Senior Process Engineer

Job Summary:

The Senior Process Engineer is a seasoned, hands-on technical authority with broad ownership of assigned product families and key ceramic manufacturing processes. Working independently with limited supervision, this engineer resolves complex manufacturing problems, improves process performance, and provides technical guidance to other engineers. Significant time on the production floor is essential to observing processes, running trials, validating improvements, and working directly with operators and supervisors.

In collaboration with the Engineering Lead, this 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 leads cross-site or multi-product work when connected to assigned products or processes within the engineer's subject matter expertise. This is an individual contributor role; team work coordination and assignments, including during Engineering Lead’s absence, remain the lead’s responsibility. Final engineering standards and governance decisions remain with designated engineering leadership.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Own manufacturing process performance for assigned product families. Establish baselines, agree improvement priorities and targets with Lead and Operations, and deliver sustained gains in yield, process capability, throughput, scrap, and cost.

• Serve as the technical authority and develop recognized subject matter expertise in assigned ceramic processes, such as slip mixing, preform casting, green machining, infiltration layup, or thermal processing. Guide engineers through difficult technical questions and review analyses and proposed solutions within this expertise.

• Set technical direction for assigned products and processes collaboratively with Lead. Define approaches and project work plans, monitor progress, and guide technical execution across related engineering work.

• Exercise independent judgment in selecting methods and developing solutions where causes are uncertain, data are incomplete, or multiple process interactions must be evaluated. Make and document strong, defensible technical decisions; explain evidence, assumptions, alternatives, and risks, and seek required approvals or escalate issues beyond assigned authority.

• Spend significant time on the manufacturing floor troubleshooting at the source, observing equipment and operator practices, conducting trials, and verifying that improvements work under routine production conditions.

• Lead complex root-cause investigations and permanent corrective actions for recurring production problems and Material Review Board (MRB) issues. Use structured problem solving, data analysis, designed experiments, and statistical process control to reduce repeat defects and engineering firefighting.

• 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 when they involve assigned products or SME 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 the responsible teams.

• Represent Engineering with Operations, Quality, R&D, customers, and other sites on assigned technical matters. Present findings and recommendations clearly, lead technical discussions, resolve differing perspectives using evidence, and follow through on agreed technical actions.

• Mentor junior engineers through floor-based coaching, experimental planning, technical reviews, and constructive feedback that builds independent judgment. Support Lead's development plans; Lead retains primary accountability for employee development and performance management.

• 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.

What success looks like:

• Demonstrate measurable, sustained improvements against agreed yield, process capability, throughput, scrap, and cost targets for assigned product families.
• Reduce recurring production defects, repeat MRB issues, and unplanned engineering intervention through verified permanent corrective actions.
• Establish effective, current process controls, work instructions, PFMEAs, and control plans that production teams use consistently.
• Become a recognized SME whom engineers, Operations, Quality, customers, and other sites consult for complex issues within assigned areas; demonstrate independent, evidence-based decisions and influence beyond individual project execution.
• Strengthen junior engineers' technical reasoning and execution through mentoring and technical review, in support of Lead's development objectives.
• Meet agreed technical milestones and validation criteria for transfers or cross-site initiatives involving assigned products or SME processes, when applicable.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Ceramic Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related discipline
• 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 technical guidance to other engineers, mentoring, and effective cross-functional influence is required

Skills

• Strong understanding of process engineering principles and the ability to apply them creatively to complex manufacturing problems; relevant ceramic or advanced materials processing expertise is preferred.
• Demonstrated 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. Lean Manufacturing or Six Sigma experience is preferred.
• Ability to translate experimental results and production data into robust process controls, work instructions, PFMEAs, and control plans.
• Clear technical writing and presentation skills; able to explain and defend recommendations, lead technical discussions, and communicate effectively with operators, engineers, senior stakeholders, and customers.
• Ability to mentor engineers, review technical work, and build productive relationships across functions and sites through expertise, collaboration, and sound judgment.
• Hands-on manufacturing problem-solving skills, willingness to challenge assumptions respectfully, and commitment to validating solutions on the production floor.
• Experience interpreting technical drawings and understanding geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) is preferred.

Working Conditions

• Office and manufacturing floor environment with regular interaction with production processes and equipment.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to occasionally lift/push/pull up to 20 lbs.

• Able to sit, stand, bend, squat and walk about the facility. 

• Ability to work safely around manufacturing equipment

Safety Requirements

All employees are required to attend scheduled training, follow the site EHS procedures and Corporate EHS standards.  This includes the use of proper protective equipment (PPE) as required by the job responsibilities.

Managers will ensure that all safety and environmental procedures are followed consistently.  They will ensure that risk assessments are performed, proper training, work instructions, required PPE is available, and will monitor compliance.

Quality and Environmental Responsibilities

Depending on location, this position may be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the ISO 9000, 9001, 14001 and/or other applicable standards that may apply to the relevant roles and responsibilities within the Quality Management System and Environmental Management System.

Culture Commitment

Ensure adherence to company’s values (ICARE) in all aspects of your position at Coherent Corp.:

Integrity – Create an Environment of Trust

Collaboration – Innovate Through the Sharing of Ideas

Accountability – Own the Process and the Outcome

Respect – Recognize the Value in Everyone

Enthusiasm – Find a Sense of Purpose in Work

Coherent Corp. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.