Tooling Engineer

Actalent; Batavia (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision

401(k) Retirement Plan

Life Insurance

PTO / Time Off

Job summary

Actalent is seeking a Tooling Engineer for a permanent, on-site role in Batavia, IL. You will design precision tooling and fixtures from customer data, spending substantial time at a CAD station to drive early-stage development.

Responsibilities include feasibility evaluations, applying DFM/ DFA/ DFT, and ensuring tooling aligns with molding processes. Ideal candidates hold a BSME, with strong GPA or internship experience, and have CREO proficiency and familiarity with 3D CAD tools.

Qualifications

• BSME degree required or equivalent.
• GPA 3.0 minimum or completed mechanical design internship showing applied design skills.
• Experience or education in mechanical design including tooling/fixture design.
• Ability to design precision tooling from customer part data using 3D CAD.
• Understanding of manufacturability, assembly, testing principles.
• Knowledge of mold manufacturing processes and mold machining.

Responsibilities

• Design precision tooling and fixtures using customer data and CAD models.
• Spend significant time at CAD workstation designing early-stage tooling.
• Provide feasibility evaluations for customer parts and joint designs.
• Apply DFM, DFA, and DFT principles for robust tooling solutions.
• Develop tooling with understanding of manufacturing processes and molds.

Skills

3D CAD design

Mold tooling design

DFM/ DFA/ DFT basics

Customer collaboration

ANSYS experience

Education

BSME

GPA 3.0 or internship

Mechanical design internship

Tools

CREO

Job description

Job Title: Tooling EngineerJob Description

Responsibilities

• Design precision tooling and fixtures using customer part data, including detailed surface CAD models.

• Spend approximately 7080% of working time on design activities at the CAD station, especially in the early stages of the role.

• Provide feasibility evaluations for customer parts and assist in determining appropriate part joint designs and assembly methods.

• Apply Design for Manufacturability, Design for Assembly, and Design for Testing principles to ensure robust, efficient, and reliable tooling solutions.

• Develop tooling with a clear understanding of the manufacturing process, including how molds are machined and produced.

• Test and validate your own tooling designs to ensure performance, quality, and compliance with application requirements.

• Support applications and engineering activities related to tooling design, including troubleshooting and continuous improvement.

• Collaborate with customers to address questions about released designs and provide technical guidance on tooling and assembly approaches.

• Contribute to the design of tooling for plastic molds and complex components, such as larger automotive molds.

• Use 3D CAD tools to create, modify, and refine advanced surface models for tooling and fixtures.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering (BSME).

• Strong academic performance with a minimum GPA of 3.0 or a mechanical design internship demonstrating applied design skills.

• Experience or education in mechanical design, including exposure to tooling or fixture design.

• Ability to design precision tooling from customer part and surface data using 3D CAD software.

• Understanding of Design for Manufacturability, Design for Assembly, and Design for Testing principles.

• Fundamental understanding of the manufacturing process for molds, including how molds are machined.

• Capability to test and evaluate your own designs to ensure functionality and quality.

• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools; experience with CREO is highly valued.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• 12 years of professional experience in mechanical or tooling design is ideal.

• Experience in plastic mold design, particularly larger molds such as automotive headlights, tail lights, and manifolds, is a strong plus.

• Familiarity with ultrasonic welding applications and related tooling is beneficial.

• Advanced surfacing skills in 3D CAD environments are a plus.

• Any finite element analysis (FEA) experience, especially with ANSYS, is advantageous.

• Experience with any 3D CAD platform is acceptable; CREO experience is preferred but not required.

• Ability to work effectively in a collaborative, team-focused environment and communicate clearly with customers and internal stakeholders.

• Strong problem-solving skills and a desire to work on complex, challenging machinery and tooling projects.

Work Environment

The role typically follows daytime hours from approximately 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with some flexibility of about an hour in either direction. The environment centers on advanced ultrasonic welding equipment and complex machinery, providing continual technical challenges and opportunities for learning and growth. You will spend a significant portion of your time at a CAD workstation using 3D design tools such as CREO, collaborating closely with engineering and applications teams. The facility employs around 150 people and maintains a strong, team-oriented culture that emphasizes collaboration, support, and shared problem-solving.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Batavia, IL.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $65000.00 - $75000.00/yr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Batavia, IL.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Nov 6, 2026.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Batavia,IL.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.