Product Engineer

Tru Vue • Faribault, MN

32d

About The Position

Apogee Enterprises , Inc . (NASDAQ: APOG), was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN. Apogee is a growing, profitable company with annual revenues approaching $1.5 billion. We provide distinctive metal and glass solutions for enclosing commercial buildings, and glass and acrylic solutions for picture framing and display applications. To learn more visit: www.apog.com . The Apogee Performance Surfaces segment has grown from $100M to $200M in revenue through a recent acquisition. Our brands in the Performance Surfaces portfolio develop and manufacture high-performance coated materials for a variety of applications, including wall décor, museums, graphic design, architectural interiors, digital display, and industrial flooring markets. We are the global leader in anti-reflective, conservation grade electrostatic dissipative, high-definition, and abrasion resistance coatings, that provide protection, innovative designs, and exceptional durability. Position Summary We are seeking a proactive and detail-driven Product Engineer to support the development and continuous improvement of our manufacturing products. This person will join an R D team specializing in value-added coatings for glass, acrylic and other polymer products. This role plays a critical part in bridging the gap between design and production—ensuring products are engineered for functionality, manufacturability, cost-effectiveness, and quality. You will work cross-functionally with design, operations, quality, and supply chain teams to bring products from ideation to manufacturing certification.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Materials Science, Physics, Engineering or a related field.
• Proficiency in data analysis, DOE (Design of Experiments), and process optimization.
• Experience with optical, mechanical, or chemical characterization techniques (e.g., UV-Vis, ellipsometry, SEM, profilometry).
• Strong technical writing and documentation skills.

Nice To Haves

• Preferred experience in coatings research and development for glass, acrylic and other polymer products.
• Preferred experience in one or several coatings technologies: Vacuum deposition, sputtering, or thin film process development.
• Wet-film coatings technology (UV-Blocking, Protective, weatherable, hydrophobic, etc).
• Coating processes for polymer substrates (e.g., adhesion layers, temperature control)
• Preferred experience with PLC or HMI-based process control systems.
• Preferred experience in new product introduction and project management
• Preferred experience with application of pressure-sensitive adhesives

Responsibilities

• Support projects through new product introduction (NPI) processes including prototyping, testing, and production validation.
• Analyze product performance and production issues including performing defect analysis (e.g. streaking, orange peel, adhesion issues, poor curing).
• Evaluate and improve existing manufacturing processes for efficiency, quality, and cost reduction.
• Evaluate and qualify alternative materials for cost, performance, or sustainability goals.
• Work with suppliers and customers to ensure component compatibility and quality standards.
• Support root cause analysis and corrective action for product quality issues (CAPA, FMEA, etc.).
• Ensure products comply with industry standards and safety regulations.
• Provide technical support to manufacturing, quality, and maintenance teams (substrate preparation coating application, curing, and environmental controls).
• Assist in design, development, and optimization of vacuum deposition and sputtering processes for coatings on various substrates (glass, acrylic, polycarbonate).
• Conduct thin film characterization (optical, mechanical, structural) and interpret data to drive continuous improvement.
• Maintain and improve vacuum deposition equipment; assist with preventive maintenance and calibration of tools as needed.
• Prepare detailed technical documentation, experimental reports, and contribute to intellectual property filings.
• Support scale-up and pilot line testing of new coating technologies.

Benefits

• Competitive Benefits Package for employees and their dependents (Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Disability)
• Incentive Plans
• 401(k) with employer contribution and match
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with employer match
• Paid Time Off (Vacation and Sick Time)
• Paid Holidays
• Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Wellness Program
• Training and Career Progression

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees