The posting
Job description
Design, develop and improve rubber compression mold tooling and the associated molding processes for a precision manufacturing business serving the semiconductor industry. Take technical ownership from mold concept and detailed design through fabrication oversight, trials, troubleshooting, production support, repair and maintenance.
The role focuses on two-plate and three-plate compression molds processing EPDM, NBR, HNBR and FKM, using AutoCAD and SolidWorks. Improve tooling manufacturability, reduce tooling rework, and establish reliable molding performance. Build practical design and process standards, work closely with in-house engineering and manufacturing teams, and supervise technicians.
Detailed job scope
Mold design and engineering
· Review part drawings, critical dimensions, tolerances, surface requirements, material specifications and production needs; identify feasibility issues before releasing a mold design.
· Develop two-plate and three-plate compression mold concepts, assemblies, component drawings and bills of materials in SolidWorks and AutoCAD.
· Define cavity arrangement, parting surfaces, plate alignment, inserts, venting, flash control and demolding arrangements appropriate to the part and compound.
· Establish and validate shrinkage allowances using compound information, prior production evidence and trial measurements. Record the conditions supporting each allowance.
· Select suitable tooling materials, heat treatments and surface treatments with manufacturing and suppliers, considering dimensional stability, finish, wear, repairability and cost.
· Check mold compatibility with the intended press, including usable area, mounting, opening, loading, heating and handling arrangements.
Tooling manufacturability and fabrication oversight
· Review designs with the toolroom/manufacturing team for machining access, achievable tolerances, inspection access, assembly, fitting and ease of maintenance.
· Simplify difficult features and standardise reusable components where this improves quality, lead time or cost without compromising requirements.
· Coordinate internal fabrication and external tooling suppliers: communicate drawings and revisions, resolve technical queries, monitor progress and review inspection results.
· Investigate tooling nonconformances and repeated machining, fitting or assembly rework; agree corrective actions with the responsible manufacturing team.
· Maintain controlled design files, revision histories and technical records through fabrication and modification.
Mold trials and molding process development
· Plan and lead trials with technicians and production personnel; agree sample requirements, inspection methods and acceptance criteria before testing.
· Establish and refine material charge/preform preparation, loading sequence, mold temperature, pressure, curing time, venting/degas steps where applicable, and demolding conditions.
· Assess cavity-to-cavity consistency, dimensional results, flash, surface defects and part damage; document trial conditions, findings and required changes.
· Verify relevant post-cure effects with the responsible materials or process specialist when the compound and application require post-curing.
· Prepare the technical evidence for tooling acceptance and production handover, including drawings, trial reports and molding setup instructions.
Troubleshooting and yield improvement
· Diagnose tooling and molding issues such as excessive flash, incomplete filling, trapped air, sticking, dimensional variation, misalignment and premature tool wear.
· Separate tooling design/fabrication causes from compound variation, press conditions, handling and process settings; use controlled trials and measurement data to confirm causes.
· Implement and verify design or process changes with engineering, manufacturing and quality personnel.
· Track tooling fabrication acceptance/rework separately from molded-part acceptance/scrap, so improvements address the correct stage.
· Improve cycle time, usable cavity output, material utilisation and tool availability while maintaining agreed quality requirements.
Tooling repair and maintenance
· Assess tool condition and plan repairs, refurbishment, spare inserts and replacement of wear components.
· Establish mold inspection, cleaning, preservation, storage and preventive-maintenance instructions with technicians and manufacturing.
· Define checks and repeat trials needed after repairs or modifications before returning a mold to service.
· Build a practical library of proven designs, trial data, recurring defects and corrective actions.
· Allocate technician tasks, review workmanship and records, and train technicians in mold handling, assembly, trial execution and defect identification.
Job requirements
Essential
· Diploma or degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Tooling/Tool and Die Engineering, or a related discipline; equivalent substantial tooling experience may be considered.
· Typically five or more years of relevant mold design/tooling engineering experience, including direct rubber compression molding work and independent responsibility for tooling trials and problem resolution. Demonstrated delivery is more important than years alone.
· Practical experience designing two-plate and three-plate compression molds, with evidence of taking designs through fabrication and trials.
· Proficiency in SolidWorks and AutoCAD for mold assemblies, detailed drawings and revisions.
· Sound understanding of elastomer processing, curing and shrinkage; hands-on experience with relevant compounds and the ability to support the company's EPDM, NBR, HNBR and FKM range.
· Ability to interpret engineering drawings, geometric tolerances and inspection results, and translate findings into tool or process changes.
· Working knowledge of precision tool fabrication, fitting, finishing and maintenance sufficient to direct technical reviews and troubleshoot manufacturability problems.
· Ability to independently plan work, coordinate suppliers, supervise technicians and communicate technical issues clearly.
Preferred
· Experience supplying semiconductor manufacturing or similarly demanding precision applications.
· Direct processing experience across all four specified elastomer families.
· Demonstrated reductions in tooling rework, molded-part scrap or recurring tooling failures.
· Experience establishing design standards, trial procedures and technician training in a developing engineering function.
· Practical use of structured experiments, statistical process control or failure analysis.
Priorities for the first six months
The primary outcomes are optimised mold designs and reduced mold defects/rework.
· Deliver new or improved mold designs that meet agreed dimensional and functional requirements while balancing manufacturability, molding performance, maintainability, lead time and cost. Demonstrate suitability through fabrication review, inspection and mold trials.
· Identify the main causes of tooling defects and repeat rework, implement design or process corrections, and verify improvement against the starting baseline on comparable molds or projects.
· Capture proven design decisions and trial findings in drawings, design checklists and technician instructions so improvements carry forward to subsequent tooling.
