Research and Development Supervisor

Scope of Position

The Development Supervisor is responsible for Product Development Project Management and/or individual technical execution to develop new processes/products and/or process conditions for improved product attributes or reduced cost of optical fiber. Scope includes receiving projects from R&D that have demonstrated product and process concepts with a promising value proposition and managing them to achieve demonstrated profitability with verified market channels. Scope further includes direct supervision and will be responsible for management of 4-6 salaried employees.

This will include, but not be limited to, work prioritization, annual reviews, training, and administrative tasks. The role will be in the Draw and Coating PPD group, working on new coating development and testing as well as new products/processes.

The Development Supervisor is expected to use defined processes in solving problems and designing definitive experiments to drive understanding and to further engage Scientists & Engineers for modeling and characterization (existing or develop new), Product Engineering for product qualification, Manufacturing groups to ensure process control, quality architecture definition, and safety and Commercial organizations for continued validation of the business case. Cross‑business networking to achieve optimal product, application, and business success is expected.

• Manage a structured product/process development and utilize the Innovation Process and relevant risk management tools to ensure on‑time delivery
• Use established processes to identify concepts for manufacturing new and advantaged products and processes; design and execute product or process validation tests in a manufacturing plant; analyze data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations
• Manage a cross‑functional team and apply traditional project management methodologies of performance, scheduling, and cost control; set direction, roles and responsibilities, and priorities for team members and self‑directed work
• Collaborate with product or process design experts in other organizations
• Use scientific method to define problems, outline hypotheses, design critical experiments and use fundamental understanding to drive robust solutions
• Communicate and document results

Up to 25% national; by exception up to 25% international, primarily within NC or to Corning, NY for training or project collaboration.

• Minimum BS or MS in Chemical, Material, or Mechanical (or similar) Engineering with 3‑8 years of engineering experience
• Minimum of 5 years of experience working on forming, coating, or coating‑application products/processes
• Previous experience in both supervisory/leadership roles and project management
• A process engineering background with emphasis on chemical transport and reaction processes as well as resultant product and equipment performance
• Use the scientific method and fundamental engineering principles to solve problems thoroughly and effectively, using well‑designed and executed process experiments
• Drive for root‑cause fundamental understanding of challenging problems

• Knowledge/experience in organic coating materials and application, free‑radical polymerization and optical fiber draw and downstream manufacturing
• Experience in draw process development, experimentation, and/or process support
• Proficiency in data analysis tools and techniques
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously
• Experience with UV‑curable polymer coatings
• Product development and transfer into an industrial setting

The range for this position is $ – $ 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.

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…