Mold Designer & Project Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Join Plas-Tech Engineering!

Come join a vibrant and disruptive company that has been awarded “Wisconsin’s Manufacturer of the Year”! Become an integral part of a diverse team at a leading medical manufacturing organization. By joining the PPL team, you will help make a difference in people’s lives by supporting the company in its efforts to bring new medical technologies to the market.

Why Join Plas-Tech?

Plas-Tech Engineering is a growing medical manufacturer that makes its employees and customers their #1 priority. As our company continues to expand, we are looking to add motivated and enthusiastic individuals to our team. If you are searching for a company that is exponentially growing, centered around customers, and cares about its employees, PPL may be the right company for you!

Summary
We are seeking an experienced Injection Mold Designer to design high-precision molds for injection molding using SolidWorks. The role collaborates with product engineering, toolmaking, and manufacturing to deliver robust, cost-effective, and maintainable mold solutions that meet quality, cycle time, and reliability targets. Candidates must demonstrate strong project management capabilities to plan, track, and deliver mold projects on time and within budget.

Key Responsibilities

• Translate part models and product requirements into complete mold designs (2D/3D) in SolidWorks, including core/cavity, gating, runners, hot/cold manifold, cooling, ejection, slides/lifters, and venting
• Perform parting line development, draft analysis, shrinkage/warpage allowances, and steel-safe strategies
• Conduct DFM/DFMEA and mold-flow/pre-simulation reviews to optimize gate location, filling, packing, and cooling
• Select materials, standard components, and mold bases; specify surface finishes and tolerances
• Create detailed drawings/BOMs for machining, EDM, and assembly; release to toolroom and suppliers
• Collaborate with machining and EDM teams on manufacturability, tolerances, and sequencing
• Lead project management for assigned tools: define scope, build schedules, manage risk/mitigations, track costs, run design reviews, and drive issues to closure with cross-functional teams and suppliers
• Support mold build, sampling, and validation
• Optimize cooling circuits and conformal cooling where applicable for cycle time and dimensional stability
• Implement hot runner and valve gate solutions; specify controls, wiring, and maintenance considerations
• Document design standards, lessons learned, and maintain design libraries and templates
• Support cost estimating and quoting with design concepts and risk assessment
• Ensure compliance with safety, regulatory, and customer-specific standards

Required Qualifications

• 3–7 years of injection mold design experience (multi-cavity, family tools, hot runner, complex actions)
• Expert proficiency with SolidWorks for mold design and 2D detailing (required)
• Demonstrated project management experience leading mold projects from concept through T1 and handover, including schedule, cost, risk, and stakeholder management
• Strong knowledge of machining processes, EDM, tolerancing, and mold steel selection (H13, P20, S7, stainless)
• Understanding of polymer behavior, shrinkage, rheology, and design-for-molding principles
• Hands-on exposure to mold tryouts, sampling, and troubleshooting in press
• Familiarity with hot runner systems and best-practice cooling design
• Ability to read and produce detailed drawings; manage ECOs and revision control
• Strong collaboration and communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with medical/regulated products (IQ/OQ/PQ)
• Knowledge of conformal cooling and additive-manufactured inserts
• Exposure to high-cavitation and high-speed molds, thin-wall molding, valve gating, and unscrewing mechanisms

Key Competencies

• Project planning, prioritization, and on-time delivery
• Problem solving and root-cause analysis
• Attention to detail and design rigor
• Cross-functional teamwork and stakeholder management
• Time management and project ownership from concept to SOP

Work Environment

• Office/shop hybrid with regular time in toolroom and on the molding floor during trials
• Occasional supplier visits for tool build reviews and FAT/SAT

Education

• AS/BS in Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering or related field; equivalent experience considered

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person