Tooling Technician

Plastic Ingenuity; Town of Mazomanie (WI); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Plastic Ingenuity in Wisconsin is seeking a Tooling Technician to manage maintenance, repair, and readiness of production tooling including molds, dies, bladder assemblies, and related components. You will help ensure tooling operates at peak performance to support safe, efficient manufacturing.

The ideal candidate has strong mechanical aptitude, experience with hand and power tools, ability to read basic mechanical drawings, and a disciplined approach to documentation.

Qualifications

• Strong mechanical aptitude.
• Experience with hand and power tools.
• Ability to read basic mechanical drawings (preferred).
• Experience in manufacturing or tooling environments (preferred).
• Attention to detail and documentation discipline.
• Ability to work independently and on a team.

Responsibilities

• Tool maintenance, repair, and readiness of production tooling (molds, dies, bladder assemblies).
• Disassemble, clean, inspect, and rebuild tooling; replace worn components.
• Perform mold & tool changeovers and assist with setup, alignment, and verification.
• Disassemble, clean, inspect, and rebuild bladder assemblies and replace components.
• Maintain die sets; monitor wear and refurbishment needs.
• Perform preventative maintenance and document all activities.
• Maintain organized tooling area and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Skills

Strong mechanical aptitude

Hand tools experience

Power tools experience

Read drawings

Manufacturing tooling experience

Attention to detail

Documentation discipline

Teamwork & independence

Job description

Company Summary:

Plastic Ingenuity is committed to providing innovative, high-quality packaging for the food, healthcare, and consumer goods industries. At the company's heart are five core values that define who we are and why we have sustained success since 1972. We are friendly and genuine, fostering authentic connections with colleagues and clients alike. Resourcefulness defines our approach, allowing us to turn challenges into opportunities. Collaboration is ingrained in our process, uniting diverse perspectives to identify creative solutions. Total customer focus drives us; we listen intently, respond promptly, and consistently exceed expectations. Lastly, we are dependable doers, letting our actions speak louder than words. These values are the cornerstone of Plastic Ingenuity.

Role Summary:

The Tooling Technician is responsible for the maintenance, repair, and readiness of production tooling, including molds, dies, and bladder assemblies. This role ensures tooling operates at optimal performance to support safe, efficient, and high-quality production. The ideal candidate has strong mechanical aptitude, attention to detail, and the ability to follow structured maintenance procedures.

Key Responsibilities

Tool Maintenance & Repair

• Disassemble, clean, inspect, and rebuild production tooling.
• Diagnose wear patterns and identify potential tooling failures.
• Replace worn or damaged components such as bushings, guide pins, springs, fasteners, O-rings, and wear plates.
• Reassemble tooling to specification and verify functionality.
• Document all maintenance and repair activities.

Mold & Tool Changeovers

• Safely remove and install molds during production changeovers.
• Assist with mold setup, alignment, and verification.
• Ensure tooling is properly installed and production-ready prior to startup.
• Support troubleshooting during initial production runs after changeover.

Bladder Maintenance

• Disassemble, clean, and inspect bladder assemblies.
• Rebuild and reassemble bladders to proper specifications.
• Replace bladder components as needed.
• Verify integrity and correct installation prior to use.

Die Set Maintenance

• Maintain die sets to ensure consistent cutting performance.
• Replace bushings and wear components as needed.
• (Optional) Perform sharpening of cutting edges depending on process direction.
• Monitor die condition and recommend refurbishment or replacement.

Preventative Maintenance & Documentation

• Perform scheduled preventative maintenance on molds, dies and tooling.
• Maintain accurate logs of maintenance, repairs, and inspections.
• Track component wear and establish replacement intervals.
• Communicate tooling issues to engineering and leadership.

Shop Organization & Support

• Maintain a clean, safe, and organized tooling maintenance area.
• Ensure tooling components are labeled, stored, and accessible.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications

• Strong mechanical aptitude
• Experience with hand and power tools
• Ability to read basic mechanical drawings (preferred)
• Experience in manufacturing or tooling environments (preferred)
• Attention to detail and documentation discipline
• Ability to work independently and on a team

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift tooling components (up to ~50 lbs or more with assistance)
• Frequent standing, bending and manual work
• Comfortable working in a manufacturing environment