Senior Injection Molding Manager

At Gentherm, we say, "It's about the person." We're with you on a cold winter day when you turn on your heated seat and steering wheel or helping manage patient body temperature in the operating room, recovering room or intensive care units. We take a human approach with everything we do. As the global market leader of innovative thermal management and pneumatic comfort technologies for the automotive industry we embrace the opportunity to create and deliver extraordinary solutions that make meaningful differences in everyday life. We do this by improving health, wellness, comfort and energy efficiency. We embrace an entrepreneurial spirit and combine that with our global leadership to deliver results. Working at Gentherm provides you the opportunity to not only shape the future of the automotive and medical industries, but also influence your career throughout the company. You will be engaged, challenged and inspired by our team to deliver leading thermal technologies that positively impact lives around the world. SENIOR INJECTION MOLDING MANAGER The Senior Injection Molding Manager is a key technical and leadership role responsible for ensuring the stability, capability, and continuous improvement of injection molding processes in our Monterrey plant. This leader works closely with Production, Quality, Maintenance, Tooling, Design Engineering, and EHS to guarantee safe, efficient, cost-effective, and high-quality molding operations. This role requires a hands-on molding expert with proven technical mastery, strong leadership, and the ability to elevate the molding team to world-class performance levels. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: - Bachelor's degree in Plastics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field. - 7+ years of injection molding experience in automotive or highly regulated industries. - Demonstrated ability to operate and optimize injection molding machines, ideally ENGEL. - Experience leading teams in a manufacturing environment. - Strong English communication skills (B2–C1)—verbal and written. - Proven experience with scientific molding and 2K/3K processes. - Experience managing a molding department in a Tier-1 automotive environment. - Experience commissioning new equipment and leading global transfer projects. - Experience with Moldflow/Sigmasoft or other simulation tools. - Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher). - Experience interacting with OEMs and global customers. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Technical Expertise (Critical Requirements) - Expert-level knowledge of ENGEL injection molding machines, including operation, setup, troubleshooting, and optimization. - Direct experience with ENGEL CC300 / CC200 control systems (mandatory). - Ability to individually operate a molding machine, set parameters, adjust processes, and produce good parts without assistance. - Scientific Molding expert: capable of establishing and validating robust processing windows, DOE, cavity balance, rheology, and pressure curves. - Proven hands-on experience as a Process Engineer or Process Technician, with deep know-how in troubleshooting root causes. - Strong experience with overmolding / 2K / 3K processes, including adhesion, interface behavior, cycle control, and material compatibility. - Demonstrated capability in mold trials, tool validation, and analyzing mold design from a processing perspective. - Experience in equipment transfers, including machine relocations (local or cross-country), commissioning, and requalification. - Ability to lead start-ups and new production cells, ensuring process stability from day one. Process Leadership & Continuous Improvement - Lead, coach, and develop a multifunctional team of process engineers and technicians. - Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on scrap reduction, cycle time optimization, OEE, defect elimination, and standard work. - Collaborate with Design Engineering, Tooling, Maintenance, and Quality to ensure manufacturability and adherence to automotive standards (IATF 16949, APQP, PPAP). - Lead advanced troubleshooting of molding issues: - flash, short shot, burn marks, splay, warp, flow imbalance, trapped gas, stuck parts, dimensional variability, wear, and cooling imbalance. - Direct and validate process development for new molds, tools, and materials. - Develop and approve processing sheets, machine recipes, and molding specifications. Cross-Functional & Customer Support - Partner with Tooling to ensure proper mold design, gating, cooling, material selection, and maintenance strategies. - Work with automation integrators and robotics teams to optimize cell performance. - Provide technical reports and high-level communication in English to global teams (Germany, US, APAC). - Lead PFMEAs, capability studies, and documentation required for PPAP and customer approvals. Leadership & People Development - Lead the molding department with a collaborative, disciplined, and structured leadership style. - Foster a culture of problem solving, ownership, accountability, and technical excellence. - Train and mentor molding personnel (technicians and engineers) in scientific molding and troubleshooting. - Manage OPEX and CAPEX investments, including machine/equipment quoting and justification. General Technical Skills - Strong understanding of robotics, pneumatics, hydraulics, electronics, sensors, and auxiliary equipment (dryers, TCUs, chillers, loaders). - Knowledge in GD&T, CAD reading, and mold construction fundamentals. - Minitab and statistical analysis for process capability and optimization. - Knowledge of problem-solving tools: 5W, 8D, Ishikawa, DOE. - Basic knowledge of IATF 16949, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 requirements. Gentherm is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.