Tooling Engineer Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Tooling Engineer jobs in the U.S. regularly qualify for H-1B visa sponsorship as a specialty occupation, with manufacturing, aerospace, and medical device employers filing LCAs through DOL. Candidates with degrees in mechanical or manufacturing engineering and hands-on experience with mold design, die casting, or CNC tooling are well-positioned to secure a sponsoring employer.
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Get Access To All JobsCNC Tooling Sales and Application Engineer
Location:
Ann Arbor, MI, US, 48103
On-site or Remote: Onsite
REQ ID: 48664
About Kennametal
With over 85 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Learn more at kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Territory – South, and Southwest of Ann Arbor, Michigan
Job Summary
Kennametal is seeking talented machinists and programmers looking to transition their career off the floor day to day into a professional sales role. If you are currently working as a machinist or have previous hands on machining and cnc programming experience, we would be very interested in speaking to you! This position is responsible for driving metal-cutting tool sales growth with new and established customers, both direct and indirect, or new and established Machine Tool customers by managing customer relationship, providing technical direction/support, and increasing productivity for our customers. This role combines technical knowledge and sales skills to achieve sales targets, build strong territory presence and pipeline. This role will partner with multiple internal sales and support professionals to support the customers’ initiatives and technical needs. Sales and Application Engineers work on unique challenges related to cnc machining, milling, and lathe applications. The role is based from a home office within the assigned territory, but 80% or more of the week is spent out in the field at customer locations. The territory is within commuting distance, but overnight travel may occasionally be required. A company vehicle is provided as part of top of market compensation package which includes a base salary plus bonus based on performance, and benefits starting day 1.
Key Job Responsibilities
- Meet or exceed revenue targets by:
- Effectively providing metal cutting solutions, by understanding current and future market trends, to meet customers’ key needs and objectives in a professional manner.
- Generating, qualifying, and managing all sales leads, prospects, and new customer accounts.
- Proactively managing the complete sales process, including prospecting, qualification, consultative sales meetings, product demos, pricing, terms negotiations, and sourcing.
- Developing and executing strategic territory plans to deliver revenue goals with a focus on new product sales.
- Providing timely answers to pre-sales technical and commercial queries from customers.
- Maintaining up-to-date customer and project records in CRM to ensure a clean and healthy pipeline.
- Actively collaborating with internal sales and support professionals, such as Application Engineers, Channel Partner Reps, Inside Sales, and others to provide value and a positive end-to-end customer experience.
- Performing online and/or onsite demonstrations of metal cutting products tailored to customers’ needs.
- Conducting pre-sales workshops, webinars, and other online/onsite events within the territory.
- Representing and promoting Kennametal at tradeshows, conferences, and other events within the territory.
- Delivering cost savings through analysis of complex application needs and providing recommendations to support customer business need through tooling and application testing.
- Preparing and presenting progress, status, and forecasting reports.
Requirements
- Technical degree or Degree in Business, Manufacturing and/or Engineering preferred
- 3+ years of related cnc machining industry experience, 1-2 years of technical sales and/or application experience preferred
- Proficient in product knowledge, including applications and troubleshooting; can tailor solutions to meet customer needs
- Solid grasp of industry dynamics; effectively aligns product solutions with customer needs and industry trends
- Competent in a range of sales techniques, including advanced objection handling and closing strategies; adapts approach to various customer types
- Independently executes strategic sales plans; contributes to the development of strategies and meets targets through insightful planning
- Possess solid critical thinking, presentation, and administrative skills
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
- Customer-focused mindset with a passion for problem-solving and delivering exceptional service
- Detail-oriented to manage contract review and discuss project specifications
- Creative and persuasive with the ability to think at both tactical and strategic levels
- Collaborative team player with the ability to work effectively across all departments
Kennametal Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer
Nearest Major Market: Ann Arbor
Nearest Secondary Market: Detroit
Job Segment: Pre-Sales, CNC, Machinist, Inside Sales, Telemarketing, Sales, Manufacturing
CNC Tooling Sales and Application Engineer
Location:
Ann Arbor, MI, US, 48103
On-site or Remote: Onsite
REQ ID: 48664
About Kennametal
With over 85 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Learn more at kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.
Territory – South, and Southwest of Ann Arbor, Michigan
Job Summary
Kennametal is seeking talented machinists and programmers looking to transition their career off the floor day to day into a professional sales role. If you are currently working as a machinist or have previous hands on machining and cnc programming experience, we would be very interested in speaking to you! This position is responsible for driving metal-cutting tool sales growth with new and established customers, both direct and indirect, or new and established Machine Tool customers by managing customer relationship, providing technical direction/support, and increasing productivity for our customers. This role combines technical knowledge and sales skills to achieve sales targets, build strong territory presence and pipeline. This role will partner with multiple internal sales and support professionals to support the customers’ initiatives and technical needs. Sales and Application Engineers work on unique challenges related to cnc machining, milling, and lathe applications. The role is based from a home office within the assigned territory, but 80% or more of the week is spent out in the field at customer locations. The territory is within commuting distance, but overnight travel may occasionally be required. A company vehicle is provided as part of top of market compensation package which includes a base salary plus bonus based on performance, and benefits starting day 1.
Key Job Responsibilities
- Meet or exceed revenue targets by:
- Effectively providing metal cutting solutions, by understanding current and future market trends, to meet customers’ key needs and objectives in a professional manner.
- Generating, qualifying, and managing all sales leads, prospects, and new customer accounts.
- Proactively managing the complete sales process, including prospecting, qualification, consultative sales meetings, product demos, pricing, terms negotiations, and sourcing.
- Developing and executing strategic territory plans to deliver revenue goals with a focus on new product sales.
- Providing timely answers to pre-sales technical and commercial queries from customers.
- Maintaining up-to-date customer and project records in CRM to ensure a clean and healthy pipeline.
- Actively collaborating with internal sales and support professionals, such as Application Engineers, Channel Partner Reps, Inside Sales, and others to provide value and a positive end-to-end customer experience.
- Performing online and/or onsite demonstrations of metal cutting products tailored to customers’ needs.
- Conducting pre-sales workshops, webinars, and other online/onsite events within the territory.
- Representing and promoting Kennametal at tradeshows, conferences, and other events within the territory.
- Delivering cost savings through analysis of complex application needs and providing recommendations to support customer business need through tooling and application testing.
- Preparing and presenting progress, status, and forecasting reports.
Requirements
- Technical degree or Degree in Business, Manufacturing and/or Engineering preferred
- 3+ years of related cnc machining industry experience, 1-2 years of technical sales and/or application experience preferred
- Proficient in product knowledge, including applications and troubleshooting; can tailor solutions to meet customer needs
- Solid grasp of industry dynamics; effectively aligns product solutions with customer needs and industry trends
- Competent in a range of sales techniques, including advanced objection handling and closing strategies; adapts approach to various customer types
- Independently executes strategic sales plans; contributes to the development of strategies and meets targets through insightful planning
- Possess solid critical thinking, presentation, and administrative skills
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
- Customer-focused mindset with a passion for problem-solving and delivering exceptional service
- Detail-oriented to manage contract review and discuss project specifications
- Creative and persuasive with the ability to think at both tactical and strategic levels
- Collaborative team player with the ability to work effectively across all departments
Kennametal Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer
Nearest Major Market: Ann Arbor
Nearest Secondary Market: Detroit
Job Segment: Pre-Sales, CNC, Machinist, Inside Sales, Telemarketing, Sales, Manufacturing
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Tooling Engineer
Frame your tooling credentials for specialty occupation
USCIS requires that your role demand a bachelor's degree in a directly related field. Document how your mechanical or manufacturing engineering degree connects specifically to tooling design, not just general engineering, to strengthen the specialty occupation case.
Target manufacturers with active LCA filing history
Employers in medical device, aerospace, and automotive tooling file LCAs consistently. Search Migrate Mate's verified employer database to find companies with confirmed sponsorship history in tooling and precision manufacturing roles before you apply.
Verify prevailing wage tier before accepting an offer
Your employer must pay at least the DOL prevailing wage for your tooling role and location. Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up the Level I through Level IV wage for your specific job zone before you evaluate any compensation offer.
Get your tooling portfolio into a reviewable format
Employers sponsoring H-1B petitions need to justify specialty occupation to USCIS. Prepare a documented portfolio showing CAD files, tolerance specifications, or tooling validation reports that demonstrate degree-level technical judgment, not just hands-on trade experience.
Ask about cap-exempt employer options in your sector
Some tooling engineering roles at universities, research institutions, or affiliated nonprofits fall under cap-exempt H-1B petitions, bypassing the annual lottery entirely. If you work adjacent to research or academic manufacturing programs, ask the employer directly about their cap status.
Clarify PERM requirements early for green card conversations
Many tooling engineers pursuing permanent residence will need PERM labor certification, which requires the employer to run a recruitment process proving no qualified U.S. workers are available. Raise this timeline with your employer before or during offer negotiation, not after you've started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Tooling Engineer role qualify as a specialty occupation for H-1B?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS treats tooling engineering as a specialty occupation when the role requires a bachelor's degree or higher in mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, or a closely related field. Roles that could be performed by someone without a relevant degree, or that only require trade-level experience, are more likely to receive a Request for Evidence challenging specialty occupation status.
Which visa types are realistic for international Tooling Engineers?
H-1B is the primary path for most nationalities, though it's subject to the annual cap and lottery. Australian citizens can pursue the E-3 visa, which has the same specialty occupation requirement but no lottery. Canadian and Mexican nationals may qualify under TN visa if the role maps to an eligible USMCA engineering category. All three require an employer-filed LCA through DOL before the application proceeds.
Do employers in manufacturing actually sponsor Tooling Engineers?
Yes, particularly in medical device, aerospace, defense, and automotive sectors where tooling is a specialized, degree-required function rather than a general trade role. These industries file LCAs regularly for tooling and manufacturing engineering positions. Browse Migrate Mate to see which employers have verified sponsorship history specifically in tooling and precision manufacturing.
What degree does a Tooling Engineer need for visa sponsorship?
USCIS expects a bachelor's degree in a field directly related to the role, typically mechanical engineering, manufacturing engineering, or industrial engineering. A general engineering degree may work if your coursework included tooling, materials, or manufacturing systems. Degrees in unrelated fields combined only with trade experience are unlikely to satisfy the specialty occupation standard without additional credentials or coursework.
How does the H-1B lottery affect Tooling Engineers specifically?
Tooling Engineers are subject to the standard H-1B cap of 65,000 regular slots plus 20,000 for U.S. advanced degree holders. Selection is by lottery when registrations exceed the cap, which has been the case in recent years. Because selection is not guaranteed, some tooling engineers pursue cap-exempt employers, E-3 visa or TN eligibility, or O-1 visa status as parallel strategies while remaining registered for the lottery.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Tooling Engineer jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.