Design Engineer 1 - Plastics

Job Description:

The Design Engineer I - Plastics supports the design, development, validation, and launch of injection molded plastic components and assemblies. This role is intended for an early-career engineer who can build foundational expertise across plastic part design, DFM/DFA, material selection, tooling considerations, molding processes, testing, and simulation-informed decision making.

INNOVATE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES

At Milwaukee Tool, our Engineering Teams develop innovative solutions that improve the productivity, safety, durability, and performance of products trusted by professional users every day.

As a Design Engineer I - Plastics, you will work within cross-functional product development teams to design and improve plastic components from early concept through production launch. The role provides hands-on exposure to plastic part design, materials, tooling, processing, manufacturing, testing, and injection molding simulation workflows.

This position is designed as a development role for an engineer interested in growing practical plastics expertise while contributing to high-impact product development work.

You'll Be DISRUPTIVE Through These Duties and Responsibilities

Product Design & Development

·       Design and develop plastic components and subassemblies for new product development and continuous improvement projects.

·       Create, maintain, and release 3D CAD models, engineering drawings, specifications, and technical documentation.

·       Apply DFM and DFA principles to improve product performance, manufacturability, quality, assembly efficiency, and cost.

·       Support design reviews, tolerance reviews, prototype builds, engineering builds, and production launch activities.

·       Collaborate with industrial design, product engineering, manufacturing, sourcing, quality, suppliers, and test teams throughout the product development process.

Plastics Engineering

·       Support material selection for thermoplastics, elastomers, and related polymer systems based on mechanical, cosmetic, environmental, regulatory, and manufacturing requirements.

·       Develop working knowledge of injection molding behavior, including gate location, flow length, shrinkage, warpage, weld lines, sink, knit lines, cooling, ejection, and parting line considerations.

·       Review and interpret injection molding simulation results, including Moldflow outputs, to support part design optimization, gating recommendations, filling performance, cooling strategy, and warpage reduction.

·       Partner with tooling engineers, molders, suppliers, and manufacturing teams to resolve molding-related design, tooling, and process concerns during prototype and production phases.

·       Assist with evaluation of new plastic materials, manufacturing methods, and design approaches for future product applications.

Testing, Validation & Problem Solving

·       Support engineering validation and verification testing for plastic components and assemblies.

·       Analyze test results, identify design risks, and implement design improvements based on data and engineering judgment.

·       Assist in troubleshooting plastic component failures, quality issues, and manufacturing concerns using structured root cause analysis methods.

·       Work with materials, quality, tooling, manufacturing, and supplier teams to identify corrective actions and prevent recurrence.

·       Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on product reliability, manufacturability, weight, cost, quality, and performance.

Project Execution & Communication

·       Support multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced product development environment.

·       Document engineering assumptions, test results, design decisions, tradeoffs, risks, and recommendations clearly and accurately.

·       Communicate project status, technical risks, open issues, and design changes to project stakeholders in a timely and professional manner.

·       Participate in supplier discussions, design reviews, engineering builds, and cross-functional project meetings as required.

·       Build technical capability through mentorship, hands-on projects, training, supplier engagement, and collaboration with experienced plastics, tooling, materials, and simulation resources.

What TOOLS You'll Bring With You

Required Qualifications

·       Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Plastics Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Materials Engineering, or related technical discipline.

·       0-3 years of engineering experience, including internships, co-ops, or relevant project experience.

·       Basic understanding of plastic materials and injection molding processes.

·       Experience using 3D CAD software such as NX, Creo, SolidWorks, Fusion 360, or similar platforms.

·       Strong problem-solving, analytical, and communication skills.

·       Interest in hands-on product development, testing, manufacturing, and root cause analysis.

·       Ability to work effectively in cross-functional engineering teams.

Preferred Qualifications

·       Coursework, internship, co-op, or project experience involving plastics, injection molding, tooling, or manufacturing processes.

·       Exposure to Moldflow, Moldex3D, Sigmasoft, SolidWorks Plastics, Autodesk Moldflow Adviser, or similar injection molding simulation tools.

·       Understanding of DFM principles for injection molded plastic components.

·       Familiarity with GD&T, tolerance analysis, and engineering drawing practices.

·       Exposure to FEA, mechanical testing, material testing, or data analysis.

·       Experience with rapid prototyping technologies such as 3D printing.

·       Knowledge of plastic material performance tradeoffs, including strength, impact, fatigue, creep, chemical resistance, cosmetics, cost, and manufacturability.

Milwaukee Tool is an equal opportunity employer.