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Tool designer resume examples from 2026

Zippi

Land interviews using Zippia's AI-powered resume builder.

Updated March 26, 2025
7 min read
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How to write a tool designer resume

Craft a resume summary statement

A resume summary is your opening statement that highlights your strongest skills and top accomplishments. It is your chance to quickly let recruiters know who you are professionally - and why they should hire you for the tool designer role.

Step 1: Mention your current job title or the role you're pursuing.

Step 2: Include your years of experience in tool designer-related roles. Consider adding relevant company and industry experience as relevant to the job listing.

Step 3: Highlight your greatest accomplishments. Here is your chance to make sure your biggest wins aren't buried in your resume.

Step 4: Again, keep it short. Your goal is to summarize your experience and highlight your accomplishments, not write a paragraph.

These four steps should give you a strong elevator pitch and land you some tool designer interviews.

Please upload your resume so Zippia’s job hunt AI can draft a summary statement for you.

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List the right project manager skills

Your Skills section is an easy way to let recruiters know you have the skills to do the job. Just as importantly, it can help your resume not get filtered out by hiring software. Here is how to make the most of your skills section and make sure you have the right keywords:

  1. Look at the job listing and skills listed. You need to include the exact keywords from the job description to get your resume in front of an actual human. Do you have those skills? Fantastic! Be sure to list them.
  2. Include as many relevant hard or technical tool designer skills as possible for each job you apply to.
  3. Be specific with the skills you have and be sure you are using the most up to date and accurate terms.
These five steps should give you a strong elevator pitch and land you some tool designer interviews.

Here are example skills to include in your “Area of Expertise” on a tool designer resume:

  • Jigs
  • Assembly Fixtures
  • Aerospace
  • CNC
  • NX
  • GD
  • Creo
  • CAD/CAM
  • Mechanical Design
  • Catia V5
  • Cad Cam
  • Design Reviews
  • Auto CAD
  • Engineering Drawings
  • Aided Design
  • Technical Support
  • Design Concepts
  • Machine Shop
  • Engineering Changes
  • Shop Floor
  • Unigraphics
  • Laser
  • Pro-E
  • Design Tools
  • Plant Layout
  • EDM
  • Machine Tools
  • Design Fixtures
  • R
  • Injection Molds

Zippia’s AI can customize your resume for you.

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How to structure your work experience

Next you should include your work experience. Structure your work experience section by listing your most recent experience first, followed by earlier roles in reverse chronological order.

Start with your job title, company name, city, and state on the left. Align dates in month and year format on the right-hand side.

Include only recent, relevant jobs. Avoid including work experience over 20 years to avoid ageism.

Beneath each job, you should have bullet points to emphasize why you're the perfect fit for the tool designer.

How to write tool designer experience bullet points

Remember, your resume is not a list of responsibilities or a job description. This is your chance to show why you're good at your job and what you accomplished.

Use the XYZ formula for your work experience bullet points. Here's how it works:

  • Use strong action verbs like Led, Built, or Optimized.
  • Follow up with numbers when possible to support your results. How much did performance improve? How much revenue did you drive?
  • Wrap it up by explaining the actions you took to achieve the result and how you made an impact.

This creates bullet points that read Achieved X, measured by Y, by doing Z.

Here are great bullet points from tool designer resumes:

Work history example #1

Tool Designer

Metra Electronics

  • Created and revised drawings using AutoCAD R-12, and performed motion and time studies also Programmed CNC mill, PLC controllers.
  • Analyzed technology, resource needs, and market demand, to plan and assess the feasibility of projects.
  • Reduced injuries by designing material handling systems that help move parts safely and ergonomically through production areas.
  • Used AutoCAD to create for precast concrete structural components and plate details for parking decks
  • Completed GE Machinist Apprentiship at Re-Entry Division and advanced to top rate machinist in shop at GE Aerospace Division.

Work history example #2

Lathe Operator

Caterpillar

  • Ended up a CNC Mill Machine operator milling crankshafts for the engines for the last year of employment.
  • Programmed a high-speed robotic lathe to custom produce water pump parts for Caterpillar engines.
  • Inspected and measured finished workpieces to determine conformance to specifications, using measuring instruments such as gauges or micrometers.
  • Collaborated with Operations Supervisor, Manufacturing Engineer and Design Engineer to improve processes and products.
  • Performed troubleshooting techniques to verify accuracy of machine.

Work history example #3

Mold Designer

Conair

  • Designed industrial machinery using SolidWorks and AutoCAD.
  • Designed a new splice box assembly in Solidworks 3D for K-4 Atlas slitter to decrease the time spent on slices.
  • Used Unigraphics 3D to design infeed systems for the 35mm China Spooler Relocation Project.
  • Assisted in the layout, design & detailing of machinery for the Rubber Industry.
  • Generated ECR/ECOs as necessary and generated release workflows within Teamcenter.

Work history example #4

Tool Designer

Progressive

  • Designed a new splice box assembly in Solidworks 3D for K-4 Atlas slitter to decrease the time spent on slices.
  • Created detailed layouts integrating two extrusion machines, equipment platforms, a winding station and related machinery.
  • Used CATIA V5-R17 with SMART TEAM and ENOVIA.
  • Utilized CAD (Unigraphics) and manual drafting techniques to perform design and reviewing of work as required.
  • Created and revised tool design drawing, concepts, and sketches; including 2D and 3D Catia models.

Zippia’s AI can customize your resume for you.

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Add an education section to your resume

The education section should display your highest degree first.

Place your education section appropriately on your resume. If you graduated over 5 years ago, this section should be at the bottom of your resume. If you just graduated and lack relevant work experience, the education section should go to the top.

If you have a bachelor's or master's degree, do not list your high school education. If your graduation year is more than 15-20 years ago, it's better not to include dates in this section.

Here are some examples of good education entries from tool designer resumes:

Bachelor's Degree in drafting and design

Wentworth Institute of Technology, Boston, MA

1998 - 2001

Associate's Degree in drafting and design

Henry Ford College, Dearborn, MI

2007 - 2009

Highlight your tool designer certifications on your resume

If you have any additional certifications, add them to the certification section.

To list, use the full name of the certification and the organization that issued it, along with the date of achievement.

If you have any of these certifications, be sure to include them on your tool designer resume:

  1. Engineer In Training Certification (EIT)
  2. Master Engine Machinist
  3. Certified Machine Tool Sales Engineer (CMTSE)

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