Senior Process Engineer

Coherent•Newark, NJ

15d

About The Position

The Senior Process Engineer is a hands-on technical authority with broad ownership of assigned product families and ceramic manufacturing processes. Working independently with limited supervision, this individual resolves complex manufacturing problems, improves process performance, and provides technical guidance to other engineers. The role requires significant time on the production floor to observe processes, run trials, validate improvements, and work directly with operators and supervisors. In collaboration with the Engineering Lead, the engineer sets technical direction within assigned areas and influences decisions across Operations, Quality, R&D, customers, and other sites. The role mentors junior engineers and may lead cross-site or multi-product technical work connected to assigned products or processes. It is an individual contributor position: team coordination and assignments remain the Engineering Lead’s responsibility, as do primary accountability for employee development and performance management. Final engineering standards and governance decisions remain with designated engineering leadership. Success is measured by sustained improvements in yield, process capability, throughput, scrap, and cost; fewer recurring defects and repeat MRB issues; effective process controls and documentation used consistently by production teams; sound technical decisions; and successful mentoring and delivery of applicable transfer or cross-site initiatives. The work takes place in office and manufacturing-floor environments with regular interaction with production processes and equipment. The position requires occasional lifting, pushing, or pulling of up to 20 pounds, and the ability to sit, stand, bend, squat, and walk around the facility. Employees must follow site and corporate EHS procedures, attend scheduled training, and use required PPE. Depending on location, the position may also be responsible for executing and maintaining applicable quality and environmental management standards.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Ceramic Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline.
At least 5 years of engineering, manufacturing, process development, or related experience.
Demonstrated seasoned technical capability in manufacturing or process development, including ownership of complex problems through implementation and sustained results.
Evidence of providing technical guidance to other engineers, mentoring, and effective cross-functional influence.
Strong understanding of process engineering principles and ability to apply them to complex manufacturing problems.
Ability to work independently with limited supervision, develop approaches from general objectives, manage concurrent technical priorities, and follow through on commitments.
Practical experience with data analysis, design of experiments (DOE), statistical process control (SPC), and structured root-cause analysis.
Ability to translate experimental results and production data into robust process controls, work instructions, PFMEAs, and control plans.
Clear technical writing and presentation skills; ability to explain and defend recommendations, lead technical discussions, and communicate with operators, engineers, senior stakeholders, and customers.
Ability to mentor engineers, review technical work, and build productive relationships across functions and sites.
Hands-on manufacturing problem-solving skills, willingness to respectfully challenge assumptions, and commitment to validating solutions on the production floor.
Ability to occasionally lift, push, or pull up to 20 lbs., and to sit, stand, bend, squat, and walk about the facility.
Ability to work safely around manufacturing equipment and follow applicable EHS procedures and PPE requirements.

Nice To Haves

Expertise in ceramic or advanced materials processing.
Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma experience.
Experience interpreting technical drawings and understanding geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T).

Responsibilities

Own manufacturing process performance for assigned product families; establish baselines and agree improvement priorities and targets with the Engineering Lead and Operations, then deliver sustained gains in yield, process capability, throughput, scrap, and cost.
Develop subject matter expertise in assigned ceramic processes and guide engineers on difficult technical questions; review analyses and proposed solutions within that expertise.
Collaboratively set technical direction for assigned products and processes, define approaches and project work plans, monitor progress, and guide technical execution across related engineering work.
Use independent judgment to select methods and develop solutions when causes are uncertain, data are incomplete, or multiple process interactions must be evaluated; document and explain technical decisions, evidence, assumptions, alternatives, and risks, and obtain approvals or escalate issues as needed.
Spend significant time on the manufacturing floor troubleshooting at the source, observing equipment and operator practices, conducting trials, and verifying improvements under routine production conditions.
Lead complex root-cause investigations and permanent corrective actions for recurring production problems and Material Review Board (MRB) issues; apply structured problem solving, data analysis, designed experiments, and statistical process control.
Develop, standardize, and maintain process controls, operating windows, work instructions, process failure mode and effects analyses (PFMEAs), and control plans; train users and verify adoption and effectiveness.
Contribute technical recommendations to engineering standards and governance through established approval processes.
Lead cross-site or multi-product technical initiatives involving assigned products or subject matter expertise processes; for relevant transfers, lead assigned technical work or provide SME consultation, define process requirements and validation criteria, transfer knowledge, and verify receiving-site readiness with responsible teams.
Represent Engineering with Operations, Quality, R&D, customers, and other sites on assigned technical matters; present findings and recommendations, lead technical discussions, resolve differing perspectives using evidence, and follow through on agreed actions.
Mentor junior engineers through floor-based coaching, experimental planning, technical reviews, and constructive feedback that builds independent judgment; support the Engineering Lead’s development plans.
Collaborate with R&D and cross-functional teams to introduce new products and technologies into manufacturing; evaluate manufacturability, process risks, and qualification evidence, and establish robust controls for assigned products and processes.
Follow company values and applicable site and corporate EHS procedures, attend required training, and use PPE as required.
Depending on location, execute and maintain applicable quality and environmental management system standards.