Enjoy Interesting Projects, Including New Product Launches, and Ample Opportunities to Learn and Enhance Your Skills

If you combine broad mechanical engineering knowledge with a strong background in metallurgy, metrology and proven data and statistical analysis skills, the role of Surface Development Engineer could be your ideal opportunity. In this role, you will:

• Serve as an important member of our Global Engineering group, leading projects and supporting Essilor production facilities around the world.
• Enjoy wide visibility and exposure as you work with different sites and departments including Quality, Production, Project Management, R&D and others.  Quick question for you - click here
• Make an impact supporting new product launches, project management, process, materials and machinery evaluation in making inserts, and much more.  
• Add to your skills and experience, learning new technology and enhancing your knowledge in multiple areas such as lens manufacturing processes (injection molding), insert design and production and more. 
• Build a long-range career home -- we are particular about who joins our team, but once you are on board, you will enjoy unlimited opportunities to learn things beyond your job description.

Relocation assistance may be available to the right candidate. 

Gentex Optics, an Essilor company, is one of the world’s largest designers and manufacturers of precision polycarbonate lenses. The company's history stretches back to 1970, and it became part of Essilor in 1995. Essilor of America, Inc. is the leading manufacturer of eyeglass lenses in the United States, employs more than 7,000 people and operates the largest and most comprehensive optical laboratory network in the U.S. Essilor of America, Inc. is a subsidiary of Paris-based Essilor International. Essilor manufactures optical lenses under the Varilux®, Crizal®, Transitions®, and other brands, and our products are worn by one billion people daily. Essilor has been on Forbes' list of the World's 100 Most Innovative Companies every year since 2010.

To meet the basic qualification for this role, you will have legal authorization to work in the United States. To be a good fit for the Surface Development Engineer opportunity, you will have:

• A bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or STEM-related degree; a master's degree is preferred  Quick question for you - click here
• 5+ years of engineering experience, ideally working with optics, metrology, machining of metals and data analysis  Quick question for you - click here
• Metrology background required; a good understanding of the state-of-the-art metrology of optical surface and curvature measurements 
• Experience with lens optics is highly preferred. At a minimum, you will need an understanding of lens optics and fundamental knowledge of the fabrication processes involved in the creation of optical surfaces
• A strong background in the interaction between machining of optical surface, material properties of optical surface, replication of optical curves and interaction of the optical surface with the lens manufacturing process, such as injection molding.
• Excellent data analysis and data manipulation skills for lens optics calculations. Ability to use Excel, Matlab, Python, Minitab or other engineering and statistical software for analyzing data
• A background in metallurgy; understanding how metals work together
• Injection molding experience preferred
• Strong interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills
• Proven ability to collaborate across cultures, languages, differing opinions, and geographical boundaries
• Ability to travel, once it is safe to do so, both nationally and internationally, approximately 10%

Currently, we work remotely and come into the facility as needed. Once it is safe to do so, you should expect to work on site full time.

Our customers (the production facilities) and vendors are located around the globe. You'll need to be willing to attend meetings, via phone and video, early in the morning and later in the evening to accommodate different time zones. In general, you can attend these meetings from home.  

Reporting to an Engineering Group Leader, you will manage local and global projects involved with optical tooling surface development and support. You will be responsible for a variety of activities around new product launches, including the requirements for making inserts, such as determining the best materials (i.e. metal-based or plated), processes and machines to meet time and cost targets. More specifically, you will:

• Evaluate new processes, materials, and technologies for the creation of optical tooling surfaces
• Review, and update engineering processes
• Design, fabricate and test tooling for optical surfaces
• Develop and document new surfacing processes
• Train personnel for use of tooling
• Participate in the technical forums pertaining to optical surfaces
• Lead technical projects in the development and roll-out of optical surfaces for ophthalmic lens application
• Support global Thermoplastic production
• Research materials and machinery to be used for fabrication of optical inserts
• Evaluate materials and machinery for deployment to global manufacturing sites
• Conduct scientific evaluation of optical surfaces, write technical reports and present findings
• Train personnel for use of tooling

This description is intended to give you a general overview of the position and is not an exhaustive listing of duties and responsibilities.

Center of excellence
Gentex Optics has been setting the standard for both lenses and coatings for decades. You will join a team carefully chosen to ensure we continue to provide best-in-class R&D and production support to the Essilor family.

Professional development
We'll support you in your growth goals, and your career at Gentex Optics and Essilor will be what you make of it. We also have a program to identify and mentor high-potential professionals.

Exciting time
Essilor's recent merger with Luxottica has made us the world's largest player in the eyewear industry, and the ongoing integration will create opportunities for strong performers.

Truly living our values
At Gentex Optics and across Essilor, we believe everyone deserves to see life and all its detail with the best vision possible. That's why, in addition to designing, manufacturing and distributing quality vision care solutions worldwide, we invest in raising awareness of the importance of good vision, support eyecare professionals, invent new technologies and products, and support philanthropic initiatives. We also are committed to robust standards for environmental sustainability. These are just a couple of reasons we were one of the 52 companies named to Fortune magazine's 2019 Change the World list.

Excellent compensation
In addition to a competitive salary and bonus potential, we offer an exceptional mix of first-rate benefits, including medical, dental and vision plans; a 401(k) plan with company match; tuition reimbursement; comprehensive training through Essilor University; lens and frame benefits for you and your family; an employee stock purchase plan with company match; and more.

Video: As part of the #DifferenceMakers campaign, Essilor chose four eyecare professionals and three Essilor employees to participate in a mission trip to Southeast Asia in March 2019.

This role requires a strong sense of ownership and a good deal of independence. At the same time, you'll need to work collaboratively with stakeholders across multiple locations, functions and countries. There's a strong learning curve, so while you'll own the role and come in with a good deal of critical knowledge and experience, you must also be willing to make mistakes and learn from others. 
We are very team-oriented and you'll not only collaborate with others, but you will also depend on them for specialized expertise. That means your own technical expertise will be essential, but just as important will be your communication and interpersonal skills to work effectively with a variety of stakeholders.

The pace here is fast and change happens frequently. Those who excel at Gentex Optics truly enjoy the dynamic environment and remain agile and able to pivot. As our markets and organization continue to evolve, you'll need to be flexible and open to ongoing change.