Toolmaker

Toolmaker (Foam Mould Tooling)

Location: Kempston, Bedford (MK42)
Salary: £35,000-£42,000 per annum (DOE)
Job Type: Permanent, Full-time
Hours: Monday-Thursday 07:00-16:00 | Friday 07:00-13:00 (40 hours/week)

The role:

We're recruiting an experienced Toolmaker to design, build, maintain and repair moulds and tooling used to produce moulded foam products (e.g., seating, packaging/inserts, insulation, automotive components and protective pieces).

This is a hands-on toolroom role with a genuine long-term opportunity: the successful candidate may progress to Machine Shop Manager in the next couple of years due to planned retirement/succession.

Key responsibilities:

Build, modify, maintain and repair moulds and tooling used for foam production
Work from engineering drawings/specs and produce tooling to required tolerances
Fault-find tooling-related production issues and implement effective fixes
Carry out tooling modifications to improve quality, repeatability and efficiency
Support production trials / new tooling introduction with Production & Engineering
Use machining processes as required (manual and/or CNC), including mills and lathes
Maintain safe working practices and good workshop standards

Essential experience:

Proven Toolmaker / Toolroom / Precision Engineering background
Ability to read and interpret technical drawings
Strong practical problem-solving and fault-finding skills

Desirable:

CNC machining experience
Milling and turning (lathe) experience
Leadership potential (future supervisory/management pathway)

HRGO Recruitment offers permanent and temporary jobs across the UK. You must have current UK right to work to be considered. We aim to respond to all applications. HRGO is an equal opportunities employer