Foundry Tooling Program Manager — Investment Casting & Air‑Set Patterning

# Shape the Tools that Shape the Casting

Reporting to the VP of Cast Products, the Foundry Tooling Program Manager leads all tooling activity for investment casting wax tools and air‑set sand patterns. You will own the schedule and output of the tooling group, mentor Pattern Makers, and deliver reliable, cost‑effective tooling that keeps production on plan.

## A day in the role

• Kick off with a stand‑up: coach Pattern Makers on safety, quality, and throughput; balance work priorities to match daily and weekly production milestones.
• Partner with engineering to refine designs for manufacturability; confirm critical features and gating/rigging needs.
• Review and approve CAD/CAM programs in Fusion 360 and print setups in Simplify3D; validate fixturing and machining strategies.
• Oversee build, assembly, and setup of tooling for machining operations and wax molding; verify first‑article tools before release to production.
• Drive problem‑solving: run root cause analysis on tooling issues and implement corrective actions to boost accuracy, repeatability, and durability.
• Ensure materials and outside services are ready when needed; remove roadblocks that could delay delivery.
• Maintain documentation, inventory, and progress reports; track budgets and cost performance.

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all‑inclusive and may be expanded to include other duties and responsibilities as management may deem necessary from time to time.

## What you will lead

• Leadership & Oversight: Supervise and mentor Pattern Makers; uphold safety, quality, and productivity standards; align workloads with project timelines.
• Tooling Strategy & Planning: Build a roadmap that reduces cost and cycle time; ensure timely availability of materials, resources, and equipment.
• Technical Excellence: Direct the design, fabrication, maintenance, and optimization of tooling for investment casting and wax molding, as well as air‑set patterns; confirm proper setup and assembly for machining operations.
• Quality & Continuous Improvement: Establish standards, lead continuous improvement, and institutionalize corrective actions.
• Collaboration & Communication: Synchronize with engineering, production, procurement, and project management to meet business objectives.
• Training & Development: Provide technical coaching; keep the team current on industry trends, CNC methods, and 3D printing best practices.
• Administration: Keep accurate records for tooling projects and inventory; manage budgets and monitor cost performance.
• Culture & Engagement: Model and promote BCT’s Core Values; build a respectful, engaging environment focused on operational excellence.

## What you bring

• Proven leadership and organizational ability to guide teams and projects.
• Deep knowledge of foundry tooling, pattern making, and machining operations.
• Proficiency with CAD/CAM (Fusion 360, Simplify3D); familiarity with CNC and 3D printing technologies.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and fluency with technical drawings and specifications.
• Excellent cross‑functional communication and collaboration.

## Education & experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field preferred (or equivalent experience).
• 7–10 years in tooling, pattern making, or foundry operations, including 3+ years in a supervisory or managerial capacity.
• Demonstrated success leading tooling projects and technical teams in manufacturing.

## Technical proficiency

• CNC Programming
• CAD Software