Tooling Engineer
Location: Stanford, KY
Compensation: $70,000 ~ $90,000 DOE
Hours: 8am ~ 5pm
Employment Type: Full-time
※Applications will only be considered from candidates who meet the listed job-related qualifications. Please review thoroughly before submitting your application. ※
Japanese language ability required. This role requires expert Japanese reading, writing, and speaking ability for technical communication with Japan-based equipment/tooling suppliers, engineering teams, and customer-related technical discussions.
Company Overview
A manufacturing organization specializing in metal stamping and tooling operations is seeking a Tooling Engineer to support tooling design, die maintenance, new part launches, supplier coordination, and production troubleshooting.
Position Summary
The Tooling Engineer serves as the subject-matter expert for metal stamping, tool and die maintenance, tooling design, and pre-production launch activities. This role supports production, engineering, quality, sales, customers, and external tooling suppliers to ensure robust tooling performance, smooth new-part launches, and high-quality stamped components.
Key Responsibilities
・Lead tool and die maintenance strategies, evaluate die conditions, and drive corrective actions to improve tool life and stamping performance
・Troubleshoot complex stamping issues such as formability, burrs, dimensional variation, and galling
・Create, modify, and review 3D models, die designs, and engineering drawings
・Conduct tooling feasibility reviews for new parts, including material selection, forming analysis, and die process planning
・Lead tooling-related pre-production activities from concept through PPAP
・Manage tooling timelines, milestones, risks, tryouts, capability studies, and dimensional verification
・Coordinate with engineering, quality, production, and external tool shops/die builders
・Review supplier designs, progress reports, tryout results, and tooling readiness
・Support RFQs with tooling cost estimates, process feasibility, and cycle time assumptions
・Participate in customer engineering reviews and explain tooling concepts, feasibility concerns, and stamping capabilities
・Improve die performance, reduce downtime, enhance stamping quality, and support cost reduction through tooling/process optimization
Qualifications
Required:
・Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field, or equivalent experience
・5+ years of experience in metal stamping, tool and die, or tooling engineering
・Expert Japanese reading, writing, and speaking ability for technical specifications, equipment/process design, supplier communication, troubleshooting, and engineering discussions
・CAD proficiency
・Strong knowledge of stamping processes, die construction, GD&T, material behavior, engineering theory, and design criteria
・Ability to troubleshoot complex tooling and stamping issues
・Knowledge of automotive metal stamping, die manufacturing, and JIS/Japanese Industrial Standards
・Ability to work in a manufacturing environment with exposure to loud noise, oil, sharp edges, heat, vibration, moving machinery, and related production-floor conditions
・Ability to lift/move up to 50 lbs as needed
Preferred:
・Experience coordinating tooling suppliers and managing pre-production timelines
・Project management experience
・Experience supporting PPAP, tooling tryouts, capability studies, and dimensional verification
Other Details
This role involves regular communication with Japan-based suppliers and engineering resources because a significant portion of equipment and tooling is sourced from Japan. The position may also support technical customer discussions related to product claims, design change feasibility, and process improvement.
※This role may include additional responsibilities as needed based on business needs. ※
