Optical Fabrication Engineer

Schott North America; Duryea (Luzerne County); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401K plan

Vacation and holidays

Tuition reimbursement

Disability insurance

Job summary

SCHOTT North America is seeking aSenior Optical Process Engineer to lead development and optimization of spherical generation and prism machining for high-precision optics. You will collaborate with production, quality, and engineering teams to ensure metrology-driven decisions and robust processes.

You will mentor technicians and engineers, applying Six Sigma and lean methods to improve yield, throughput, and quality in a demanding manufacturing environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in optical engineering, materials science, mechanical engineering, physics, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Equivalent experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize spherical generation and prism machining processes.
• Analyze workflows and equipment to boost yield and throughput.
• Create and maintain work instructions, operation sheets, and inspection procedures.
• Utilize metrology equipment (CMMs, interferometers, profilometers) for data-driven decisions.
• Collaborate with production, quality, and engineering to define CTQ requirements.
• Lead root-cause investigations and implement corrective actions.
• Mentor technicians and junior engineers on polishing, metrology, and process discipline.
• Drive continuous improvement via SPC and lean principles in optical fabrication.

Skills

Optical fabrication

Spherical generation

Prism machining

Metrology interpretation

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis

Six Sigma Green Belt

Education

Bachelor's degree in Optical Eng, Materials Sci, Mechanical Eng, Physics or related field

Advanced degree preferred

Tools

CMMs

Profilometers

Interferometers

Goniometers

SAP

Microsoft Office

Job description

Your Contribution

• Develop, optimize, and sustain spherical generation, prism generation, and CNC programming processes for precision glass and ceramic optics to ensure consistent quality, repeatability, and manufacturing efficiency.
• Analyze manufacturing workflows and equipment performance, identifying and implementing process improvements that increase yield, reduce bottlenecks, and improve throughput.
• Create and maintain process documentation, including work instructions, operation sheets, and inspection procedures, while ensuring compliance with ISO 9001 and internal quality standards.
• Utilize advanced metrology equipment such as interferometers, autocollimators, profilometers, and CMMs to evaluate optical components and support data-driven process decisions.
• Collaborate closely with production, quality, and engineering teams to define critical-to-quality requirements and establish effective process controls.
• Lead and support root cause investigations, implement corrective actions, and communicate findings through technical reports and presentations.
• Train and mentor technicians and junior engineers on polishing best practices, metrology interpretation, and process discipline.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using statistical process control, lean manufacturing principles, and best practices in optical fabrication.

Your Profile

• Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field; advanced degree preferred. Equivalent experience may be considered.
• 5 to 10years of hands-on experience in optical fabrication, including spherical generation, prism machining, and related manufacturing processes.
• Strong understanding of glass and ceramic materials, abrasives, diamond tooling, fixturing, and optical fabrication methods.
• Experience with optical metrology systems, including CMMs, profilometers, goniometers, or similar equipment, with the ability to interpret data and recommend corrective actions.
• Proven ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams, communicate technical information clearly, and leverage tools such as SAP, Microsoft Office, and data analysis software. Six Sigma Green Belt certification or similar continuous improvement training is a plus.

Your Benefits

At SCHOTT, you can expect a unique corporate culture where we emphasize equity, diversity, and inclusion. We know: motivated and committed employees are the precondition for the success of our company.

Discover a special corporate culture where everyone has the opportunity to develop their entire potential.

We offer a wide range of benefits to meet your needs to include medical, dental, vision, 401K, vacation, holidays, tuition reimbursement, short-term/long-term disability, etc.