Overview
Job Summary:
The Sr. Mechanical Engineer is responsible for supporting customer quoting, injection mold-tooling development, and new product introduction (NPI) through successful launch into production. This hands-on role works closely with customers, tooling suppliers, and internal manufacturing and quality teams to evaluate part manufacturability, develop tooling and production cost estimates, review mold designs, and resolve technical challenges throughout the tooling and production launch process. The ideal candidate brings practical experience in injection molding manufacturing, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to independently coordinate technical activities from initial customer requirements through production readiness.
Responsibilities:
• Review customer CAD models, drawings, specifications, and technical requirements to assess manufacturability, tooling feasibility, production costs, and potential manufacturing risks.
• Support customer quoting by developing tooling and production cost estimates based on part complexity, materials, tolerances, mold cavitation, cycle times, secondary operations, and production volumes.
• Perform design for manufacturability (DFM) reviews of injection-molded parts and proposed mold tooling, working with customers and suppliers to identify and resolve potential manufacturing issues.
• Review and provide technical input on mold designs, including gate and runner configurations, parting lines, shutoffs, venting, cooling, ejection, mold flow analysis, and inspection requirements.
• Lead new product introduction (NPI) activities from tooling kickoff through mold fabrication, sampling, qualification, and production release, coordinating technical requirements, schedules, and deliverables with customers, suppliers, and internal teams.
• Evaluate tooling trial samples (T-samples), dimensional inspection results, and molding performance to identify issues and coordinate corrective actions with tooling suppliers, manufacturing, and quality teams.
• Partner with manufacturing and quality teams to troubleshoot molding defects, dimensional variation, and tooling-related issues, supporting process optimization and successful production launch.
• Support production validation and qualification activities, including first article inspections, process capability assessments, and IQ/OQ/PQ activities when applicable.
• Collaborate with engineering, sales, manufacturing, quality, and supply chain teams to ensure customer requirements are understood and successfully transitioned into production.
• Identify opportunities to improve tooling performance, manufacturing efficiency, product quality, and engineering processes.
• Adhere to applicable federal and state regulations and all company policies, processes, and procedures.
• Perform other duties as requested, directed, or assigned.
Position Qualifications:
• Education/Learning Experience: Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related engineering discipline.
• Work Experience: Minimum of 7 years of mechanical or manufacturing engineering experience, preferably including at least 3 years in injection molding manufacturing, tooling development, or new product introduction. Experience with injection mold tooling, manufacturing cost estimation, and production launches is highly desirable.
Skills/Knowledge:
• Practical understanding of injection molding processes, mold tooling design, plastic materials,
and design for manufacturability (DFM).
• Experience evaluating injection-molded parts, mold tooling, and manufacturing processes to
identify technical risks and resolve production issues.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, 3D CAD models, GD&T, and dimensional inspection
results.
• Working proficiency with 3D CAD software such as SolidWorks, Creo, NX, or equivalent for
reviewing customer designs and tooling concepts.
• Experience supporting tooling development, mold trials, production qualification, and new product
launches in a manufacturing environment.
• Understanding of injection molding production cost drivers, including tooling complexity,
cavitation, cycle times, material utilization, and secondary operations.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and organizational skills, with the ability to
coordinate technical activities across customers, suppliers, and internal teams.
• Experience working with domestic and overseas tooling suppliers.
• Familiarity with quality and manufacturing documentation, inspection methods, and process
validation requirements. Experience with medical device manufacturing and ISO 8 cleanroom
operations is a plus.
• Travel: Ability to travel approximately 20%.
Behavioral Competencies:
• Customer Focus | Communication, Influence & Change Management | Accountability and
Performance | Decision Making and Problem Solving | Collaboration and Teamwork |
Knowledge, Professional, and Technical Skills
Physical Requirements / Working Conditions:
Physical Requirements / Working Conditions: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Compensation and Benefits:
Pay Range: $100k - $130k (Pay to be determined by the experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the candidate, and alignment with market data)
Benefits Offered: Comprehensive benefit package including medical, dental and vision coverage; company-paid basic life/AD&D insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance; voluntary supplemental insurances, flexible spending accounts and employee assistance program (EAP). Sick Leave, Vacation Time, and company-paid Holidays are also provided as paid time off.
Nelson Miller Group also provides a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan option with a safe harbor non-elective company contribution.
Salary Description
100,000.00-130,000.00
