Staff Mechanical Engineer - Furnaces & Thermal Equipment

Role Purpose

Corning Incorporated is hiring a Staff Mechanical Engineer - Furnaces & Thermal Equipment in Corning, NY. This is a full-time onsite role that typically works Monday-Friday, 40 hours per week, with flexibility as needed to support project objectives. Travel averages approximately 50%, although actual travel may increase or decrease depending on project phase and business needs. Travel is primarily domestic to support multiple locations, and international travel may be required. Relocation assistance is available.

Join Corning’s Manufacturing, Technology and Engineering (MT&E) Corporate Engineering organization and support the design, engineering, specification, installation and commissioning of the thermal equipment used in Corning’s manufacturing operations. In this role, you will help translate process requirements into equipment solutions for furnaces, ovens, kilns, lehrs, dryers, and related high-temperature systems used in glass and ceramic manufacturing. This work spans equipment specification, vendor engagement, technical review, procurement support, testing, installation, and startup, with direct impact on manufacturing capability, product quality, safety, and operational efficiency across Corning.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead thermal equipment engineering projects from concept and process definition through equipment specification, vendor selection, procurement support, factory acceptance testing, installation, startup, and commissioning.
• Develop functional and technical specifications for new thermal equipment and for modifications to existing systems based on process requirements such as temperature, throughput, equipment size, heating method, and thermal performance.
• Support the design, selection, and application of industrial thermal equipment including furnaces, ovens, kilns, lehrs, dryers, and related heat-treating systems.
• Work with equipment vendors and OEMs to communicate technical requirements, review proposals, perform technical and commercial comparisons, and support final equipment selection.
• Apply mechanical engineering principles in mechanical design, heat transfer, combustion, and fluid mechanics to evaluate equipment designs and resolve technical issues.
• Review and interpret engineering deliverables such as P&IDs, heat and mass balances, mechanical drawings, equipment specifications, layouts, and 3D models.
• Provide engineering oversight during detailed design, fabrication, factory acceptance testing, on-site installation, startup, and commissioning activities.
• Troubleshoot thermal equipment issues and recommend design or operating improvements that support process capability, equipment reliability, fuel efficiency, product quality, and safety.
• Develop and maintain engineering documentation related to equipment design, procurement, project execution, and commissioning.
• Coordinate with project leadership, manufacturing teams, process engineers, and other stakeholders across Corning locations to meet project objectives.

Minimum Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• Minimum 5 years of professional, non-academic engineering experience delivering equipment engineering projects in manufacturing environments, including experience with industrial thermal process equipment.
• Experience with one or more of the following equipment types: furnaces, ovens, kilns, lehrs, dryers, or heat-treating systems.
• Knowledge of mechanical design, heat transfer, combustion systems, and fluid mechanics as applied to high-temperature process equipment.
• Experience working with equipment vendors or OEMs to develop specifications, evaluate proposals, and support equipment selection or procurement.
• Experience reviewing and interpreting engineering documentation such as mechanical drawings, equipment specifications, layouts, P&IDs, heat and mass balances, and 3D models.
• Must be available for significant travel, primarily domestic, to multiple locations to support business needs. International travel could be required as well.

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• Experience in glass, ceramics, advanced materials, metals processing, or other high-temperature manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting equipment through factory acceptance testing, installation, startup, or commissioning.
• Experience troubleshooting furnaces and other high-temperature manufacturing equipment.
• Knowledge of batch raw material handling.
• Master’s degree in Engineering.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license.