Lab-Scale Development Engineer: Prototyping & Automation

NCBiotech; Hickory (NC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 117,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonuses and incentives

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Job summary

Corning is seeking an Early‑Stage Development Engineer to design, build, and operate lab‑scale testbeds for evaluating material transformation processes. You will work hands‑on with laser processing, adhesive bonding, precision dispensing, optical alignment, and related technologies to generate go/no‑go evidence before scaling.

You will conduct DOE/DMAIC experiments, develop physics understanding, and document results for cross‑functional reviews.

Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related field with 2–4 years of relevant experience; or MS with internships or research experience (0–2 years).
• Strong fundamentals in engineering mechanics and basic electrical circuits.
• Hands-on proficiency in a lab environment with tools, alignment fixtures, basic electronics, and prototype hardware.
• Ability to write scripts or programs for data acquisition or motion control (e.g., Python, MATLAB).
• Demonstrated ability to reason from first principles and draw sound engineering conclusions from limited data.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including technical documentation and design reviews.

Responsibilities

• Frame and prioritize technical questions at earliest development stage with technology leads.
• Design lab‑scale apparatus and testbeds integrating mechanical, electrical, motion, sensing, vision, and controls elements.
• Run structured experiments (DOE, DMAIC) to characterize processes and generate evidence supporting go/no‑go decisions.
• Develop understanding of material transformation physics to inform design decisions.
• Produce clear technical documentation to support design reviews and IP capture.
• Identify scaling, throughput, and safety considerations early for production alignment.

Skills

DOE Methods

Lab Testing

Python

MATLAB

Data Analysis

Written Communication

First Principles

Education

BS in Mechanical Engineering or related field

MS with internships/research (optional)

Tools

MATLAB

Python

SolidWorks

Job description

Corning is seeking an Early‑Stage Development Engineer to design, build, and operate lab‑scale testbeds for evaluating material transformation processes. You will work hands‑on with laser processing, adhesive bonding, precision dispensing, optical alignment, and related technologies to generate go/no‑go evidence before scaling.

You will conduct DOE/DMAIC experiments, develop physics understanding, and document results for cross‑functional reviews.