Tooling Engineer Jobs
Tooling Engineer jobs are open across automotive, aerospace, medical device, and consumer electronics manufacturing, from entry-level to senior and principal, with specializations in die design, injection molding, and jig and fixture development. See the openings below and apply to the ones that match your experience.
Find Tooling Engineer JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 313+ Tooling Engineer jobs
Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.
GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career.
Job Summary
Create, verify, release, and continuously improve controlled CNC programs that safely and repeatedly produce conforming aerospace components, tools, and fixtures at the Garden Grove facility.
Provide hands-on programming expertise across the Fadal, Heian, Onsrud, Thermwood, and Zimmerman machine fleet, using disciplined simulation, prove-out, documentation, and revision-control practices.
Partner with Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Quality, Tooling, Maintenance, and approved external specialists to improve machining capability while maintaining clear technical-authority and escalation boundaries.
Job Responsibilities
1. Safety, Compliance and Technical Control
- Apply a safety-first approach to CNC programming, simulation, prove-out, program changes, and shop-floor support; stop and escalate work when conditions could compromise people, equipment, product, tooling, or the environment.
- Follow approved program naming, access, review, release, archive, backup, emergency-change, and revision-control requirements; verify that the shop-floor program matches the approved revision before production use.
- Protect export-controlled, proprietary, customer, and company information and follow all applicable site security, quality, environmental, health, and safety requirements.
- Perform work within assigned authority and escalate proprietary-control, machine-parameter, safety, quality, process-approval, or technical-authority decisions to the appropriate owner.
2. CNC Programming, Simulation and Documentation
- Plan, create, verify, revise, and optimize machine-control data for multi-axis equipment used to manufacture and inspect complex aerospace parts, tools, and fixtures.
- Develop safe and efficient toolpaths using approved CAM methods; complete machine simulation, collision and clearance checks, post-processed code review, and required peer or technical review before release.
- Create and maintain complete shop-floor documentation, including setup sheets, tool lists, workholding and work-offset information, probing routines, operator notes, and revision history.
- Select or recommend machining strategies, cutting tools, feeds, speeds, workholding, and probing approaches consistent with approved process requirements and machine capability.
3. Prove-Out, Production Support and Problem Solving
- Participate in controlled machine prove-outs, first-piece activities, and production introduction; document results, required changes, residual risks, and release evidence.
- Diagnose CNC program, post-processor, probing, simulation, setup-documentation, and revision issues using drawings, models, machine evidence, inspection results, and structured problem-solving methods.
- Provide structured support across assigned machines and shifts; communicate status, containment, risk, recovery needs, and escalation clearly through the machining operating cadence.
- Lead or support root-cause analysis for recurring programming-related losses and implement verified corrective actions within authorized scope.
(Cont...)
4. Quality, Qualification and Configuration Management
- Partner with Quality and Manufacturing Engineering on producibility, measurement strategy, first article inspection, process qualification, and acceptance of new or revised programs.
- Ensure CNC programs and associated records support applicable drawing, GD&T, traceability, configuration, customer, and aerospace quality requirements.
- Support containment and correction of programming-related nonconformances without bypassing independent Quality authority or required approval processes.
- Preserve objective evidence needed to demonstrate program verification, prove-out completion, qualification, revision status, and production readiness.
5. Continuous Improvement and Standardization
- Improve first-pass quality, repeatability, cycle time, tool life, setup effectiveness, and machine utilization while following required change-control and process-approval practices.
- Develop and maintain reusable programming templates, machining methods, post-processor knowledge, tool libraries, checklists, and lessons learned.
- Use data and practical Lean methods to identify recurring losses, reduce variation and waste, and sustain verified improvements in standard work.
- Maintain visibility of the assigned programming backlog and communicate priorities, technical risk, dependencies, completion evidence, and needed escalation.
6. Machine Industrialization and Knowledge Transfer
- Support Zimmerman and future machine industrialization, including post-processor readiness, program development, simulation, prove-out, tooling interfaces, probing, qualification evidence, operator support, and production handoff.
- Coordinate with equipment OEMs and approved external specialists while ensuring that decisions, methods, files, and lessons learned are documented and transferred to designated internal owners.
- Coach programmers, engineers, leads, and qualified operators on approved programming practices, safe program use, troubleshooting boundaries, and escalation requirements.
- Collaborate effectively across Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Tooling, Maintenance, Planning, EH&S, and external technical partners.
Job Qualifications
- Associate degree in CNC programming, manufacturing technology, engineering technology, or a related technical field, or six years of directly relevant CNC programming experience in lieu of the degree.
- Five or more years of CNC programming experience supporting complex, tight-tolerance components in aerospace, defense, or another regulated precision-manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated proficiency in multi-axis CAM programming, machine simulation and verification, collision avoidance, post-processed code review, and machine prove-out.
- Working proficiency with CATIA and/or Siemens NX; Teamcenter or an equivalent product-data and configuration-control system; and VERICUT or equivalent CNC verification software.
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings and models, apply GD&T, select appropriate cutting tools and machining strategies, and create complete shop-floor documentation.
- Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot CNC programs, post processors, probing routines, simulations, setups, and revision issues using evidence and controlled problem-solving methods.
- Ability to work independently, manage multiple programming priorities, communicate technical risk clearly, and collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Tooling, Maintenance, equipment OEMs, and external specialists.
- Ability to work on-site in an active manufacturing environment and support the schedule required for assigned production, prove-outs, and machine introductions.
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Where the position requires access to export-controlled information or items, the employee must be eligible for such access under applicable U.S. export-control requirements or receive any required authorization.
Preferred Qualifications
- Hands-on machining, setup, and prove-out experience on large-format, 5-axis, gantry, router, or comparable equipment.
- Experience with Fadal, Heian, Onsrud, Thermwood, Zimmerman, or comparable machine and control platforms.
- Experience developing, tuning, or validating post processors and automated probing routines, including Renishaw or equivalent systems.
- Experience with AS9100-based manufacturing systems, aerospace first article inspection, AS9102 documentation, process qualification, change control, and configuration management.
- Experience machining acrylic, polycarbonate, composite structures, aluminum, titanium, or other materials relevant to aerospace transparency and structural-component manufacturing.
- Experience standardizing CAM templates, tool libraries, digital work instructions, setup documentation, or knowledge-reuse systems.
- Basic scripting or automation experience, such as Python, VB, macros, or CAM customization.
- Experience supporting new machine installation, acceptance, industrialization, or transfer from an external specialist to an internal production team.
We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?
A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working
Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.
We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.
We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.
Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.
GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career.
Job Summary
Create, verify, release, and continuously improve controlled CNC programs that safely and repeatedly produce conforming aerospace components, tools, and fixtures at the Garden Grove facility.
Provide hands-on programming expertise across the Fadal, Heian, Onsrud, Thermwood, and Zimmerman machine fleet, using disciplined simulation, prove-out, documentation, and revision-control practices.
Partner with Manufacturing Engineering, Operations, Quality, Tooling, Maintenance, and approved external specialists to improve machining capability while maintaining clear technical-authority and escalation boundaries.
Job Responsibilities
1. Safety, Compliance and Technical Control
- Apply a safety-first approach to CNC programming, simulation, prove-out, program changes, and shop-floor support; stop and escalate work when conditions could compromise people, equipment, product, tooling, or the environment.
- Follow approved program naming, access, review, release, archive, backup, emergency-change, and revision-control requirements; verify that the shop-floor program matches the approved revision before production use.
- Protect export-controlled, proprietary, customer, and company information and follow all applicable site security, quality, environmental, health, and safety requirements.
- Perform work within assigned authority and escalate proprietary-control, machine-parameter, safety, quality, process-approval, or technical-authority decisions to the appropriate owner.
2. CNC Programming, Simulation and Documentation
- Plan, create, verify, revise, and optimize machine-control data for multi-axis equipment used to manufacture and inspect complex aerospace parts, tools, and fixtures.
- Develop safe and efficient toolpaths using approved CAM methods; complete machine simulation, collision and clearance checks, post-processed code review, and required peer or technical review before release.
- Create and maintain complete shop-floor documentation, including setup sheets, tool lists, workholding and work-offset information, probing routines, operator notes, and revision history.
- Select or recommend machining strategies, cutting tools, feeds, speeds, workholding, and probing approaches consistent with approved process requirements and machine capability.
3. Prove-Out, Production Support and Problem Solving
- Participate in controlled machine prove-outs, first-piece activities, and production introduction; document results, required changes, residual risks, and release evidence.
- Diagnose CNC program, post-processor, probing, simulation, setup-documentation, and revision issues using drawings, models, machine evidence, inspection results, and structured problem-solving methods.
- Provide structured support across assigned machines and shifts; communicate status, containment, risk, recovery needs, and escalation clearly through the machining operating cadence.
- Lead or support root-cause analysis for recurring programming-related losses and implement verified corrective actions within authorized scope.
(Cont...)
4. Quality, Qualification and Configuration Management
- Partner with Quality and Manufacturing Engineering on producibility, measurement strategy, first article inspection, process qualification, and acceptance of new or revised programs.
- Ensure CNC programs and associated records support applicable drawing, GD&T, traceability, configuration, customer, and aerospace quality requirements.
- Support containment and correction of programming-related nonconformances without bypassing independent Quality authority or required approval processes.
- Preserve objective evidence needed to demonstrate program verification, prove-out completion, qualification, revision status, and production readiness.
5. Continuous Improvement and Standardization
- Improve first-pass quality, repeatability, cycle time, tool life, setup effectiveness, and machine utilization while following required change-control and process-approval practices.
- Develop and maintain reusable programming templates, machining methods, post-processor knowledge, tool libraries, checklists, and lessons learned.
- Use data and practical Lean methods to identify recurring losses, reduce variation and waste, and sustain verified improvements in standard work.
- Maintain visibility of the assigned programming backlog and communicate priorities, technical risk, dependencies, completion evidence, and needed escalation.
6. Machine Industrialization and Knowledge Transfer
- Support Zimmerman and future machine industrialization, including post-processor readiness, program development, simulation, prove-out, tooling interfaces, probing, qualification evidence, operator support, and production handoff.
- Coordinate with equipment OEMs and approved external specialists while ensuring that decisions, methods, files, and lessons learned are documented and transferred to designated internal owners.
- Coach programmers, engineers, leads, and qualified operators on approved programming practices, safe program use, troubleshooting boundaries, and escalation requirements.
- Collaborate effectively across Operations, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Tooling, Maintenance, Planning, EH&S, and external technical partners.
Job Qualifications
- Associate degree in CNC programming, manufacturing technology, engineering technology, or a related technical field, or six years of directly relevant CNC programming experience in lieu of the degree.
- Five or more years of CNC programming experience supporting complex, tight-tolerance components in aerospace, defense, or another regulated precision-manufacturing environment.
- Demonstrated proficiency in multi-axis CAM programming, machine simulation and verification, collision avoidance, post-processed code review, and machine prove-out.
- Working proficiency with CATIA and/or Siemens NX; Teamcenter or an equivalent product-data and configuration-control system; and VERICUT or equivalent CNC verification software.
- Ability to interpret engineering drawings and models, apply GD&T, select appropriate cutting tools and machining strategies, and create complete shop-floor documentation.
- Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot CNC programs, post processors, probing routines, simulations, setups, and revision issues using evidence and controlled problem-solving methods.
- Ability to work independently, manage multiple programming priorities, communicate technical risk clearly, and collaborate with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Tooling, Maintenance, equipment OEMs, and external specialists.
- Ability to work on-site in an active manufacturing environment and support the schedule required for assigned production, prove-outs, and machine introductions.
- Must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Where the position requires access to export-controlled information or items, the employee must be eligible for such access under applicable U.S. export-control requirements or receive any required authorization.
Preferred Qualifications
- Hands-on machining, setup, and prove-out experience on large-format, 5-axis, gantry, router, or comparable equipment.
- Experience with Fadal, Heian, Onsrud, Thermwood, Zimmerman, or comparable machine and control platforms.
- Experience developing, tuning, or validating post processors and automated probing routines, including Renishaw or equivalent systems.
- Experience with AS9100-based manufacturing systems, aerospace first article inspection, AS9102 documentation, process qualification, change control, and configuration management.
- Experience machining acrylic, polycarbonate, composite structures, aluminum, titanium, or other materials relevant to aerospace transparency and structural-component manufacturing.
- Experience standardizing CAM templates, tool libraries, digital work instructions, setup documentation, or knowledge-reuse systems.
- Basic scripting or automation experience, such as Python, VB, macros, or CAM customization.
- Experience supporting new machine installation, acceptance, industrialization, or transfer from an external specialist to an internal production team.
We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?
A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working
Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.
We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.
We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.
See All 313+ Tooling Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Tooling Engineer JobsTooling Engineer Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Blue Origin21
- Morris Group14
- Tesla13
- Kennametal9
- Northrop Grumman6
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing13
- Technology & Software10
- Automotive8
- Chemicals & Materials8
- Retail3
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in tooling engineer jobs.
- Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering or a related engineering discipline
- Proficiency in 3D CAD software such as SolidWorks, CATIA, or NX
- Experience designing or maintaining tooling for injection molding, stamping, or die casting
- Familiarity with GD&T and engineering drawing interpretation
- Knowledge of tool steel selection, heat treatment processes, and surface finishes
- Experience with tool tryout, qualification, and production launch support
Tips for Your Tooling Engineer Job Search
Tailor your resume to the process
List the specific manufacturing processes you have supported, such as stamping, injection molding, or die casting, alongside the materials and tolerances you have worked with. Generic resume language like 'tooling experience' gets filtered out before a hiring manager ever sees your application.
Highlight your CAD software proficiency clearly
Name the exact software versions you have used, whether that is CATIA V5, SolidWorks 2022, or NX. Many tooling engineer postings screen by software match, so burying your CAD skills in a summary paragraph instead of a dedicated skills section costs you interviews.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists tooling engineer openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings that match your industry depth
A tooling engineer background in automotive stamping does not transfer seamlessly to medical device injection molding. Focus your search on postings within your industry vertical first, where your process knowledge and regulatory familiarity will differentiate you from candidates with similar titles but different contexts.
Prepare a design review example for interviews
Most tooling engineer interviews include a technical walkthrough where you are asked to explain a tool you designed or modified and what went wrong along the way. Prepare a concise example that covers the design intent, the failure or challenge encountered, the fix you engineered, and the production outcome.
Negotiate tool ownership and capital budget access
When evaluating an offer, ask specifically whether the role has sign-off authority on tooling modifications and access to capital expenditure requests. Tooling engineer roles vary widely in autonomy, and a lateral move in title can be a step backward if the new role requires three layers of approval for every engineering change order.
Tooling Engineer Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most tooling engineers?
The companies hiring the most tooling engineers right now include Blue Origin, Morris Group, and Tesla, with the largest share of openings in California, Ohio, and Michigan, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Automotive suppliers and medical device manufacturers consistently account for the largest share of active postings in this role.
How many tooling engineer jobs are remote?
About 27% of tooling engineer openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the hands-on nature of most tooling work. The sub-areas most likely to offer remote or hybrid arrangements are tooling program management, design review coordination, and supplier quality roles where physical tool tryout is handled by an on-site technician.
How do you become a tooling engineer?
Most tooling engineers start with a bachelor's degree in mechanical or manufacturing engineering, then build hands-on experience through internships or entry-level roles in a production environment. From there, you develop proficiency in CAD software, learn specific processes like injection molding or metal stamping, and work directly on tool design, tryout, and qualification projects to build a portfolio of real production outcomes.
How do you get hired as a tooling engineer with little experience?
Focus on roles titled tooling technician, junior tooling engineer, or manufacturing engineer where hands-on process exposure is prioritized over design credentials. Employers in high-volume production environments often promote from within, so a technician role with the right company gives you direct access to tool tryouts and design reviews. Document every tool modification or process improvement you contribute to, even informally, as concrete examples carry more weight than coursework alone.
What does the tooling engineer interview process look like?
Most tooling engineer interviews begin with a phone screen focused on your process background and software proficiency, followed by a technical interview where you walk through a tool you designed or troubleshot. Some employers include a practical exercise such as reviewing an engineering drawing or identifying a defect cause from a sample. Final rounds typically involve meeting the manufacturing or program management team to assess how you would fit into the production environment.
Where can I find and apply to tooling engineer jobs?
You can find and apply to tooling engineer jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search for roles that match your process background and seniority level, then apply directly to each listing that fits.
See All 313+ Tooling Engineer Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Tooling Engineer Jobs