Development Engineer

Corning•Wilmington, NC

About The Position

Corning’s Optical Communications segment is seeking a Development Engineer to develop and optimize CO₂ laser welding processes for glass components. The role balances weld strength, optical quality, dimensional control, throughput, and yield to support new manufacturing processes. The engineer drives fundamental, root-cause understanding of manufacturing limitations and uses the scientific method and engineering principles to develop and execute experiments, translate findings into engineering requirements, and design processes or equipment that meet performance criteria. The position is typically part of a technology development team focused on improving manufacturing yields, process rate, machine utilization, product quality, new product quality, environmental compliance, raw material yield, and/or energy usage. The engineer manages structured product and process development, leads cross-functional teams, validates products or processes in a manufacturing plant, analyzes results, and communicates and documents conclusions. The position is located in Wilmington, North Carolina, with less than 5% domestic and possible international travel. The schedule is 40 or more hours per week; the position is overtime exempt, and overtime is expected at times, with its amount and duration varying by role, project, and project stage. The position does not support immigration sponsorship.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Optical, Chemical, Materials, Ceramics, Mechanical, or similar engineering.
Three to five years of engineering experience.
Process engineering background emphasizing thermal processing of materials, including understanding of product and equipment performance.
Working knowledge of physical phenomena, such as static and dynamic physics and heat and mass transfer, and a strong background applying this knowledge to improve manufacturing processes and product attributes.
Ability to use the scientific method and fundamental engineering principles to solve problems thoroughly and effectively through well-designed and executed process experiments.
Ability and drive to investigate root causes of challenging problems.
Bias for action in uncertain situations and proactive attention to issues and problems.
Ability to work both within a multidisciplinary team and independently with minimal oversight, and to carry assignments through to completion.
Ability and drive to manage structured product or process development while also functionally managing a team.
The position does not support immigration sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Fundamental understanding of and experience with CO₂ laser systems and/or laser processing of glass, ceramics, or other brittle materials.
Experience with optical alignment, beam delivery, and laser-process troubleshooting.
Fundamental understanding of energy and mass transport and modeling, such as finite element analysis (FEA).
Fundamental understanding of chemical transport and reaction processes and their effects on product and equipment performance.
Ability to translate engineering solutions into requirements and then into process or equipment designs that meet all required performance criteria.
Ability to use measured and/or modeled data effectively to drive decisions and actions.
Ability to determine and recommend the best solution from alternatives within given guidelines.
Ability to communicate effectively in varied settings and present necessary information to project, department, and site leaders.
Experience with data-processing software such as JMP, Python, or Power BI, and Microsoft Office applications including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Modeling and simulation software experience, such as Aspen, MATLAB, or Fluent.

Responsibilities

Develop and optimize CO₂ laser welding processes for glass components, balancing weld strength, optical quality, dimensional control, throughput, and yield.
Drive root-cause understanding of manufacturing process limitations using scientific methods and engineering principles.
Design and execute well-planned process experiments, interpret results, and translate findings into engineering requirements and process or equipment designs.
Manage structured product and process development using Corning’s Innovation Process and relevant risk-management tools to support on-time delivery.
Identify manufacturing concepts for new and advantaged products and processes; design and conduct product or process validation tests in a manufacturing plant.
Analyze data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations.
Lead cross-functional teams using project management methods for performance, scheduling, and cost control; establish team direction, roles, responsibilities, and priorities.
Collaborate with product or process design experts in other organizations.
Communicate and document results.
Provide cost-of-manufacturability analyses.