Tooling Manager

EPS Connects LLC; Camarillo (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading advanced manufacturing firm in California is seeking a Tool & Mold Manager to oversee the lifecycle of high-performance tools. This role involves leading a team of skilled professionals, ensuring tooling standards are met, and driving innovation in manufacturing processes. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in injection mold tooling, excellent leadership skills, and a commitment to quality and efficiency. Responsibilities include troubleshooting tooling issues and mentoring team members to achieve engineering excellence.

Qualifications

• 5+ years engineering experience with injection mold tooling.
• 3+ years managing teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Deep understanding of full tooling lifecycle management.

Responsibilities

• Oversee design, fabrication, qualification, maintenance of tools.
• Lead a team of tool makers, machinists, designers, and technicians.
• Implement 5S standards for tooling asset management.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency.

Skills

Injection molding subject-matter expertise

Strong CAD/CAM and CNC programming skills

Analytical problem solver

Excellent communication skills

Leadership abilities

Education

Bachelor’s degree or formal four-year toolmaking apprenticeship

Tools

CAD/CAM software

Job description

Injection Mold Tool & Mold Manager — Lead Innovation in Advanced Manufacturing

Are you a Injection mold tooling expert who thrives at the intersection of engineering, innovation, and hands‑on leadership? This is a rare opportunity to own the full lifecycle of high‑performance tools and molds that power cutting‑edge manufacturing operations. We’re looking for a Tool & Mold Manager who is passionate about precision, energized by complexity, and ready to shape the future of tooling excellence across multiple sites.

In this high‑impact role, you’ll oversee design, fabrication, qualification, maintenance, and optimization of tools and molds used in advanced production environments. You’ll lead a talented team of tool makers, machinists, designers, and technicians—while also partnering closely with R&D, Operations, and NPI teams to bring new tooling concepts to life and continuously improve existing systems.

You will be the technical authority for everything tooling: defining standards, driving innovation, improving workflow efficiency, and ensuring every tool meets the highest expectations for safety, reliability, quality, and performance. Whether you’re collaborating on new mold designs, solving complex tooling challenges on the floor, or managing outsourced tool builds, you’ll play a strategic, visible role in pushing manufacturing capabilities forward.

What You’ll Lead & Deliver

• Own the cradle‑to‑grave lifecycle of tools and molds—from conceptual design through qualification, maintenance, and optimization.
• Implement 5S standards and build a structured, efficient system to catalog and track all molds and tooling assets.
• Ensure equipment calibration, preventative maintenance, and safety standards are rigorously upheld in the tool room.
• Partner with cross‑functional teams to prioritize tooling requests and manage a shared pipeline of new tools, fixtures, and mold improvements.
• Provide accurate cost and timing estimates, support capital requests, and oversee both internal and external tooling projects.
• Lead tool and mold design reviews using modern CAD/CAM tools, including DFM analysis and steel adjustments.
• Drive mold builds and qualifications using IQ/OQ/PQ, PPAP methodology, and structured validation processes.
• Troubleshoot tool‑related issues and lead continuous improvement initiatives to increase output, reliability, and cost efficiency.
• Build maintenance schedules that prevent downtime and extend tool life.
• Analyze tooling performance data and translate insights into actionable recommendations.
• Mentor and develop a high‑performing team, fostering craftsmanship, technical growth, and engineering excellence.
• Manage departmental budgets and introduce new technologies that reduce time‑to‑market and improve scalability.
• Stay aligned with industry trends, best practices, and emerging tooling innovations.
• Travel up to 20% to support tooling needs across other locations.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree or formal four‑year toolmaking apprenticeship.
• 5+ years engineering experience plus 8+ years working directly with injection mold tooling (design, build, troubleshooting).
• 3+ years managing teams in a manufacturing environment (ISO or GMP preferred).
• Deep understanding of full tooling lifecycle management.
• Expertise with standards (DIN, ISO, ASTM, ASME, SAE) and strong shop math proficiency.
• Injection molding subject‑matter expertise; bonus for silicone, over‑molding, blow‑molding, stamping, extrusion, and multi‑material tooling experience.
• Knowledge of materials including PP, PE, PC, PET/PETG, Nylon, Silicone, PEEK, Polysulfone, stainless steel, and more.
• Strong CAD/CAM and CNC programming skills; mold flow analysis highly preferred.
• Analytical, detail‑driven problem solver with excellent communication and leadership abilities.
• Ability to collaborate with international suppliers and manage projects across multiple time zones.
• Valid CA driver’s license and proof of insurance.