Manufacturing Systems Engineer – Automation & Data

The Manufacturing Systems Engineer – Automation & Data supports the development, implementation, and improvement of manufacturing systems used within Garnet Operations. The position focuses on connecting manufacturing equipment, improving automated data collection, developing manufacturing dashboards and database interfaces, and implementing automation that improves manufacturing efficiency, data accuracy, process visibility, and decision-making.

The Manufacturing Systems Engineer – Automation & Data supports the development, implementation, and improvement of manufacturing systems used within Garnet Operations. The position focuses on connecting manufacturing equipment, improving automated data collection, developing manufacturing dashboards and database interfaces, and implementing automation that improves manufacturing efficiency, data accuracy, process visibility, and decision-making.

This is a hands-on, on-site, technical individual-contributor position supporting Hillsborough, NJ and Easton, PA locations with an initial emphasis on Liquid Phase Epitaxy (LPE) manufacturing.

• Equipment Connectivity & Data Acquisition:
  Support networking and connectivity of LPE manufacturing systems at Hillsborough and Easton; develop reliable methods for automated equipment and process data collection; and support integration of new equipment into existing monitoring systems.
• LPE Dashboard Development:
  Develop and implement standardized LPE system dashboards that provide operators and technical personnel with clear visibility to equipment status, process performance, alarms, trends, and manufacturing data.
• Manufacturing Database Systems:
  Support implementation of the new Hillsborough manufacturing database, transition from legacy Microsoft Access systems, and development of reliable interfaces between equipment, databases, dashboards, and analytical tools.
• Manufacturing Automation:
  Identify and implement opportunities to reduce manual data entry and improve data accuracy through automated data capture, validation, filtering, equipment integration, visual/IR inspection, and VSM data transfer.
• Data Analytics & Advanced Manufacturing:
  Develop automated production, process, yield, and equipment reporting; analyze manufacturing data to identify trends and performance drivers; and support data-driven and AI-assisted tools for LPE process analysis and triage.

• Work closely with Operations, Engineering, IT, Quality, equipment suppliers, and other Coherent technical resources.
• Leverage manufacturing-system solutions and best practices used at other Coherent facilities where appropriate.
• Document manufacturing-system architecture, software, interfaces, data flows, and technical requirements.
• Provide technical support and troubleshooting for implemented manufacturing systems.

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Automation, or a related technical discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience supporting manufacturing equipment, manufacturing systems, automation, databases, or industrial data systems.

• Experience with relational databases and database queries.
• Programming or scripting experience applicable to manufacturing systems, data collection, dashboards, or automation.
• Ability to manage technical projects and assignments with limited supervision.
• Experience in technically complex manufacturing environments such as crystal growth, semiconductor, photonics, optical materials, or advanced materials.
• Experience connecting industrial/manufacturing equipment to plant networks.
• Experience with SQL databases, Microsoft Access, data visualization, or…