What is the salary for the Senior Tooling Engineer role at Sterling Engineering?

The listed annual base salary range is $145K–$175K. This figure is taken from the posting itself.

Where is the Senior Tooling Engineer role at Sterling Engineering based?

This role is based in Libertyville, IL.

How many years of experience does this Senior Tooling Engineer role require?

The posting calls for at least 15 years of relevant experience.

One of 4,529 polymer and materials roles on Crosslinked, each read for materials, degree, visa and salary. See roles like this

Senior Tooling Engineer

Sterling Engineering · Libertyville, IL2mo agoverified 20 h ago

$145k – $175kfrom the posting

BS-level Process Engineering roles on Crosslinked list a median of $112k (561 that show pay).

Lead injection mold design, validation, and troubleshooting for a medical device manufacturing launch.

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Thermoplastics · Process Engineering roles, by email

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Worth knowing

Why it is interesting. Own the tooling lifecycle for a new U.S. medical manufacturing program, with international collaboration and relocation support.

Might not be for you. Requires 15+ years of injection molding tooling experience and international travel to Denmark in the first year.

Bench and deskTechnical lead Senior hires only

Core polymer roleLead design/development of precision injection molds; strong understanding of thermoplastics and/or thermoset molding processes; mold flow analysis

Seniority: Staff/Principal
Work: On-site
Type: Full-time
Degree: BS
Experience: 15+ yrs
Industry: Medical devices
Role: Process Engineering
Relocation: Offered

Materials

Thermoplastics120 roles Thermosets28 roles

Techniques

Mold flow analysis29 roles DFM7 rolesMetrology/inspection equipmentMechanical/electrical testing

Benefits

relocation package10% bonus

Role details

Principal Tooling Engineer – Injection Molding

Location

Libertyville, IL *(Relocation assistance available for qualified candidates)*

Travel

International travel to Denmark required during the first year (typically 1–2 weeks per trip), with travel decreasing significantly after launch.

Compensation

$145,000–$175,000 annually + 10% bonus

Position Summary

We're looking for a seasoned

Principal Tooling Engineer

to lead the design, development, and implementation of advanced injection molding tooling for an innovative medical manufacturing program. This position will play a critical role in launching U.S. manufacturing operations for a flagship medical product while partnering with global engineering teams and customers throughout the tooling lifecycle.

This opportunity is ideal for an experienced tooling professional who enjoys solving complex manufacturing challenges, driving continuous improvement, and working closely with cross-functional teams from concept through production.

What You'll Do

Lead the design and development of precision injection molds, fixtures, and manufacturing tooling.
Evaluate product designs for manufacturability and provide DFM recommendations during development.
Support tooling validation activities, mold trials, and production readiness.
Troubleshoot tooling and molding issues while implementing effective corrective actions.
Drive tooling modifications, engineering changes, and continuous improvement initiatives focused on quality and cost.
Partner with engineering, manufacturing, quality, and customer teams throughout tool qualification and product launch.
Create and maintain tooling documentation, standards, and manufacturing procedures.
Mentor tooling technicians and provide technical expertise across engineering teams.
Track project milestones and communicate progress to internal stakeholders and customers.
Participate in early program support through collaboration with the Denmark engineering team during the initial launch phase.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or another technical discipline.
15+ years of experience with injection molding tooling in a manufacturing environment.
Extensive knowledge of mold design, tool validation, troubleshooting, and process optimization.
Strong understanding of thermoplastics and/or thermoset molding processes.
Experience with Design for Manufacturability (DFM), mold flow analysis, and tooling qualification.
Hands-on background working with tooling, mold shops, or production operations.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to work across multiple engineering disciplines.

Preferred Experience

Medical device, pharmaceutical, or other highly regulated manufacturing environments.
Experience supporting global manufacturing transfers or new product introductions (NPI).
Familiarity with inspection equipment, metrology tools, and mechanical/electrical testing methods.