Digital Manufacturing Designer I

Be yourself at Protolabs

Studies have shown that women and people of colour are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification.  We are an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a diverse team that feels they are valued in the workplace.  So do you feel you do not meet every single requirement but still intrigued? We encourage you to still apply!  You can help make our company even better.  We do not discriminate based on race, colour, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, age, mental or physical ability, or any way you represent yourself.  We strongly believe diversity makes for more successful teams. 

Why Protolabs? 

We are the leaders in digital manufacturing.  We hire doers, makers, and creative thinkers who tackle our roles with an entrepreneurial spirit.  Our culture is centered around meaningful work that brings new and innovative products to market at unprecedented speeds.  We are a diverse team that comes from all walks of life and take pride in our team who is smart, genuine, humble, and passionate about what we do.  It’s our people who fuel our creativity and make our culture feel like home. 

The Digital Manufacturing Designer I (DMD) generates Injection Moulding quotes and develops tool designs for prototyping and production.

Using proprietary software, the DMD analyses 3D part geometry to provide accurate cost estimates and enhance manufacturability through tailored technical solutions. 

Acting as a key collaborator between the Go-to-Market and Operations teams, the DMD supports customers across the full product lifecycle from initial concept to final production. 

What You'll Do:

Leverage manufacturing capabilities to provide customers with the best Injection Moulding solutions.

Produce detailed quotes for tooling, mould modifications and secondary operations, coordinating with external suppliers as needed.

Provide expert CAD recommendations to improve part manufacturability and explain the technical advantages to customers.

Proactively collaborate with internal resources as necessary to answer questions customers may have regarding our process, specific material, or injection moulding in general.

Develop gate and ejector layouts and perform Mouldflow to ensure production feasibility.

Create Injection Mould designs from customer-supplied 3D models: including pre-design checks, Core/Cavity construction, Toolpaths, Mould Layout and QC checks.

Create CNC machine tool instructions from the developed designs.

Develop CMM/CTQ programs and ISOWs based on customer-specified measurements.

Consistently evaluates for best practice and improvement opportunities for self, team, and the company.

Comply with all company quality and safety standards.

Adhere to all company policies and operational procedures.

Perform additional tasks as assigned. 

What It Takes:

Ability to learn advanced proprietary graphical computer-aided analysis software

Effective communication skills, both verbal and written  

Ability to understand and follow instructions from printed materials, computer screens, and guidance from supervisors or technical leads

Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.

Ability to multitask and priorities own workload

Ability to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented work environment

Embody an ethos of flexibility and change

Attention to detail and accuracy

Proficient in mathematics. 

 Qualifications and experience:

Associate degree in CAD, Drafting or Design, or similar preferred.

Bachelor's degree in Product Design, Manufacturing, Engineering, or similar preferred

Mathematical aptitude.  

Familiarity with 3D CAD software.

Proficient in MS Word, Excel, and Outlook. 

What's In It For You:

Growth-oriented company with a focus on your development journey through regular feedback and discussions

Open and welcoming corporate culture globally

Extensive e-learning platform with 300+ training courses and on-site sessions, including internal leadership training

Onsite car parking, bicycle storage, and convenient public transport links

Newly built canteen with free hot drinks

Employee Discount scheme with savings across thousands of UK retailers

Employee wellbeing culture with mental health support, wellbeing portal, and psychologist assistance

Monetary-based Reward Schemes for recognition, referrals, anniversaries, and life events

37.5 hours per week, permanent contract

25 days holiday entitlement plus Bank Holidays, increasing with length of service.

Life insurance policy for eligible employees – 4 x base salary

What to expect in the hiring process

Alignment call

Kick-off with an initial screening with one Talent Acquisition Partners, not really an interview, but the chance to learn more about how we do things, our process and a chance for you to ask all the things you want to know

Interview

A deeper dive into the role, what we're looking for the hiring manager and you to get to know one another

Further interviews

We always try to streamline our recruitment process as much as possible but may sometimes need to carry out further interviews. This may be to meet other members of the team or more senior employees. It may also be an opportunity to see the site or working area