Sr. Engineer - Manufacturing & Tooling
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 12, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 8, 2026. Kohler scores B on the Alion truth index.
Location : Onsite - Sheridan, AR Opportunity The Plastics Tooling Engineer oversees the end-to-end design, development, procurement, and validation of plastic injection molds and related manufacturing fixtures. This role acts as a critical technical bridge between product design, quality assurance, and manufacturing, ensuring all tools meet strict performance, budget, and aesthetic requirements. The ideal candidate combines deep knowledge of polymer behavior with advanced mold-making engineering to optimize production efficiency and scale high-volume manufacturing.
Specific Responsibilities: Tooling Design Technical Oversight Lead tool design and development from early conceptual phases through final engineering validation. Conduct extensive Design for Manufacturability (DFM) reviews to evaluate part feasibility and drive geometric changes that protect tool scalability. Analyze Moldflow simulations, part advisor outputs, and stress/fatigue data to optimize gating locations, cooling strategies, and ejection systems.
Maintain digital assets by managing and updating CAD files, customer prints, water diagrams, and hot runner schematics. Vendor Management Project Execution Draft Request for Quotes (RFQs), evaluate supplier capabilities, and lead the technical assessment for mold-builder selection. Manage capital expenditure (CAPEX) budgets and meet master timelines for internal and external tool builds.
Perform regular audits and tracking of global or domestic tooling vendors regarding quality, delivery schedules, and construction standards. Qualifications Continuous Improvement Coordinate tooling trials (T1/T2), troubleshoot processing flaws, and establish parameters for the optimal molding environment. Review validation documents, and final First Article Inspection (FAI) or Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) reports to officially sign off on new production lines.
Sustain production machinery by analyzing data patterns, establishing preventative maintenance protocols, and implementing continuous improvement measures.