Job Overview

The Mold Manufacturing Development Engineer (Mold MDE) is responsible for leading all mold-related engineering activities within new product development projects, covering the entire cycle from feasibility study, prototype tooling, pilot/EVT/DVT builds, through mass production mold and related equipment release. The Mold MDE develops and evaluates mold tooling, molding processes, and auxiliary equipment to meet product manufacturability, quality, cost, and reliability requirements. The role works closely with Product Engineering, Process Engineering, ASEAN manufacturing sites, and tooling vendors to ensure successful, on-time transition from development to stable mass production. In addition, the Mold MDE supports continuous improvement activities, cost reduction programs, and introduction
of advanced molding technologies across ASEAN production facilities.

Responsibilities

Feasibility Study & Concept Development
1. Conduct feasibility studies for moldability, tooling strategy, process capability, and manufacturability for new product development.
2. Provide early-stage design input to Product Engineering to ensure DFM (Design for Manufacturability) and mold-friendly product features.
3. Develop conceptual mold/tool designs and process concepts, including cycle time estimation and manufacturing cost modeling.
Prototype Development & Trial Builds
4. Lead development of prototype molds, ensuring schedule alignment, cost targets, and technical requirements.
5. Coordinate prototype trials (EVT/DVT/PVT), troubleshoot molding issues, and recommend design or process adjustments.
6. Review and verify vendor tooling drawings, material selection, mold structure, cooling, gating, and venting concepts.
Mass Production Tooling & Equipment Release
7. Establish detailed tooling specifications for mass production molds and auxiliary items (hot runner, cooling system, mold temperature controller, jigs, automation equipment, etc.).
8. Manage tooling vendors during mass production fabrication, ensuring quality, progress, and compliance with technical requirements.
9. Perform tool qualification and buy-off including FAI, T0/T1 trials, capability checks, and documentation review.
10. Coordinate with ASEAN manufacturing sites to ensure smooth installation, start-up, and ramp-up of new molds and equipment.
11. Ensure all tooling acceptance, process documentation, and release-to-operation requirements are completed.
Continuous Improvement & Technology Development
12. Introduce new molding technologies, materials, tooling concepts, automation, or process innovations to improve productivity, quality, and cost.
13. Collaborate with Center-of-Excellence (CoE) to evaluate new technologies and drive deployment across ASEAN sites.
14. Identify and document continuous improvement opportunities related to molding processes and tooling performance.
15. Develop and maintain design rules, best practices, and mold/tool standardization for ASEAN region.
Quality, Compliance & Environmental Standards
16. Support IATF16949 / APQP requirements in tooling development and process documentation.
17. Apply pollution prevention principles and ISO 14000 environmental management principles in mold and process design.
18. Ensure all processes comply with company safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

QUALIFICATIONS

1. Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Polymer Engineering, Tool & Die Engineering, or related disciplines.
2. Minimum 5 years of experience in injection mold, metal mold, or tooling engineering in a high-volume manufacturing environment.
3. Minimum 3 years of hands-on experience in mold/tool design, tooling development, evaluation, or vendor management.
4. Proficiency with 3D/2D CAD tools such as CREO, NX, SolidWorks, AutoCAD, etc.
5. Strong vendor management and communication skills, including proficiency in English (verbal and written).
6. Good understanding of process capability studies (Cp/Cpk), DOE, Moldflow analysis, GD&T, tolerance analysis, and ability to interpret technical results.
7. Familiarity with engineering standards, molding processes, material selection, and tooling fabrication practices.
8. Strong communication, interpersonal, and analytical problem-solving skills.
9. Ability to work with cross-functional teams and establish positive relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
10. Experience with DFM, PFMEA, APQP, PPAP, IATF16949 is an added advantage.

Competencies