Senior Staff Engineer - Melting & Thermal Process

Corning, Inc.; City of Corning (NY); On-site; USD 114,000 - 157,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonuses

100% pension plan

Health, dental & vision

Job summary

Corning Senior Staff Engineer – Melting & Thermal Process seeks an experienced leader to advance glass melting and furnace operations. You will drive technical excellence, system reliability, and efficiency across complex glass manufacturing.

You will mentor teams, collaborate with R&D, quality, and maintenance, and guide major process upgrades while ensuring safety and quality in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelors in a related engineering discipline (Chemical/Materials/Mechanical/Ceramic).
• 15+ years in glass melting, furnace systems, or high‑temperature manufacturing.
• Strong knowledge of glass melting behavior, furnace operation, heat transfer, combustion, and process control.

Responsibilities

• Lead advanced technical analysis for glass melting and furnace performance.
• Improve melt quality, energy efficiency, throughput, and reliability through data-driven optimization.
• Provide technical leadership for major process changes and new technology implementation.
• Translate thermal and melting issues into actionable steps for cross-functional teams.
• Mentor engineers and communicate findings to diverse audiences.

Skills

Glass melting

Furnace operation

Thermal process engineering

Data analysis

Root-cause analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering

Materials Science/Mechanical/Ceramic as related field

Job description

Senior Staff Engineer - Melting & Thermal Process

Location: Corning, NY, US, 14831

Company: Corning

The company built on breakthroughs.
Join us.

Corning is one of the world’s leading innovators in glass, ceramic, and materials science. From the depths of the ocean to the farthest reaches of space, our technologies push the boundaries of what’s possible.

How do we do this? With our people. They break through limitations and expectations– not once in a career, but every day. They help move our company,and the world, forward.

At Corning, there are endless possibilities for making an impact. You can help connect the unconnected, drive the future of automobiles, transform at-home entertainment, and ensure the delivery of lifesaving medicines. And so much more.

Come break through with us.

Corning’s businesses are ever-evolving to best serve our customers, industries, and consumers. Today, we accelerate and transform life sciences, mobile consumer electronics, optical communications, display, automotive, and solar markets. We are changing the world with:

• Trusted products that accelerate drug discovery, development, and delivery to save lives
• Damage-resistant cover glass to enhance the devices that keep us connected
• Optical fiber, wireless technologies, and connectivity solutions to carry information and ideas at the speed of light
• Precision glass for advanced displays to deliver richer experiences
• Auto glass and ceramics to drive cleaner, safer, and smarter transportation
• Solar polysilicon, wafers, and innovative photovoltaic modules, enabling low-cost solar energy solutions

Role Purpose

The Senior Staff Engineer - Glass Melting / Thermal Process provides advanced technical leadership in glass melting, furnace operation, and thermal process engineering. This role is responsible for improving melt quality, furnace performance, thermal efficiency, process stability, throughput, and manufacturing reliability across complex glass manufacturing systems.

The position serves as a senior technical expert who connects deep process knowledge to business needs, manufacturing performance, and longer-term capability building. The role leads complex problem solving, supports major process and technology initiatives, and influences technical direction across manufacturing, R&D, quality, maintenance, and project teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead advanced technical analysis and problem solving related to glass melting, furnace performance, and process stability
• Improve melt quality, energy efficiency, throughput, yield, and operational reliability through data-driven process optimization
• Support furnace operation, troubleshooting, and process improvement efforts across manufacturing environments
• Provide technical leadership for major process changes, equipment upgrades, furnace-related projects, and new technology implementation
• Translate complex thermal and melting issues into practical actions for plant, engineering, and cross-functional teams
• Partner with manufacturing, R&D, maintenance, quality, and project teams to identify root causes, reduce risk, and improve overall process performance
• Develop technical standards, operating guidance, and best practices for melting and high temperature systems
• Mentor and coach engineers and technical teams in process understanding, troubleshooting methods, and sound engineering practices
• Identify opportunities to improve furnace capability, process robustness, and manufacturing performance over both near- and longer-term horizons
• Communicate findings, recommendations, and risks clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders

Experiences/Education - Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Ceramic Engineering, or a related engineering discipline
• 15+ years of experience in glass melting, furnace systems, thermal process engineering, or closely related high-temperature manufacturing processes
• Strong technical knowledge of glass melting behavior, furnace operation, heat transfer, combustion, thermal efficiency, and process control fundamentals
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex root‑cause analysis and implement sustainable process improvements
• Experience working across functions to solve technical and operational problems
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical issues to varied audiences
• Demonstrated ability to influence technical decisions without direct authority
• Travel Requirements: Travel is both domestic and international. Frequency and duration vary according to project stage and status. Could be up to 50%.
• Experience supporting furnace rebuilds, process scale‑up, major capital projects, or new process technology implementation
• Experience with data analysis, modeling, statistical methods, or process simulation tools relevant to thermal or glass manufacturing systems
• Experience mentoring engineers or serving as a technical leader across multiple projects or teams
• Experience in a manufacturing environment requiring strong safety, quality, and operational discipline

This position does not support immigration sponsorship.

The range for this position is $114,457.00-$157,379.00 assuming full time status. Starting pay for the successful applicant is dependent on a variety of job-related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, market demands, experience, training, and education.

A job that shapes a life.

Corning offers you the total package.

Your well-being is our priority. Our compensation and benefits package supports your health and wellness, financial aspirations, and career from day one.

• Company-wide bonuses and long-term incentives align with key business results and ensure you are rewarded when the company performs well. When Corning wins, we all win.
• As part of our commitment to your financial well-being, we provide a 100% company-paid pension benefit with fixed contributions that grow throughout your career. Combined with matching contributions to your 401(k) savings plan, Corning’s total contributions to your retirement accounts can reach between 7% and 12% of your pay, depending on your age and years of service.
• Our health and well-being benefits include medical, dental, vision, paid parental leave, family building support, fitness, company-paid life insurance, disability, disease management programs, paid time off, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to support you and your family.
• Getting paid for our work is important, but feeling appreciated and recognized for those contributions motivates us much more. That’s why Corning offers a recognition program to celebrate successes and reward colleagues who make exceptional contributions.

We prohibit discrimination on the basis ofrace, color, gender, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability,veteran status or any other legally protected status.

Corning is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and considers requests for reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable laws. Individuals with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs may request reasonable accommodations to participate in the application or interview process, perform essential job functions, or access other benefits and privileges of employment. To submit a request for reasonable accommodation related to disability or religion, please contact us at [e-mail].