Principal DFM Engineer – Injection Molding & Plastics

Job Title: Principal DFM Engineer – Injection Molding & Plastics

Location: Remote

Job Summary

We are seeking a Principal DFM Engineer – Injection Molding & Plastics to join our customer's team. As a subject matter expert, you will drive technical excellence in the design review and manufacturability assessment of injection-molded plastic parts. This opportunity enables you to make a significant impact by identifying manufacturability challenges and guiding teams to robust, production-ready designs—all from a remote, flexible setting.

Key Responsibilities

1. Evaluate 3D CAD (STEP) files and detailed engineering drawings for plastic molded part manufacturability.
2. Identify and document DFM/DFA violations, referencing precise design rules and quantitative criteria.
3. Assess draft angles, wall thicknesses, rib structures, undercuts, parting lines, and overall tooling feasibility.
4. Interpret and validate GD&T per ASME Y14.5 standards, supporting tolerance stack-up and functional fit analyses.
5. Deliver clear, actionable redlines and annotations to facilitate manufacturability scoring and product refinement.
6. Collaborate with contract manufacturing partners, integrating feedback and real-world rejection trends into reviews.
7. Propose creative, process-aligned design improvements to enable efficient, high-yield production.

Required Skills and Qualifications

1. 5+ years of hands-on experience in injection molding and plastics manufacturing engineering.
2. Proven mastery of DFM principles specific to injection-molded plastics and tooling constraints.
3. Expertise in reviewing and redlining 3D CAD models and engineering drawings for manufacturability.
4. Advanced skills in GD&T interpretation with practical application in molded part design.
5. Strong command of draft angle, wall thickness, and structural feature optimization.
6. Demonstrated ability to communicate recommendations with clarity, precision, and process-based justification—both in writing and verbally.
7. Track record of resolving DFM issues by partnering effectively with product design teams.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Industry background in high-volume consumer products, automotive, or medical devices.
2. Experience implementing formal DFM rule sets and tolerance stack-up methodologies.
3. Familiarity incorporating contract manufacturer feedback and real-world rejection analysis into design reviews.