Equipment & Tooling Engineer

Location: Sumter, SC
Department: Engineering
Reports To: Engineering Manager
Status: Exempt

The Equipment & Tooling Engineer is responsible for improving the performance, reliability, and efficiency of manufacturing equipment in a high-volume production environment. This role supports the full equipment lifecycle—from specification and installation through optimization and ongoing support.

Working closely with Operations, Maintenance, Automation, Quality, and external partners, the engineer ensures equipment operates safely, reliably, and cost-effectively while supporting business growth.

• Troubleshoot equipment issues and implement long-term solutions

• Improve uptime, throughput, and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)

• Support root cause analysis for failures and production losses

• Assist in preventive and predictive maintenance programs

• Design and implement equipment upgrades and modifications

• Optimize equipment for safety, quality, yield, and cost

• Evaluate performance and identify improvement opportunities

• Support process and equipment capability assessments

• Develop equipment specifications and technical requirements

• Support supplier selection and procurement

• Assist with installation, commissioning, and qualification (FAT/SAT)

• Support layout planning and capacity expansion

• Ensure successful transition of new equipment into production

• Establish tooling standards and best practices

• Coordinate tooling design, sourcing, and lifecycle management

• Manage spare parts and critical tooling inventory

• Ensure tooling supports process capability and quality

• Work with suppliers, contractors, and integrators

• Review technical proposals and project deliverables

• Collaborate with Operations, Maintenance, Quality, and EHS

• Support training and knowledge transfer

• Maintain equipment documentation, procedures, and records

• Ensure compliance with safety and regulatory requirements

• Support audits and safety reviews

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent technical experience

• 3–7 years in manufacturing, equipment, or tooling engineering

• Experience in high-volume manufacturing environments

• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills

• Experience with equipment installation and startup

Preferred:

• Degree in Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering

• Automotive or advanced manufacturing experience

• Familiarity with automated systems

• Lean Manufacturing / Six Sigma knowledge

• Travel: Up to 10%

• Language: English required; German a plus

• Supervisory: None