Job Description

Role Overview

This role is designed for a senior manufacturing engineering candidate with experience in high-tech, precision, or regulated production environments. The successful candidate will combine strong factory-floor execution with strategic leadership in capacity expansion, equipment selection, installation, validation, and manufacturing readiness. This individual will work closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Maintenance, and Product Engineering to build robust, scalable, and efficient manufacturing systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead manufacturing engineering initiatives that improve safety, quality, yield, throughput, cost, and overall operational performance across existing and future production lines.

• Own or co-lead capital projects tied to plant growth, including line expansion, equipment scoping, vendor selection, specification development, purchasing support, installation planning, commissioning, and production ramp-up.

• Define manufacturing process requirements for new equipment and new lines, ensuring readiness for capacity, process capability, ergonomics, safety, maintainability, and operator usability.

• Drive root cause analysis and corrective action for process, equipment, and yield issues using structured problem-solving methods and data-driven decision making.

• Partner with Product and Process Engineering to support transfer to production, and design-for-manufacturability improvements.

• Lead or support validation activities including IQ, OQ, and PQ for new equipment, new processes, and significant process changes.

• Develop and standardize manufacturing documentation including work instructions, SOPs, PFMEAs, control plans, process flows, validation protocols, and training materials.

• Establish process monitoring methods, SPC approaches, and yield dashboards to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and sustain gains over time.

• Coordinate engineering changes and process changes to minimize production disruption, scrap risk, and impact to customer delivery commitments.

• Collaborate with Maintenance and Quality to define preventive maintenance, calibration, spare parts, and equipment control strategies for critical production assets.

• Work with Supply Chain and external suppliers to manage technical requirements, equipment build progress, FAT/SAT support, installation readiness, and issue resolution.

• Mentor junior engineers, technicians, and operations personnel while helping build a strong continuous improvement culture across the site.

• Serve as a key engineering voice in capacity planning, factory layout discussions, and long-range manufacturing strategy.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, manufacturing engineering or related engineering discipline.
• 7+ years of progressive manufacturing engineering experience, ideally in fiber optics, photonics, precision assembly, electronics, aerospace, or other high-reliability manufacturing environments.

Skills

• Demonstrated ownership of large-scale process improvement, capital equipment, automation, factory expansion, or manufacturing transfer projects.
• Strong experience with equipment implementation, troubleshooting, process validation, SPC, PFMEA, yield improvement, and structured root cause analysis.
• Working knowledge of ERP/MRP systems, change control processes, and data analysis tools such as Excel, JMP, or Minitab. Familiarity with Oracle, Agile, or similar systems is preferred.
• Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma experience required; Green Belt or Black Belt certification strongly preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to influence cross-functional teams, train operations personnel, and present recommendations to leadership

Safety Requirements

 

All employees are required to follow the site EHS procedures and Coherent Corp. Corporate EHS standards.

Quality and Environmental Responsibilities

 

Depending on location, this position may be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the ISO 9000, 9001, 14001 and/or other applicable standards that may apply to the relevant roles and responsibilities within the Quality Management System and Environmental Management System.

Culture Commitment

Ensure adherence to company’s values (ICARE) in all aspects of your position at Coherent Corp.:

Integrity – Create an Environment of Trust

Collaboration – Innovate Through the Sharing of Ideas

Accountability – Own the Process and the Outcome

Respect – Recognize the Value in Everyone

Enthusiasm – Find a Sense of Purpose in Work

Coherent Corp. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.