Customer Quality Engineer

Requisition Number: 79581

The company built on breakthroughs. ​  
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Corning is one of the world’s leading innovators in glass, ceramic, and materials science. From the depths of the ocean to the farthest reaches of space, our technologies push the boundaries of what’s possible.  ​  

How do we do this? With our people. They break through limitations and expectations – not once in a career, but every day. They help move our company, and the world, forward. ​  

​At Corning, there are endless possibilities for making an impact. You can help connect the unconnected, drive the future of automobiles, transform at-home entertainment, and ensure the delivery of lifesaving medicines. And so much more.​   

​Come break through with us.  

The Specialty Materials segment manufactures products that provide more than 150 material formulations for glass, glass ceramics and fluoride crystals to meet demand for unique customer needs. Consequently, this segment operates in a wide variety of commercial and industrial markets that include display optics and components, semiconductor optics components, aerospace and defense, astronomy, ophthalmic products, telecommunications components and cover glass that is optimized for portable display devices.

Role Purpose

The role investigates and resolves complex, customer-impacting quality challenges that exceed site resources or expertise. It combines customer quality, manufacturing quality, ISO 9001 knowledge, and Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP) expertise. The engineer leads cross-functional problem solving, implements sustainable solutions, and establishes site ownership. The engineer also looks across similar products, processes, equipment, and sites to find related risks, deploy proven solutions, and prevent recurrence elsewhere in the division.

This is a travel-intensive role. The engineer is regularly on-site at plants, building relationships and working shoulder to shoulder with site teams. The role exists to support plants, not critique them. Site teams are focused on standard work and shipping product, so this engineer leads the special efforts that would otherwise fall through the cracks. The mindset is partnership: helping plants find and own their solutions rather than prescribing what they did wrong.

The ideal person is persistent and solutions-first, with the interpersonal skill to build trust quickly with busy, protective teams. They read a room, adapt their approach, and influence through credibility, follow-through, and partnership rather than authority. Negativity and blame have no place in their approach.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as an APQP subject matter expert. Strengthen practical use of process flows, PFMEAs, Control Plans, PPAP, qualification plans, reaction plans, MSA, and process capability methods.
• Lead investigation and resolution of complex customer complaints, escalations, containment events, and recurring quality issues that exceed site capability or resources.
• Facilitate cross-functional problem-solving teams across Quality, Manufacturing, Engineering, Operations, Product Development, and other required functions.
• Identify process-control, manufacturing-system, and quality-system gaps that contribute to an issue, and implement practical, scalable solutions.
• Apply 8D, DMAIC, root-cause analysis, data analysis, and other structured methods to identify causes, implement corrective actions, and verify they work.
• Guide and coach site teams toward solutions they own and believe in. Use questioning, facilitation, and collaboration to build local capability and accountability instead of issuing top-down directives.
• Step in and directly do investigation work, data analysis, or documentation when site teams are stretched thin, leading by doing and not just directing.
• Look across the division for similar products, processes, equipment, materials, and manufacturing conditions that may carry the same risk.
• Deploy proven corrective actions, controls, and lessons learned across multiple sites when common risks or failure modes are identified.
• Document decisions, risks, evidence, ownership, and follow-up actions for site, division, and customer stakeholders.
• Build trust and long-term relationships at each site through follow-through, respect for site constraints, and a genuine commitment to helping teams succeed.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Materials Science, Operations, or a related technical discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in customer quality, manufacturing quality, process engineering, operational excellence, or a related technical role.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex investigations and cross-functional problem-solving teams in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans, MSA, process capability, risk assessment, and process qualification.
• Experience applying structured problem-solving methods such as 8D, DMAIC, A3, Lean, Six Sigma, and root-cause analysis.
• Proven ability to influence, motivate, and align teams across sites without direct authority, earning trust through credibility, follow-through, and collaboration.
• Strong facilitation, analytical, and communication skills, and comfort working with and through busy operations and plant teams.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and credibility quickly across diverse teams, and to stay persistent, resourceful, and positive under pressure.
• High emotional intelligence and the interpersonal agility to work with site teams focused on daily operations and shipping product.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently to manufacturing sites and customer locations (25 to 50%). Frequent site visits are a defining feature of the role.
• US Citizenship required; In order to comply with Corning's government contract requirements at this location, if you receive an offer of employment for this position, you will need to provide documentation of your U.S. citizen status.

Desired Qualifications

• ASQ Certified Quality Engineer, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• ISO 9001 internal auditor.
• Experience supporting customer audits, technical reviews, escalations, and corrective action communications.
• Experience in precision, optical, glass, ceramic, specialty materials, or other complex manufacturing environments.
• Experience deploying common solutions and standards across multiple manufacturing sites.

This position does not support immigration sponsorship.  

The range for this position is $91,649.00 - $126,018.00 assuming full time status. Starting pay for the successful applicant is dependent on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, market demands, experience, training, and education. 

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A job that shapes a life.  

Corning offers you the total package.  

We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected status.

Corning is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and considers requests for reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable laws. Individuals with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs may request reasonable accommodations to participate in the application or interview process, perform essential job functions, or access other benefits and privileges of employment. To submit a request for reasonable accommodation related to disability or religion, please contact us at [email protected].