Tooling Design Engineer

Tooling Design Engineer

The Tooling Design Engineer designs and validates durable metal production tooling that supports medium-volume assembly, including fixtures, jigs, gauges, and lifting and positioning devices. This role focuses on mechanical, design-heavy work to create production-ready tools that withstand daily use, meet safety expectations, and improve manufacturing efficiency and repeatability. The engineer collaborates closely with manufacturing stakeholders and plays a key role in ensuring that safety-critical tooling, especially lifting fixtures, performs reliably under expected loads.

Responsibilities

• Design manufacturing support tooling such as assembly fixtures and jigs, positioning fixtures, go/no-go gauges, and lifting devices and fixtures for a medium-volume production environment.
• Develop metal tooling that is production-ready, durable, and capable of withstanding consistent daily use, rather than relying on 3D-printed prototypes as the primary solution.
• Perform or support basic structural and strength validation of tooling designs to ensure they withstand expected loads, wear, and operating conditions.
• Own safety-critical design considerations for lifting fixtures and other high-risk tools, ensuring designs do not fail under load and do not create safety risks for operators.
• Collaborate closely with manufacturing and assembly stakeholders to understand build requirements and ensure tooling supports efficient, repeatable, and high-quality production processes.
• Incorporate feedback from production teams to refine tooling designs and improve ergonomics, reliability, and ease of use.
• Apply sound mechanical engineering principles and structural analysis methods to optimize tool geometry, material selection, and construction for durability and safety.
• Use CAD tools to create detailed 3D models and drawings of tooling components and assemblies that are ready for fabrication and implementation on the shop floor.
• Support the full lifecycle of tooling, from concept and design through validation, implementation, and ongoing improvement.
• Contribute to a culture of safety, quality, and continuous improvement within the manufacturing engineering and tooling design function.

Essential Skills

• At least 2 years of experience designing manufacturing tools for a production environment.
• Proven experience designing metal tools that can withstand a medium-volume manufacturing environment and daily use.
• Hands-on experience with lift fixtures and drill fixtures, including their design and practical application in assembly operations.
• Experience performing structural analysis or basic strength validation to ensure tooling can handle expected loads and wear.
• Proficiency with at least one major CAD system for mechanical and tooling design (for example, SolidWorks or other comparable platforms).
• Background in mechanical or manufacturing engineering with a focus on tooling, fixture design, or related mechanical systems.
• Experience designing gauges, fixtures, and jigs used in manufacturing or aerospace or similar precision-focused industries.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with manufacturing and assembly teams to translate build requirements into robust tooling solutions.
• Strong understanding of mechanical design principles, materials, and manufacturing processes relevant to tooling and fixtures.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience designing go/no-go gauges and other precision checking tools used in production environments.
• Exposure to aerospace or similarly demanding industries where tooling precision, durability, and safety are critical.
• Experience supporting the complete lifecycle of tooling, from concept through design, validation, and continuous improvement.
• Background as a mechanical or manufacturing engineer who has gained or is gaining specialized tooling experience in a production setting.
• Interest in working on innovative and mission-driven technology, such as autonomous systems and advanced manufacturing applications.
• Desire to work in a fast-paced, high-ownership environment with significant opportunities for growth and impact.
• Ability to thrive in a collaborative, low-attrition culture that emphasizes pride in work, fulfillment, and long-term career development.

Work Environment

This role is fully onsite, five days per week, on a first-shift schedule. The environment has a startup feel, with a strong sense of mission and ownership, and there are periods of deadline-focused work where staying late may be necessary. Occasional weekend work may be required, but the culture does not promote an intense grind; instead, it values people who are invested in the work and take pride in delivering high-quality results. The team operates in a hands-on manufacturing and engineering setting, using major CAD tools and working closely with production operations to support medium-volume assembly. The organization emphasizes a supportive, growth-oriented culture with opportunities to work across the full lifecycle of design and tooling, and it invests in employees' satisfaction and engagement, including thoughtful perks such as catered meals when appropriate. The overall atmosphere combines the energy of a startup with the stability and long-term focus of a mission-driven engineering organization.

Job Type & Location

This is a Contract position based out of Austin, TX.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $45.00 - $65.00/hr.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: • Medical, dental & vision • Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital • 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available • Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) • Short and long-term disability • Health Spending Account (HSA) • Transportation benefits • Employee Assistance Program • Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Austin, TX.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on May 15, 2026.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

At Actalent, diversity and inclusion are a bridge towards the equity and success of our people. DE&I is embedded into our culture through:

• Hiring diverse talent
• Maintaining an inclusive environment through persistent self-reflection
• Building a culture of care, engagement, and recognition with clear outcomes
• Ensuring growth opportunities for our people

Actalent is an equal opportunity employer.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services. For more than 40 years, we've helped visionary companies advance their goals. Headquartered in the United States, our teams span 150 offices across North America, EMEA, and APAC—with four delivery centers in India led by 1,000+ extraordinary employees who connect their passion with purpose every day.

Our Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune, and Chennai delivery centers are hubs of engineering expertise, with core capabilities in mechanical and electrical engineering, systems and software, and manufacturing engineering. Our teams deliver work across multiple industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, and life sciences. We serve more than 4,500 clients, including many Fortune 500 brands. Learn more about how we can work together at actalentservices.com.