Tooling Engineer II

At Kaman, we are always looking for a better way. Whether we are helping keep our troops safe or pioneering safer ways to fly the globe, we approach every challenge with an innovation mindset. We consider our people to be the key to our success and have created an environment that provides opportunities for our employees to learn and grow in their careers. We are currently searching for a talented Sr. Project Material Management Analyst at Kaman Precision Products in Middletown, CT, to be a key part of our outstanding Engineering team. We are looking for candidates who embody our core values: Respect, Excellence, Accountability, Creativity, and Honor. The Tooling Engineer will work under direction of the Engineering Management team with a minimum of supervision. Duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Job Summary The Tooling Engineer II is a mid-level engineering role responsible for designing, developing, maintaining, and improving tooling and fixtures used in the manufacturing and assembly of legacy fuzing products. This position requires a balance of sustaining existing tooling, troubleshooting issues, and designing new tools to support production efficiency and quality. The Tooling Engineer II collaborates with cross-functional teams, including Manufacturing, Quality, and Test Engineering, to ensure tools meet production requirements and comply with industry standards.

Key Responsibilities Tooling Design and Development:

• Design and develop tooling and fixtures using SolidWorks, ensuring compatibility with legacy fuzing product manufacturing processes.
• Create detailed 2D and 3D drawings, incorporating GD&T principles to ensure precision and manufacturability.
• Develop new tooling solutions to address production challenges, improve efficiency, or support new product introductions as needed.
• Provide estimates for new tooling designs or modifications to existing tooling.
• Reverse engineer existing tooling where a drawing might not exist or is a hand drawn 2D drawing.

Tooling Maintenance and Improvement:

• Populate our tooling preventative maintenance database with existing tooling and determine the maintenance criteria for each tool. Execute the tool maintenance as defined in the database and record results.
• Maintain and troubleshoot existing tooling to ensure operational reliability and minimize downtime.
• Analyze tooling performance and implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance durability, precision, and production efficiency.
• Modify or repair tools and fixtures to accommodate design changes or resolve manufacturing issues.

Collaboration and Support:

• Work closely with Manufacturing, Quality, and Test Engineering teams to ensure tooling meets production and quality requirements.
• Provide technical support, assisting with tooling setup, operator training, and issue resolution.
• Participate in design reviews, providing input on tooling feasibility and manufacturability.

Documentation and Compliance:

• Create and maintain detailed documentation, including tooling designs, specifications, and work instructions, using Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ensure all tooling designs comply with GD&T standards and industry regulations.
• Support compliance with safety, quality, and security protocols, including maintaining eligibility for a Secret security clearance.

Project Management:

• Manage small to medium tooling projects, including scoping, scheduling, and coordinating with vendors or internal machine shops for tool fabrication.
• Track project progress and report updates to management, ensuring timely delivery within budget constraints.

Continuous Improvement:

• Identify opportunities to optimize tooling processes, reduce costs, and improve production throughput.
• Stay current with industry trends, materials, and technologies to recommend innovative tooling solutions.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor\u2019s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience: 2-5 years of experience in tooling design, manufacturing engineering, or a related role, preferably in an assembly or production environment.
• Demonstrated experience with SolidWorks for 3D modeling and 2D drawing creation. Familiarity with Product Document Management (PDM) software a plus.
• Proficiency in applying GD&T principles to tooling designs and drawings.
• Hands-on experience supporting manufacturing operations, preferably with established products or precision components.
• Skills and Abilities:
• Strong proficiency in SolidWorks for designing tools, and fixtures.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) for documentation and reporting.
• In-depth understanding of GD&T standards and their application in tooling design.
• Ability to learn local software packages and databases
• Ability to troubleshoot and resolve tooling-related issues.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Detail-oriented with excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Preferred:
• Experience in a manufacturing environment for fuzing products, aerospace, or defense industries.
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing principles and continuous improvement methodologies.
• Knowledge of CNC machining, additive manufacturing, or other fabrication processes.

Work Environment:

• The role is based on-site at the manufacturing facility, with regular interaction in the machining, weld and assembly areas.
• Requires adherence to safety protocols and the ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.