Supervisor, Automation Process

About the role

The Optical Communications segment of Corning is evolving from a manufacturer of optical fiber and cable, hardware and equipment to a comprehensive provider of optical solutions. This role is within the Senior Automation Process Engineer position, which involves owning and integrating process requirements across a multi-station automation system.

Primary Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Own and integrate process requirements across a multi-station automation system — including method, material transformation, sequencing, timing, tolerances, operating windows, and station interfaces — ensuring completeness and alignment with overall system goals.
• Lead process concept evaluation and down-selection; identify critical knowledge gaps and drive closure through engineering analysis, modeling, simulation, and targeted experimentation.
• Mature and validate process understanding — including throughput, yield, and operating windows — to the level required to support production system design and supplier implementation.
• Convert validated development learning into process requirements and specifications that drive production equipment design; review supplier concepts and participate in cross-functional design-path approval.
• Directly supervise two Automation Process Development Engineers; provide technical direction to broader project engineering teams and serve as the senior process voice in technical reviews and decision forums.

Required Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical, Manufacturing, Materials, Industrial, or Automation Engineering, Applied Mechanics, Physics, or a related technical discipline with 5–7 years of relevant engineering experience; or MS with 3–5 years of relevant experience.
• 2+ years experience demonstrating experience defining, maturing, and validating process requirements for automated or precision-engineered systems.
• Ability to reason from first principles, analogy, engineering analysis, and limited data to drive technically credible decisions before full empirical operating data is available.
• 2+ years experience using modeling, simulation, engineering analysis, or structured experimentation to mature process understanding.
• Comfortable directing and personally performing hands-on adjustments to prototype and development equipment using controls, software interfaces, hand tools, and alignment fixtures.
• 2+ years experience providing technical direction to engineers and reviewing their technical outputs for quality and completeness.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and supervise technical contributors, including assigning work, coaching, and supporting employee development.
• Experience working across process, systems, discipline engineering, and supplier boundaries.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).

Desired Qualifications

• Advanced degree in a relevant technical discipline.
• Experience leading process development across multi-station or system-level automation projects.
• Previous formal or informal supervisory experience for engineers or technical professionals.
• Understanding of tolerancing, alignment sensitivity, repeatability, and mechanical error budget concepts.
• Exposure to automated manufacturing systems, pilot systems, advanced equipment development, precision automation, or high-speed automation environments.
• Experience with MATLAB, Python, or similar tools for engineering analysis or simulation.
• Familiarity with structured experimentation methods such as Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (DMAIC), Design of Experiments (DOE), MEEs, Six Sigma, or equivalent.