Tooling Manager

Sterling Engineering; Lincolnshire (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Sterling Engineering in Lincolnshire, IL seeks an experienced Tooling Manager to lead the tool shop, oversee injection molds, maintenance, and tooling improvements. You will guide prototyping through production, drive reliability, and collaborate with engineering, quality, and manufacturing teams on tooling projects.

The role requires hands-on leadership on the factory floor, strong mold-making knowledge, and the ability to manage multiple projects while maintaining safety and quality standards.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in mold design or tool room operations.
• Strong leadership managing a machine shop or tool room.
• Injection mold/mold-making experience preferred.
• CNC tool room machining knowledge.
• Ability to read mold designs and identify tooling improvements.
• Solid problem-solving and mechanical skills.
• Experience leading/mentoring technical staff.
• Familiar with mold-making processes, FAI/PPAP, tooling releases.
• Cross-functional collaboration with engineering/manufacturing/quality.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tooling projects in production.
• Proficiency with CAD software such as Pro/E, NX, or SolidWorks is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day tool shop operations including production tooling, injections molds, repairs and maintenance.
• Manage tooling projects from prototype through production.
• Oversee production molds to meet quality, cost, and schedule targets.
• Lead mold repairs, tooling improvements, and engineering changes.
• Establish preventive maintenance for production molds and tooling.
• Improve manufacturing processes, tooling, and equipment per product needs.
• Analyze tooling processes to improve efficiency, quality, and throughput.
• Provide technical guidance and troubleshooting for tooling issues.
• Lead, train and mentor tool room personnel with safety and quality focus.
• Implement quality and safety improvements and ensure procedures are followed.
• Identify cost-reduction opportunities and collaborate with stakeholders.

Tools

Pro/E

NX

SolidWorks

Job description

• We are seeking an experienced Tooling Manager to lead and oversee a tool shop responsible for the manufacturing, maintenance, repair, and improvement of production injection molds and other tooling.
• This role will provide hands‑on leadership of the tool room and team, overseeing tooling projects from prototype and complex designs through production. The ideal candidate will have strong experience leading a machine shop, with preference given to candidates who have managed an injection mold or mold‑making operation.
• The Tooling Manager will work closely with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and other internal teams to ensure tooling is delivered on schedule, performs reliably, and meets quality and production requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the day‑to‑day operations of the tool shop/tool room, including production tooling, injection molds, repairs, modifications, and maintenance.
• Manage new tooling projects from prototype or complex designs through production.
• Oversee the manufacturing of production injection molds and other tooling to meet quality, cost, and schedule requirements.
• Lead major mold repairs, tooling improvements, modifications, and engineering changes.
• Establish and maintain preventive maintenance programs for production molds and tooling.
• Develop and improve manufacturing processes, methods, equipment, and tooling based on product and production requirements.
• Analyze tooling and manufacturing processes to identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, reliability, and throughput.
• Provide technical guidance and troubleshooting support for complex tooling and mold‑making issues.
• Lead, train, mentor, and develop tool room personnel while maintaining a strong culture of safety, quality, and accountability.
• Implement quality and safety improvements within the tool shop and ensure adherence to established procedures and requirements.
• Identify and implement cost‑reduction opportunities related to tooling, processes, materials, and equipment.
• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and other internal stakeholders on tooling‑related projects and improvements.
• Communicate with internal and external customers as needed regarding tooling requirements, project status, technical issues, and solutions.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of experience in mold design, tool room operations, or a closely related tooling environment.
• Strong leadership experience managing a machine shop, tool room, or similar manufacturing operation.
• Injection mold / mold‑making experience strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of CNC tool room machinery and related machining processes.
• Ability to read and understand mold designs and identify opportunities for tooling improvements.
• Strong mechanical and technical problem‑solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot complex tooling issues.
• Experience leading, training, mentoring, and developing technical personnel.
• Working knowledge of mold‑making processes, quality systems, FAI, PPAP, and tooling release processes.
• Ability to work effectively with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and other cross‑functional teams.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tooling projects and priorities in a production environment.
• Proficiency with CAD software such as Pro/E, NX, or SolidWorks is a plus.

Preferred Experience

• Direct management experience within an injection mold or mold‑making shop.
• Experience overseeing a team of toolmakers, machinists, or tooling technicians.
• Experience with production injection molds and high‑volume manufacturing environments.
• Strong hands‑on understanding of CNC machining and tool room operations.
• Experience managing tooling from initial design/prototype through production and ongoing maintenance.
• A track record of improving tooling reliability, manufacturing efficiency, quality, and cost.
• This is a hands‑on manufacturing leadership position. The Tooling Manager will regularly move between the office, tool shop, and production environment and should be comfortable spending significant time on the manufacturing floor working directly with the team and addressing tooling and production issues.
• The role requires the ability to stand and walk for extended periods and to work in a production/tool room environment while following all applicable safety requirements.