Sr. Tooling Engineer, Plastic Injection Molding

About the role

This role supports the Starlink program by managing the development and implementation of injection molding tooling and manufacturing processes. You will work within the materials engineering group to select technologies and integrate them into the production flow for global broadband internet hardware.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Lead the creation of plastic injection tooling projects to satisfy performance and cosmetic requirements.
• Collaborate with supply management, industrial design, and manufacturing engineering to refine design for manufacturing (DFM).
• Research and evaluate new materials, manufacturing methods, and finish options.
• Estimate costs for prototypes, production, tooling, and secondary assembly.
• Manage supplier selection, conduct audits, and issue requests for quotes (RFQs).
• Maintain a master tooling schedule and oversee the design approval process, including gating strategy, Moldflow, and Mold Warp analysis.
• Track supplier progress, participate in T1 samples, and approve tooling for production.
• Generate first article inspection (FAI) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) reports.
• Direct corrective actions for tooling modifications when parts do not meet specifications.

This senior role manages injection molding tooling for the Starlink program. You will lead the creation of plastic injection tooling projects to satisfy both performance and cosmetic requirements, and you will collaborate with supply management, industrial design, and manufacturing engineering to refine design for manufacturing (DFM). The parts produced support global broadband internet hardware, so the tooling must perform reliably at production scale.

The work spans the full tooling lifecycle. You will research and evaluate new materials, manufacturing methods, and finish options, estimate costs for prototypes, production, tooling, and secondary assembly, and manage supplier selection, conduct audits, and issue requests for quotes (RFQs). You will maintain a master tooling schedule and oversee the design approval process, including gating strategy, Moldflow, and Mold Warp analysis, track supplier progress, participate in T1 samples, and approve tooling for production. You will also generate first article inspection (FAI) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP) reports, and direct corrective actions for tooling modifications when parts do not meet specifications.

Injection molding is a precision process where small tooling decisions have outsized effects on yield, quality, and throughput. The role requires deep hands-on knowledge of injection mold design and construction, combined with the ability to manage external suppliers and keep complex projects on schedule. Travel to vendor sites is a regular part of the work, and candidates should be comfortable taking a hands-on approach.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical or materials engineering, or 10+ years of professional experience in injection mold tool engineering.
• 5+ years of professional experience in hands-on injection mold design or construction.
• Ability to lift up to 40 lbs unassisted.
• Ability to stand or walk for long periods.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee to comply with ITAR regulations.

Nice to have

• 10+ years of hands-on injection mold design or construction experience.
• Understanding of molding process variables and their effects on yield, quality, and throughput.
• Expert-level 3D CAD skills, specifically with advanced surfacing and large assemblies.
• Proficiency in Siemens NX.
• Experience with scientific molding or RJG molding.
• Experience performing mold simulations using Autodesk Moldflow.

Skills & tools

Plastic injection molding, tooling design and construction, DFM, FAI, and PPAP, Autodesk Moldflow, Siemens NX, DOE (Design of Experiments).

Practical notes

This position requires travel to vendor sites and other SpaceX locations up to 50% of the time, including international travel. Expect to work long hours and weekends as needed to support manufacturing campaigns.

About the company

Based in Starbase, Texas, a company pursues work in spaceflight, telecom, and artificial intelligence. A unit handles rocket launches, leading yearly orbital counts beyond other national and commercial teams. Another unit runs Starlink, a satellite communications firm. A third area, through SpaceXAI, advances Grok and AI integration with X, while managing data center operations. Roles often cross these paths. Candidates with engineering, software, or operations backgrounds may find chances to join projects that span launch, connectivity, and machine learning efforts in this Texas-based enterprise.