About this role
Die Maintenance Coordinator
Key Responsibilities
• Support daily die maintenance operations for high-volume stamping departments, ensuring maximum tooling readiness and press room uptime.
• Lead and develop die maintenance technicians, toolmakers, machinists, and skilled trades personnel across multiple shifts.
• Drive tooling reliability through robust PM/PDM programs, including circle grid analysis, burr tracking, and scheduled die inserts/sharpening.
• Support troubleshooting of critical tooling issues directly on the press bed during downtime events to safely minimize production interruptions.
• Assist with tool room staffing, skills training, production scheduling, budgeting, and spare tooling component management (punches, die springs, gas springs).
• Lead root cause investigations for recurring piece-part defects (splits, wrinkles, dimensional drift) and implement corrective actions.
• Partner with Production, Quality, and Tooling Engineering teams to support engineering changes (ECRs/ECNs) and coordinate trial runs for new tool launches.
• Promote safety, accountability, 5S, and continuous improvement initiatives within the tool room, tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) like die strikes per hit.
Qualifications
• 5+ years of industrial tool & die maintenance experience in a high-volume automotive manufacturing environment.
• 2+ years of leadership or coordinator experience inside an automotive tool room or stamping facility.
• Strong troubleshooting skills in progressive, transfer, and tandem die setups.
• Ability to interpret piece-part blueprints, GD&T charts, and complex 2D/3D tool design drawings.
• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills to bridge the gap between production floors and engineering offices.
• Experience with Microsoft Office and CMMS software for tracking die history, modification logs, and predictive maintenance schedules.
Preferred Technical Experience
• Mechanical & Servo Press Systems: Deep understanding of how die timing interacts with transfer systems, feed lines, and press strokes.
• Die Materials & Coatings: Practical knowledge of tool steels (D2, A2, etc.), heat-treated inserts, and advanced surface coatings.
• In-Die Capabilities: Experience with automated in-die tapping systems or electronic in-die sensing/protection.
• Machining & Welding: Hands-on competency in precision grinding, milling, lathe operation, and specialized die welding (TIG/laser) for tool restoration.
Preferred Qualifications
• Journeyman Tool & Die Maker certification, or an Associate's/Bachelor's degree in Mechatronics, Industrial Technology, or Manufacturing Engineering.
• Knowledge of Tier-1 Automotive Quality Standards, including IATF 16949 requirements and APQP/PPAP tooling documentation.
• Experience with engineering change implementations, tool shop budgeting, and apprentice technician training programs.