Cost Modeling_Tooling Expert

This Role in Summary

As a Tooling Expert & Mechanical Cost Modeling Engineer, you will serve as the technical subject matter expert on injection molding tooling, sheet metal dies, and tooling cost estimation.

This role involves leading tooling feasibility analysis, strategic competitive teardowns, cost modeling, and providing deep tooling architectural insights to global product platforms to drive

cost optimization and manufacturing excellence.

Your Responsibilities Will Include:

Serve as the technical Tooling Expert for plastics injection molds, sheet metal stamping dies, and specialized tooling systems across global product categories.

Develop robust, highly accurate cost models for tooling, plastic components, and sheetmetal parts in close collaboration with Design, Plant GSS, Sourcing, and Manufacturing teams.

Perform deep-dive technical evaluations of tooling designs, cavity configurations, runner systems, cooling layouts, and tool lifecycle maintenance expectations.

Apply deep domain expertise in injection tools, sheet metal dies, tooling materials, tool construction, and advanced plastic/metal manufacturing processes.

Support competitive manufacturing process analysis through teardown, tooling

benchmarking, manufacturing sequence charting, and process insights documentation.

Partner with the CAA Architecture Analysis team to provide direct input for communication matrices and executive strategic reporting.

Maintain and expand the competitive manufacturing and tooling database to standardize internal Whirlpool tooling guidelines and best practices.

Utilize advanced technical software and costing tools (aPriori, DFMA, CAD tools like Creo) for tool design evaluation, mold flow analysis, and data reporting.

Key Deliverables

• Detailed tooling cost estimations and process costing reports for injection molding parts and sheet metal components.
• Tooling analysis reports evaluating competitive tool construction, cycle times, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Competitive Category and Brand Architecture Tooling & Cost Analysis Reports.
• Competitive Tooling & Process Communication Matrix.
• DFM (Design for Manufacturing) and DFT (Design for Tooling) insight reports to optimize platform architecture.
• Identification and execution of tooling cost optimization opportunities across global manufacturing regions.
• Knowledge Management: Standardizing tooling design guidelines, best practices, and driving reuse of technical tooling knowledge & digital tools.

Minimum Requirements

Educational Qualification: B.Tech/B.E. in Mechanical / Production / Tool Engineering.

Experience: 4 to 6 years of hands-on experience in tooling design, tooling cost estimation, or tool manufacturing (Injection Mold / Sheet Metal Dies).

Solid technical knowledge of tool design principles, mold/die manufacturing processes,

steel selection, and tool lifecycle.

Proven experience working in or closely with a global engineering and cross-functional team environment.

Preferred Skills and Experiences

Technical Skills

Expertise in Tool Design, Tooling Cost Estimation, and Tooling Feasibility Analysis.

Proficiency in Costing Tools (aPriori, DFMA) and advanced tooling cost estimation models.

Proficiency in CAD/PLM Tools (Creo 2.0/4.0, Windchill, Moldflow analysis tools).

Knowledge of Data Analytics and Reporting Tools (Tableau, Power BI, Google Data Studio).

Understanding of Project Management methodologies (PMP trained/certified preferred).

Managerial & Soft Skills

Customer Centricity and focus on delivering high-value solutions to engineering platforms.

Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills for executive communication.

Strong cross-functional collaboration and adaptability to evolving project priorities.