Optical Polishing Engineer

SCHOTT AG • Duryea, PA

12d

About The Position

We’re seeking an Optical Polishing Engineer to join our manufacturing engineering team. This role is ideal for an experienced professional passionate about precision optics and process excellence, someone who thrives in a hands-on, collaborative environment and is driven to optimize yield, throughput, and product quality.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field; Master’s preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience in optical fabrication and polishing, including single- and double-side processes.
• Strong understanding of glass and ceramic materials, abrasives, slurry chemistry, and polishing compounds.
• Proficiency in interferometry and optical metrology, with the ability to interpret test data to guide corrective actions.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively within cross-functional technical teams.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills; capable of clearly communicating technical concepts to diverse audiences.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with CMMs, spherical generation, or optical assembly techniques a plus.
• Experience working with SAP systems, and competency with Microsoft Office and data analysis tools.
• Six Sigma Green Belt or equivalent continuous improvement training preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop, refine, and maintain grinding and polishing processes for glass and ceramic optics, ensuring precision, repeatability, and efficiency across multiple product lines.
• Analyze and improve existing workflows and equipment utilization to remove production bottlenecks and enhance overall throughput.
• Author and maintain process documentation, including work instructions, operation sheets, and inspection procedures, in accordance with ISO 9001 and internal quality standards.
• Train and mentor technicians and junior engineers on polishing best practices, metrology interpretation, and process discipline.
• Utilize metrology tools including interferometers, autocollimators, profilometers, and CMMs to evaluate surface form, finish, and alignment.
• Partner with quality and production teams to define critical-to-quality characteristics and establish data-driven control systems for monitoring process health.
• Lead or participate in root cause investigations, implement corrective actions, and deliver technical reports and presentations to management.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, leveraging statistical process control and lean manufacturing principles.

Benefits

• At SCHOTT, you can expect a unique corporate culture where we emphasize equity, diversity, and inclusion. We know: motivated and committed employees are the precondition for the success of our company.
• Discover a special corporate culture where everyone has the opportunity to develop their entire potential.
• We offer a wide range of benefits to meet your needs to include medical, dental, vision, 401K, vacation, holidays, tuition reimbursement, short-term/long-term disability, etc.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees