Plastics Engineer

Plastics Engineer

Job Overview

Sigmaintl is seeking a technically strong Plastics Engineer to join our team in Livonia, Michigan. In this role, you will take ownership of engineering work from concept through production, providing comprehensive support for product engineering, injection molding, tooling development, and automotive program requirements. This is an in-person position.

Responsibilities

Product Engineering & 3D Design

• Review product designs for functionality, manufacturability, dimensional accuracy, and cost.
• Apply Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles to injection-molded plastic components.
• Review dimensional tolerances, GD&T, material specifications, and engineering requirements.
• Maintain accurate CAD models, drawings, BOMs, and technical documentation.

Plastic Injection Molding & Tooling

• Evaluate plastic component designs for injection molding feasibility.
• Collaborate with tooling suppliers to review mold designs and resolve technical issues.
• Support mold trials, tooling modifications, and engineering validation.
• Troubleshoot plastic component issues, including warpage, sink marks, dimensional variation, and cosmetic defects.
• Assist with plastic material selection, product optimization, and manufacturing improvements.
• Support tooling development and production readiness for new and existing products.

Daily Engineering & Manufacturing Support

• Respond to daily engineering requests from manufacturing, quality, suppliers, and customers.
• Investigate and resolve product design, dimensional, tooling, and assembly issues.
• Support prototype builds, testing, and engineering validation.
• Design or modify checking fixtures, prototype tooling, and simple assembly stations.
• Support existing production programs through technical problem-solving and continuous improvement.
• Participate in root cause analysis and corrective actions.

Automotive Program Support

• Support RFQ activities, technical feasibility assessments, and engineering cost evaluations.
• Complete engineering deliverables in accordance with customer requirements and program deadlines.
• Support APQP, PPAP, design validation, and production launch activities.
• Collaborate with program management, quality, purchasing, and manufacturing teams to resolve technical challenges.
• Maintain engineering documentation throughout the product lifecycle.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Plastics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Polymer Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of hands-on engineering experience in automotive plastic product design, development, or injection-molded components.
• Strong proficiency in at least one professional 3D CAD platform: Siemens NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks.
• Experience creating and modifying 3D models, assemblies, and 2D engineering drawings.
• Strong knowledge of plastic injection molding processes, tooling, plastic materials, and manufacturing methods.
• Understanding of DFM, GD&T, dimensional tolerances, and automotive engineering specifications.
• Experience supporting tooling development, product validation, and manufacturing troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with automotive APQP and PPAP requirements.
• Strong technical problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and ability to work independently.
• Ability to manage multiple engineering priorities and meet customer deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing or developing plastic optical lenses, light guides, and illuminated automotive components.
• Knowledge of optical-grade plastics, including polycarbonate (PC) and PMMA.
• Experience integrating plastic lenses and light guides with LEDs, PCBAs, and electronic assemblies.
• Experience with automotive interior and exterior decorative components.
• Knowledge of Class-A surfaces, painting, plating, coatings, and decorative finishes.
• Familiarity with Moldflow analysis and injection molding simulation.
• Experience designing checking fixtures, prototype tooling, and assembly stations.
• Knowledge of IATF 16949 automotive quality requirements.

Benefits

• Success in this role is defined by:
• Ensuring plastic component designs meet customer specifications and manufacturing requirements.
• Identifying and resolving tooling and injection molding challenges efficiently.
• Successfully integrating optical and illuminated plastic components into automotive assemblies.
• Providing timely, practical engineering support to manufacturing and quality teams.
• Delivering engineering output that supports customer deadlines and successful production launches.

About the Company

Sigmaintl is a company specializing in technical engineering solutions. We provide high-level expertise and support to our clients, ensuring engineering excellence from the initial concept phase through final production.