Tooling Designer

Tooling DesignerThe Tooling Designer plays a key role in designing production tools and equipment used in final assembly environments, including I/P carriers, lift assist tools, sub tables, conveyors, and other assembly tooling. The role focuses heavily on 3D design work in UGNX and Catia for automotive programs, particularly supporting Honda projects. The Tooling Designer develops mechanical designs, leads and coordinates internal and external design activities, and ensures that all tooling and equipment meet customer specifications, quality standards, and project objectives from concept through final customer acceptance.Responsibilities include designing mechanical tooling and equipment for final assembly, spending the majority of time performing detailed 3D design work in UGNX, developing mechanical design concepts, collaborating closely with Manufacturing, Controls Engineering, and Project Management, coordinating all internal and external mechanical design activities, reviewing and releasing final engineering drawings, leading design review meetings, interpreting engineering drawings and specifications, ensuring equipment operates in accordance with approved customer specifications, gathering project information from customers and suppliers, developing equipment specifications, ensuring selected suppliers follow defined processes, documenting project information, conducting proper handoffs, preparing purchase requests, providing project-specific direction to design suppliers, performing design and build buy-offs, reviewing mechanical engineering drawings, and traveling occasionally to local tooling suppliers or customer sites.Essential skills include at least 3 years of experience designing tooling, equipment, or automation equipment, at least 3 years of tooling and automation design experience in an automotive or manufacturing environment, minimum 3 years of experience designing with UGNX, minimum 3 years of experience designing with Catia, strong proficiency in 3D design and 2D detailing for mechanical tooling and equipment, experience designing tooling and equipment for final assembly operations, previous experience working on Honda programs, experience with tool design for automotive equipment and manufacturing tooling, ability to design lift assist tools, sub tables, conveyors, and I/P carriers, experience with automation design and tool build activities, ability to interpret and create detailed engineering drawings and specifications, strong coordination and communication skills, ability to lead and participate in design review meetings, capability to ensure compliance with customer specifications and site installation requirements, and willingness and ability to travel occasionally to local supplier and customer sites.Additional skills and qualifications include previous experience working on Ford programs, general assembly experience in automotive manufacturing, body shop experience in an automotive environment, experience working with automotive trim business or similar high-volume production tooling, experience collaborating with external design suppliers and managing outsourced design work, ability to develop and maintain strong relationships with customers and suppliers, experience conducting design and build buy-offs and performing quality checks on tooling, familiarity with equipment installation requirements and commissioning processes, comfort working in a growing design team where processes and structures are being developed and refined, and interest in contributing to the development of an in-house design capability that has historically been outsourced.Work environment is based in a modern, brand-new facility within a growing design organization. The design group includes a team of approximately seven designers on this team, with an additional design team of four to five designers supporting other customers. Work is primarily office-based, with more than 90% of the time spent at a computer performing 3D and 2D design work using UGNX and Catia. The team currently works five days per week in the office, with occasional work-from-home flexibility. The environment has a family-style culture where team members collaborate closely and support each other, and there is significant opportunity to contribute to and shape an expanding in-house design team that is transitioning from previously outsourced design work. Occasional local travel (less than 5%) to tooling suppliers or customer sites may be required.Job type and location is a contract to hire position based out of Lake Orion, MI. Pay and benefits range from $36.00 - $50.00/hr. Benefits may include medical, dental & vision, critical illness, accident, and hospital, 401(k) retirement plan, life insurance, short and long-term disability, health spending account, transportation benefits, employee assistance program, and time off/leave.