Tooling and Fabrication Supervisor

The Senior Tooling and Fabrication Supervisor is responsible for overseeing all aspects of tooling and fabrication activities, including planning, coordination, execution, and continuous improvement. This role involves managing a skilled team, driving precision fabrication for production tooling, and ensuring operational excellence across safety, quality, and delivery. The supervisor plays a critical role in supporting new product development, tooling validation, and shop floor innovation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage the end-to-end process of fabrication for jigs, fixtures, dies, and specialized tooling.

• Supervise a multidisciplinary team of toolmakers, welders, machinists, and fabrication technicians.

• Work closely with design, R&D, manufacturing engineering, and quality teams to ensure tooling meets performance and tolerance specifications.

• Oversee resource planning, project scheduling, and workload balancing to meet production milestones.

• Conduct detailed reviews of engineering drawings and models; guide teams on fabrication best practices.

• Ensure robust inspection, dimensional validation, and documentation of fabricated tools.

• Champion shop safety, 5S implementation, lean manufacturing, and preventative maintenance practices.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives in tooling design-for-manufacturability, cost reduction, and cycle-time optimization.

• Support capital investments in new fabrication technologies and evaluate equipment needs.

• Mentor junior supervisors and act as the technical escalation point for complex issues.

Key Focus Areas:

• Advanced Tooling Fabrication Leadership
  (End-to-end ownership of tooling and fixture production for complex and high-precision applications)

• Team Leadership & Technical Guidance
  (Develop, mentor, and lead cross-functional shop floor teams with technical and managerial expertise)

• Quality, Compliance & Risk Mitigation
  (Ensure tools meet design intent, tolerances, and safety standards; reduce rework and delays)

• Collaboration with Product & Process Engineering
  (Enable early tooling involvement in new product development and rapid iteration support)

• Lean, 5S & Continuous Improvement
  (Apply process excellence to reduce waste, optimize layout, and improve throughput)

• Strategic Planning & Capacity Building
  (Align shop capabilities with long-term production goals and innovation strategies)

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Diploma in Mechanical, Tool, or Manufacturing Engineering.

• 8+ years of experience in tooling/fabrication supervision within a manufacturing environment.

• Deep knowledge of tool design, fabrication techniques (welding, CNC machining, assembly), and materials.

• Strong background in interpreting GD&T, CAD drawings, and tolerance stack-up analysis.

• Proven ability to manage large teams, complex workflows, and cross-functional interactions.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience in automotive, aerospace, or industrial equipment manufacturing.

• Familiarity with ERP/MRP systems, digital work instructions, and inspection planning.

• Exposure to tooling cost estimation, life cycle tracking, and refurbishment programs.

• Certifications or training in Lean, Six Sigma, or Industrial Safety are a plus.