Aerospace Transparency Process Engineer

PPG Industries, Inc; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental benefits

Retirement Plan

Paid Vacation & Holidays

Employee Assistance Program

Disability/Leave benefits

Job summary

A manufacturing company is seeking a Process Engineer in Sylmar, California, focused on developing and controlling surface finishing processes for aerospace transparencies. The engineer will optimize finishing processes, troubleshoot manufacturing issues, and improve inspection methods. Applicants should have a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and over 5 years of experience in manufacturing or process engineering. The position offers a salary range of $90,000 to $120,000 and comprehensive benefits, including health and retirement plans.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing or process engineering.
• Direct experience with sanding, polishing, or abrasive finishing processes.
• Experience with cosmetic, Class A, or optically critical surfaces.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize multi-step abrasive finishing processes.
• Control key process parameters and improve inspection methods.
• Troubleshoot finishing issues and support production.

Skills

Manufacturing process optimization

Abrasive finishing techniques

Troubleshooting

Quality control

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering or equivalent experience

Tools

Zemax OpticStudio

LightTools

Job description

We are seeking a Process Engineer to lead the development and control of surface finishing processes for aerospace transparencies. This role is focused on precision abrasive finishing of polymer materials, including multi-stage sanding, polishing, and buffing operations required to achieve optically clear, distortion‑free surfaces.

The position is hands‑on and manufacturing‑focused, centered on controlled material removal, surface refinement, and defect elimination. The engineer will also improve inspection methods, defect classification, and process capability to ensure consistent, repeatable optical quality.

This role works closely with Manufacturing and Quality to translate performance requirements into practical, production‑ready processes. This is a fully onsite position in Sylmar, California.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, qualify, and optimize multi-step abrasive finishing processes (sanding polishing buffing) for plastic transparencies
• Define and control key process parameters including abrasive selection, grit progression, pressure, speed, and sequencing
• Establish standard methods for defect removal (scratches, haze, inclusions, waviness)
• Implement basic process control methods (SPC, capability tracking) to improve consistency and reduce variation
• Troubleshoot finishing issues on the floor and drive root cause to reduce rework and scrap
• Understand how surface condition impacts clarity and distortion
• Improve inspection methods for transparent parts, including lighting, visual standards, and acceptance criteria
• Define and standardize defect classification (scratch/dig, haze, distortion, inclusions)
• Improve consistency in how parts are evaluated across operators and shifts
• Create and maintain work instructions and process documentation
• Support production with hands‑on troubleshooting
• Support MRB and corrective actions related to surface quality

Qualifications

• Only US Citizens, Green card holders, political asylees, or refugees are eligible to apply
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or similar, or equivalent hands‑on experience
• 5+ years of experience in manufacturing or process engineering
• Direct experience with sanding, polishing, or abrasive finishing processes
• Experience working with cosmetic, Class A, or optically critical surfaces
• Experience with optical simulation tools such as Zemax OpticStudio or LightTools is a plus
• #LI-ONSITE

The base salary range for this position is $90,000 to $120,000, with a possibility of an annual bonus up to 7% of base salary. PPG offers comprehensive benefits such as Health, Dental, Life, Retirement Plan, Paid Vacation & Holidays, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Disability/Leave, and other Voluntary benefit offerings. Actual benefit offerings confirmed at the time of hire.