Manager, Tooling Engineering

About the role

At Saab in West Lafayette, IN, you will lead a team responsible for the full lifecycle of production tooling—fixtures, jigs, gauges, molds, and dies—for the rear section of the T-7A Redhawk military trainer aircraft. The role involves strategic planning, design oversight, maintenance, compliance, and continuous improvement in a fast-paced, aerospace/defense manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Tooling Strategy & Lifecycle Management: Own the entire lifecycle of production tooling from concept through retirement; develop and maintain a tooling master plan aligned to production schedules, new program launches, and rate increases; establish and enforce tool control procedures, numbering, storage, traceability, and configuration management per AS9100.
• Design & Engineering Oversight: Direct the design or redesign of tooling to support new part introductions, engineering changes, and continuous improvement; review and approve tool designs for manufacturability, ergonomics, cycle time, and compliance with engineering drawings and specifications; partner with Manufacturing and Design Engineering on make/buy decisions.
• Maintenance, Calibration & Compliance: Oversee preventive maintenance, repair, and calibration programs for all production and inspection tooling; ensure audit readiness for customer, FAA, and AS9100/NADCAP audits; maintain accurate tooling records including MRB dispositions, tool history files, and change logs.
• Team Leadership: Manage, mentor, and develop tool designers, toolmakers, tool room technicians, and tool crib staff; set performance goals, conduct reviews, and manage staffing against production demand; foster a safety-first culture consistent with OSHA and site EHS requirements; contribute to a people-culture aligned with Saab’s core values: Trust, Drive, Expertise, and Support.
• Vendor & Supply Chain Management: Source, qualify, and manage external tooling vendors and machine shops; negotiate cost, lead time, and quality terms for outsourced builds and repairs; manage the tooling capital budget including forecasting, purchase justification, and cost tracking.
• Production Support: Ensure tooling availability meets production schedules; lead root cause analysis and corrective action for tooling-related downtime or nonconformances; support first article inspections (FAI/AS9102) and production part approval processes; drive Lean/Six Sigma initiatives to reduce changeover time, improve durability, and lower cost per part.

Requirements

• Education & Experience: BS degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related field; 7+ years of experience in tooling design, tool room operations, or manufacturing engineering, with at least 3 years in a supervisory or management role; aerospace/defense or highly regulated manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Technical Knowledge: Working knowledge of AS9100, AS9102 (FAI), and customer-specific quality requirements; proficiency with CAD software (e.g., CATIA, SolidWorks, NX) for tool design review; familiarity with CNC machining, composite layup tooling, sheet metal forming dies, or assembly jigs/fixtures; understanding of GD&T, blueprint reading, and dimensional inspection methods (CMM, gauges); experience with calibration systems and tool control/traceability software (ERP/MES tooling modules).
• Leadership: Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage direct reports in a fast-paced production environment; strong project management skills including budget ownership and vendor negotiation; excellent communication skills for interfacing with Quality, Engineering, Production, and external auditors; willingness to work on the shop floor and adapt priorities to production needs.
• Certifications & Other Requirements: Six Sigma/Lean certification a plus. Must be a U.S. citizen, Permanent Resident (green card holder), or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Benefits

• Medical, vision, and dental insurance for employees and dependents
• Generous paid time off, including 8 designated holidays
• 401(k) with employer contributions
• Tuition assistance and student loan assistance
• Wellness and employee assistance resources
• Employee stock purchase opportunities
• Short-term and long-term disability coverage