Rollform Tool Designer Trainee

Rollform Tool Designer TraineeDepartment: Engineering / ToolingReports to: Senior Tool Designer / Engineering ManagerStatus: Full-time, on-site Jamestown, NYSchedule: Day shift, with occasional flexibility around production needs ## Position SummaryCompany is seeking a motivated Roll Form Tool Designer Trainee to join our engineering team. We design and manufacture custom roll-formed profiles and the roll tooling that produces them is engineered in-house. This is an entry-level role built to develop a skilled tool designer over time through structured mentorship, hands-on shop floor exposure, and progressive responsibility.Prior roll-forming experience is preferred but not required. The successful candidate should have strong mechanical aptitude and a genuine interest in learning a specialized manufacturing trade. The trainee will learn how flat steel strip is progressively formed into finished profiles and will grow into designing, documenting, and maintaining the roll tooling that makes it happen.## Key ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities will expand as skills develop, with supervision tapering over time: Learn flower pattern development the staged progression that bends flat strip into its final cross-section through successive forming passes. Assist with strip width and blank development calculations. Create and revise roll tooling drawings and roll set layouts under the direction of senior designers. Help digitize, structure, and maintain legacy tooling drawings and the tooling drawing library converting older paper and software-generated records into organized, analyzable digital formats. Develop and maintain bills of material (BOMs), tool lists, and tooling revision records. Spend scheduled time on the production floor to understand how tooling performs in real forming operations and how setup affects part quality. Support root-cause investigation when formed parts fall outside specification, learning to connect tooling geometry and pass design to part defects. Follow engineering standards, drawing conventions, and revision-control practices. ## Required Qualifications Minimum of an Associates degree or technical certificate in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Manufacturing, Drafting/Design, or a related field OR equivalent of 4 years of hands-on machining, fabrication, or tooling experience. Solid working math skills, including geometry and trigonometry. Aptitude to learn CAD/Design software quickly Ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings and blueprints. Strong mechanical aptitude and attention to detail. Clear written and verbal communication; able to document work accurately. Reliable, organized, and committed to learning a specialized skill set over the long term. ## Preferred Qualifications Bachelors degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Manufacturing, Drafting/Design, or a related field Exposure to sheet metal forming, roll forming, stamping, machining, or fabrication. Basic proficiency with at least one CAD package (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, Inventor, or similar). Familiarity with GD&T (geometric dimensioning and tolerancing). Experience with 3D modeling and detailing of mechanical components. Comfort using spreadsheets (Excel) for engineering calculations and data organization. Interest in continuous-process manufacturing and a career path in tooling design. ## Physical & Work Environment Combination of office/CAD work and time on an active manufacturing floor. Occasional lifting of tooling samples and exposure to typical shop conditions (noise, machinery, metalworking fluids); appropriate PPE provided. On-site role based in Jamestown, NY. ## What We Offer Structured on-the-job training and mentorship in a specialized, in-demand trade. A defined growth path from Trainee to Roll Form Tool Designer. Benefits include: medical / dental / vision, retirement plan, pa