Overview
Join our dynamic manufacturing team as a 2nd shift Tooling Technician at Levels II (Intermediate) and III (Advanced / Tool Maker). In this vital role, you will be responsible for maintaining, repairing, and fabricating precision tooling and molds that drive our production processes. Your expertise will ensure the highest quality standards are met while supporting continuous improvement initiatives. This position offers an exciting opportunity to work with advanced machining technologies and contribute to innovative manufacturing solutions in a fast-paced environment.
Tier Program Overview & Advancement Requirements
Our tier program is designed to support employee development, recognize skill progression, and ensure consistency in performance expectations. Each tier reflects a combination of experience, training, job knowledge, and overall contribution to the team.
Pay Range:
- Tier I: $18.00 - $21.63
- Tier II: $22.00-$25.24
- Tier III: $25.50 - $38.00
Tier Structure & Advancement Requirements:
Tier I - Essential Roles and Responsibilities Overview:
To successfully advance within this tier, employees should demonstrate the following skills and competencies, either independently or with guidance as noted:
- Assist tool room techs in keeping a clean and safe work area.
- Clean and help in organizing the tool room by sweeping floors daily, maintaining all equipment by checking oil levels of all equipment.
- Effectively communicate with coworkers and management personnel to enhance teamwork.
- Follow directions of the tool room supervisor and all maintenance techs to operate all equipment in a safe manner.
- Identify potential safety issues and take appropriate action.
- Maintain proper inventory of all die components, spare parts, and changeover parts. Ensure all are properly labeled and stored.
- Operate a variety of machines including drill presses, mills, grinders, lathes, saws, and all tool room equipment to maintain upkeep of all new and existing tooling to company standards.
- Follow instructions to perform tasks needed to repair the dies. Sharpen and shim prep backup blocks, clean and examine all tools for wear, cracks, and tool life per company standards.
- Requires direction, responds to, and seeks direction whenever needed to gain knowledge and skill.
Plus, the Skills Expected of All Tooling Technicians:
- Properly tag all tools and bring to the tooling supervisor's attention any preventive maintenance to be performed on tooling.
- Effectively use lockout/tag out, safety blocks, and interlock procedures.
- Identify potential safety issues and take appropriate action.
- Effectively communicate with coworkers and management personnel to enhance teamwork.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Have served in high school vocational training for machining or welding, has undergone some level of formal apprenticeship or has a machining background.
- Physical dexterity; figure aptitude; ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
- Work well as a team member.
- Qualified candidates have previous experience making, repairing, and troubleshooting dies, and proven ability to work with progressive or transfer dies for advancement within the tier.
Tier II - Developing Technician:
To advance to Tier II, employees must demonstrate full independence in all Tier I competencies and begin to take on more technical responsibilities. The following skills are required for Tier II:
- Apply continuous improvement concepts to improve tooling such as remarking worn-out components, simplifying the dies, and ensuring backup tooling is made for large run quantities.
- Basic and gaining knowledge of all transfer dies, compound and progressive dies.
- Basic knowledge and gaining ability to weld tool steel die blocks and punches.
- Basic knowledge and gaining understanding of all turret tooling.
- Desire to mentor and lead other repair/maintenance techs. Guiding and giving instructions to Tech I’s.
- Effectively communicate with coworkers and management personnel to enhance teamwork.
- Identify potential safety issues and take appropriate action.
- Install sensors/die protection.
- Maintain proper inventory of all die components, ensure spare parts and changeover parts are properly labeled and stored.
- Properly tag all tools and bring to the tooling supervisor's attention any preventive maintenance to be performed on tooling.
- Properly use lockout/tag out, safety blocks, and interlock procedures.
- Requires minimal direction, often directs others within the function.
- Troubleshoot die, feed, sensor, and any other related problems in the press during production.
Plus, Skills Expected of Tooling Technician:
- Alter the proper components to ensure proper die operation to produce optimal parts.
- Ability to produce welding fixtures, jigs, and replacement of worn and damaged tooling.
- Knowledge of all transfer dies, compound and progressive dies.
- Operate a variety of machines including drill presses, mills, grinders, lathes, saws, and all tool room equipment to maintain upkeep of all new and existing tooling to company standards.
- Perform tasks needed to repair dies. Sharpen and shim prep backup blocks, clean and examine all tools for wear, cracks, and tool life per company standards.
- Verify proper die clearance and timing to ensure optimal performance.
- Properly tag all tools and bring to the tooling supervisor's attention any preventive maintenance to be performed on tooling.
- Properly use lockout/tag out, safety blocks, and interlock procedures.
Qualifications:
- 3-6 years or more in tool and die trade.
- Physical dexterity; figure aptitude; ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
- Work well as a team member and lead other Die Techs.
- Qualified candidates have previous experience making, repairing, and troubleshooting dies, and proven ability to work with progressive or transfer dies.
Tier III - Advanced Technician (Tool Maker):
Tier III represents the highest level within the current tier program. Employees at this level demonstrate strong technical expertise, precision, and independence in their role. Advancement to this tier requires consistent performance and mastery of all Tier I and Tier II competencies, along with the following:
Primary Responsibilities:
- Ability and strong desire to mentor and lead other repair/maintenance techs. Guiding and giving instructions to improve the entire team.
- Ability to take over and run the function in the absence of the Tool Room Supervisor.
- Ability to weld tool steel die blocks and punches.
- Advanced troubleshooting dies, feed, sensor, and any other related problems in the press during production.
- Requires little to no direction, proactively directs others within the function.
- Understanding of all turret tooling.
- Work with quality to discern and document die changeover instructions to ensure proper changeover occurs.
- Apply continuous improvement concepts to improve tooling such as remarking worn-out components, simplifying the dies, and ensuring backup tooling is made for large run quantities.
- Alter the proper components to ensure proper die operation to produce optimal parts.
- Ability to produce welding fixtures, jigs, and replacement of worn and damaged tooling.
- Knowledge of all transfer dies, compound and progressive dies.
- Operate a variety of machines including drill presses, mills, grinders, lathes, saws, and all tool room equipment to maintain upkeep of all new and existing tooling to company standards.
- Maintain proper inventory of all die components, ensure spare parts and changeover parts are properly labeled and stored.
- Perform tasks needed to repair dies. Sharpen and shim prep backup blocks, clean and examine all tools for wear, cracks, and tool life per company standards.
- Verify proper die clearance and timing to ensure optimal performance.
- Properly tag all tools and bring to the tooling supervisor's attention any preventive maintenance to be performed on tooling.
- Properly use lockout/tag out, safety blocks, and interlock procedures.
- Identify potential safety issues and take appropriate action.
- Effectively communicate with coworkers and management personnel to enhance teamwork.
Qualifications:
- Minimum 10 years plus experience in the Tool / Die trade.
- Proven ability to lead others.
- Physical dexterity; figure aptitude; ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
- Ability to follow verbal and written instructions.
- Work well as a team member and lead other Die Techs.
- Qualified candidates have previous experience making, repairing, and advanced troubleshooting of dies, and proven ability to work with progressive or transfer dies.
Benefits Overview:
- Competitive pay based on experience
- Health Insurance
- Dental and Vision Insurance
- Paid Time Off and Paid Company Holidays
- Employer Paid Basic Life Insurance
- Voluntary Life Insurance for Employee, Spouse, and Child(ren)
- 401(k) with Company Match
- Employer Paid Short Term and Long Disability Insurance
T&D Metal Products is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, veteran status, or any other protected status.
Pay: $18.00 - $38.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Application Question(s):
- After reviewing the job descriptions, which tier best describes your experience level in tool and die work: Tier II for intermediate, or Tier III for advanced/tool maker-level work? (Do not skip this question.)
- What types of materials have you worked with most often when building or repairing dies, and how do you adjust your process depending on the material, be specific. (Do not skip this question.)
- What steps do you take when a tool or die fails during production, and how do you prioritize repairs to minimize downtime? (Do not skip this question.)
Education:
- High school or equivalent (Required)
Experience:
- tool and die: 3 years (Required)
Shift availability:
Ability to Commute:
- Watseka, IL 60970 (Required)
Work Location: In person
