Senior Laser Process Engineer – Photonics

Corning Incorporated; Hickory (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 164,000; Full time

Job summary

Corning Incorporated in North Carolina seeks a Senior Laser Process Development Engineer/Scientist to drive early-stage development of advanced laser processes and optical solutions. You'll combine deep technical expertise with hands-on experimental execution — designing optical systems, building prototype stations, and translating laboratory innovations into scalable, manufacturing-ready capabilities.

This role is well-suited for engineers and scientists with applied industry experience in

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in a technical discipline related to photonics, optics, or materials science.
• 5+ years of laser processing, optics, photonics, or related process development experience.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with data-driven decisions.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize laser-based processes for deployment across Corning facilities.
• Build and troubleshoot benchtop prototype stations and design optical systems.
• Plan experiments to establish process windows and apply DOE, SPC, and data analysis.
• Collaborate with R&D and engineering teams to translate lab work into scalable processes.
• Document work and contribute to IP through reports and guidelines.

Skills

Laser theory

Optical engineering

Lab experiments

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

Master's or PhD in Photonics/EE/Physics/Materials Science

Tools

COMSOL

Zemax

Python

SolidWorks

Creo

Minitab

JMP

Excel

Job description

Corning Incorporated in North Carolina seeks a Senior Laser Process Development Engineer/Scientist to drive early-stage development of advanced laser processes and optical solutions. You'll combine deep technical expertise with hands-on experimental execution — designing optical systems, building prototype stations, and translating laboratory innovations into scalable, manufacturing-ready capabilities.

This role is well-suited for engineers and scientists with applied industry experience in