Tooling Engineer-1
Flex · Illinois
- Level
- Engineer
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Degree
- Required (or equivalent experience)
- Experience asked
- 8+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- Yesterday
The role in 30 seconds
An engineer-level manufacturing role at Flex (industrial) in Illinois.
- They ask for
- 8+ years · degree required (or equivalent experience)
- Tools it names
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ), Injection molding, Tooling
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in Illinois: typical posted base $98k–$146k.
Median of the low and high ends of 22 live postings that list pay, out of 48 manufacturing engineer openings in Illinois, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
Illinois plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 47 other live manufacturing postings in Illinois.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (8+ vs 5+)
Typical $96k–$145k, from 19 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Root cause 46%
- Automation 44%
- ✓ Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 38%
- Lean 35%
- New product launch 27%
- ✓ Tooling 27%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Injection molding, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Flex
We found 1 person at this company and state: 1 in this kind of role. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Lisa → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
Full description from FlexAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Job Summary
To support our extraordinary teams who build great products and contribute to our growth, we’re looking to add a Tooling Engineer located in Libertyville, IL.
Reporting to the Sr. Process Engineering Manager, the potential candidate would be responsible for designing and engineering tooling protocols for molds, jigs and fixtures as required to meet products specifications.
The experience we’re looking to add to our team
- ✓Bachelor’s Degree in related field or equivalent experience and training for 8+ years of related experience in thermoplastics, thermosets, injection molding (e.g. product design, validation of tools), mold flows, troubleshooting and resolving tooling issues, strong familiarity with molding processes.
- ✓Demonstrated capability troubleshooting tooling-related defects and performance issues.
- ✓Experience working directly with external toolmakers and global suppliers.
- ✓Ability to read and interpret complex CAD models and tooling assemblies.
- ✓Strong understanding of injection molding processes and their interaction with tool design.
- ✓Experience with multi-cavity mold design and validation, Engineering plastics including PC/ABS, Acetal (POM), and similar resins, Hot runner and valve gate systems, Tight tolerance and cosmetic parts
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Flex is the diversified manufacturing partner of choice that helps market-leading brands design, build and deliver innovative products that improve the world.
A career at Flex offers the opportunity to make a difference and invest in your growth in a respectful, inclusive, and collaborative environment. If you are excited about a role but don't meet every bullet point, we encourage you to apply and join us to create the extraordinary.
What a typical day looks like
- •Prepare and maintain documentation related to tool room equipment. Lead design and engineering of complex injection molds to meet product and process requirements.
- •Review and approve mold designs for multi-cavity, tight-tolerance tools including hot runner and valve gate systems.
- •Own Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Tooling reviews with internal teams and toolmakers.
- •Evaluate and approve mold flow analysis results and recommend design changes based on simulation and processing needs.
- •Define tooling specifications including steel selection, cooling strategy, gating, venting, ejection, and wear components.
- •Serve as technical lead with tool vendors from concept through design, build, FAT, and tool qualification.
- •Support mold trials, sampling and validation activities; analyze results and drive corrective actions.
- •Troubleshoot complex tooling and part quality issues (flash, sticking, warp, cosmetic defects, dimensional variation).
- •Implement cost-effective tooling improvements to increase robustness, cycle time performance, and tool life.
- •Review and interpret tool design files and clearly communicate design intent to cross-functional stakeholders.
- •Establish tooling standards, best practices, and preventive maintenance recommendations.
- •Support process control strategy development in partnership with process engineering.
- •Provide regular tooling status updates and technical risk assessments to program and engineering leadership.
- •Maintain tooling documentation including design records, change history, qualification reports, and maintenance plans.
What you'll receive for the great work you provide
- •Full range of medical, dental, and vision plans
- •Life Insurance
- •Short-term and Long-term Disability
- •Matching 401(k) Contributions
- •Vacation and Paid Sick Time
- •Tuition Reimbursement