and communicate progress to stakeholders and customers.
• Support early program work with Denmark team during initial launch.

Skills

Tooling design

DFM

Mold flow analysis

Mold design

Troubleshooting

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

Metrology tools

Job description

Travel: International travel to Denmark required during the first year (typically 1-2 weeks per trip), with travel decreasing significantly after launch.

Compensation: $145,000-$175,000 annually + 10% bonus

Position Summary

We're looking for a seasoned Principal Tooling Engineer to lead the design, development, and implementation of advanced injection molding tooling for an innovative medical manufacturing program. This position will play a critical role in launching U.S. manufacturing operations for a flagship medical product while partnering with global engineering teams and customers throughout the tooling lifecycle.

This opportunity is ideal for an experienced tooling professional who enjoys solving complex manufacturing challenges, driving continuous improvement, and working closely with cross-functional teams from concept through production.

What You'll Do

• Lead the design and development of precision injection molds, fixtures, and manufacturing tooling.
• Evaluate product designs for manufacturability and provide DFM recommendations during development.
• Support tooling validation activities, mold trials, and production readiness.
• Troubleshoot tooling and molding issues while implementing effective corrective actions.
• Drive tooling modifications, engineering changes, and continuous improvement initiatives focused on quality and cost.
• Partner with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and customer teams throughout tool qualification and product launch.
• Create and maintain tooling documentation, standards, and manufacturing procedures.
• Mentor tooling technicians and provide technical expertise across engineering teams.
• Track project milestones and communicate progress to internal stakeholders and customers.
• Participate in early program support through collaboration with the Denmark engineering team during the initial launch phase.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or another technical discipline.
• 15+ years of experience with injection molding tooling in a manufacturing environment.
• Extensive knowledge of mold design, tool validation, troubleshooting, and process optimization.
• Strong understanding of thermoplastics and/or thermoset molding processes.
• Experience with Design for Manufacturability (DFM), mold flow analysis, and tooling qualification.
• Hands-on background working with tooling, mold shops, or production operations.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work across multiple engineering disciplines.

Preferred Experience

• Medical device, pharmaceutical, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting global manufacturing transfers or new product introductions (NPI).
• Familiarity with inspection equipment, metrology tools, and mechanical/electrical testing methods.