Lead Manufacturing Engineer – Coating Process Development

# Job Description Summary

Are you passionate about innovation? Are you excited at the opportunity to electrify and decarbonize the world?

We operate with a founder’s mindset. We deliver innovation with passion, speed, and courage. We continuously challenge our thinking and are empowered to dream big and take smart risks.

What impact you’ll make

As a member of the Process Industrialization team, you will be an active contributor to create, maintain, and execute the standard in how to develop and industrialize manufacturing processes using a team-based approach. This role sits within the Process Industrialization team and will execute new manufacturing process development. The focus will be on testing and developing new, or improving upon existing, manufacturing process by utilizing a standard framework.

If you know how to turn a thermal spray coating into a rock-solid quality, repeatable production process, we want you. We’re seeking a hands-on Thermal Spray Development & Industrialization Engineer to lead the development, qualification, industrialization, and sustainment focused on High Velocity Oxy-Fuel (HVOF) and Atmospheric Plasma Spray (APS) coating processes for gas turbine high-performance components.

This role blends practical coating cell work, metallographic preparation, microstructural analysis, root-cause problem solving, and the design of fixtures/masking to enable repeatable, cost-effective production, all while operating within our SQDC (Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost) values. You will work in a multi-disciplinary, multi-group environment, aligning R&D, manufacturing, quality, and customer teams toward a common goal, requiring clear, concise communication and strong collaboration skills.

# Job Description

What you’ll do

- Drive process development in GVL site, converting a ‘lab-proven’ parameters into stable and documented production processes. Develop and qualify HVOF and APS coating processes. The process transfer must be performed with a focus to the ‘Frozen Process’ standards to the thermal spray critical parameters and at the same time understanding the process levels of freedom to optimize the process meets the print and specification requirements.

- Coating process development includes a large scope of operations such as masking, grit blasting, qualify inspections, post coating final surface finish, and heat treatments for bond coat and topcoat.

- Capability to operate thermal spray cells, solid understanding of thermal spray parameters and their influence on the coating process sustainability. Validate robot programs and support robotic programming. Identify potential ways to optimize the coating program to improve the cycle time or eliminate coating defects.

- Thorough understanding of coating cell components and their interactions is required. The candidate should be capable of diagnosing equipment or process issues and executing corrective and preventive actions to ensure long-term process stability.

- In-depth expertise in microstructure evaluation and mechanical testing (hardness and tensile strength) is essential. The candidate must be able to perform root cause analysis of coating defects (e.g., metallic and TBC ceramic coatings porosity, DVC spacing, lamellar structure, poor adhesion, oxidation, pull-outs, unmets) based on microstructural evidence, requiring a comprehensive understanding of how thermal spray process parameters affect coating microstructure.

- Hands-on experience in a metallographic lab, including knowledge of the purpose and operation of standard laboratory equipment used in sample preparation and analysis. Perform optical metallography, porosity, DVC microstructural features, microhardness testing to assess coating quality.

- Develop and optimize, tooling, and masking to ensure repeatability, standoff control, and overspray containment. Translate CAD concepts into tested, production-ready tooling solutions.

- Responsible for process industrialization and scale-up activities based on 10-steps standard, including creation of control plans, process gap identification, detailed work instructions, and comprehensive operator training materials. Support implementation of SPC and lead NPI transfers, ensuring readiness for full-scale production and compliance with internal and external audits.

- Partner with the process qualification team to determine coating process readiness by analyzing Cp and Cpk metrics. Use insights from eCAV data to identify improvement opportunities and implement changes to enhance first-pass yield (FPY). Lean Manufacturing & Process Flow.

- Leverage Lean manufacturing concepts such as takt time, value stream optimization, and waste reduction to enhance operational efficiency. Work cross-functionally to implement workflows that improve throughput without compromising safety or product quality.

- Collaborate across R&D, engineering, QA, operations, suppliers, and customers to ensure alignment on project goals and timelines.

- Present complex data and insights in a clear, concise manner tailored to technical and non-technical stakeholders.

What you’ll bring (Basic Qualifications)

- Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science, Metallurgical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field (advanced degree preferred).

- 4+ years of hands-on thermal spray process development experience (HVOF & APS).

- Strong skills in coating microstructure evaluation and metallographic analysis (optical, image analysis).

- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; proven track record working in multi-group environments toward shared goals.

- Ability and desire to work on site in a manufacturing environment

- Ability to work off-shift or flexible schedule at times as required by project timelines

- This role is restricted to U.S. persons (i.e., U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and other protected individuals under the Immigration and Naturalization Act, 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3)) due to access to export-controlled technology. GE will require proof of status prior to employment

What will make you stand out

- Proven experience designing fixtures/masking for production coating applications (SolidWorks, NX or equivalent CAD).

- Background in process documentation, control plans, FMEA, and structured problem-solving (e.g., fishbone, 5Y, 8D).

- Experience with MCrAlY bondcoats, ceramic topcoats (e.g., YSZ), coatings.

- Gas turbine or aerospace coatings qualification experience.

- Knowledge of blasting, masking, heat treatment, and post-processing of coated parts.

- Familiarity with nondestructive inspection (NDT) for coatings.

- Lean/Six Sigma certification or equivalent continuous improvement experience.

Pay Transparency

For U.S. based candidates only, for purposes of complying with U.S. pay transparency requirements, the base pay range for this position is $81,700.00 - $136,700.00 USD Annual. The specific pay offered may be influenced by a variety of factors, including the candidate’s experience, education, and skill set. This position is also eligible for a 10% performance bonus/variable incentive compensation/equity. This posting is expected to close on or after September 5, 2025.

- The Company pays a geographic differential of 110%, 120% or 130% of salary in certain areas.

Healthcare benefits include medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage; access to a Health Coach, a 24/7 nurse-based resource; and access to the Employee Assistance Program, providing 24/7 confidential assessment, counseling and referral services. Retirement benefits include the GE Retirement Savings Plan, a tax-advantaged 401(k) savings opportunity with company matching contributions and company retirement contributions, as well as access to Fidelity resources and planning consultants. Other benefits include tuition assistance, adoption assistance, paid parental leave, disability insurance, life insurance, and paid time-off for vacation or illness.

General Electric Company, Ropcor, Inc., their successors, and in some cases their affiliates, each sponsor certain employee benefit plans or programs (i.e., is a “Sponsor”). Each Sponsor reserves the right to terminate, amend, suspend, replace, or modify its benefit plans and programs at any time and for any reason, in its sole discretion. No individual has a vested right to any benefit under a Sponsor’s welfare benefit plan or program. This document does not create a contract of employment with any individual.

Benefits Available to You

GE employees rise to the challenge of building a world that works. In order to meet this mission, we provide varied, competitive benefits to help support our workforce: Our Culture | GE Vernova (gecareers.com)

- Our compensation & benefits are designed to help you manage your personal and family needs, while rewarding high performers. We offer a robust benefits package depending on your employment status and your national requirements.

- A healthy, balanced lifestyle can mean different things to different people. We've created programs that support the way you live and work today.

- GE invests to provide opportunities to grow your career by providing a path for continued on-the-job learning and development.

Inclusion & Diversity

At GE, we believe in the value of your unique identity, background and experiences. We are committed to fostering an inclusive culture, where everyone feels empowered to do their best work because they feel accepted, respected and that they belong. Click here to learn more: https://jobs.gecareers.com/vernova/global/en/i-d-e

About GE Gas Power

GE Gas Power engineers cleaner, more accessible energy that people depend on, powering growth and prosperity for people everywhere. Our leading technologies produce a third of the world’s electricity thanks to our talented people, who make gas work for our customers, stakeholders and the world. Through relentless innovation and continuous partnership with our customers, we are building the energy technologies of the future and providing the cleaner, more efficient power people depend on today.

This role requires access to U.S. export-controlled information. If applicable, final offers will be contingent on ability to obtain authorization for access to U.S. export-controlled information from the U.S. Government.

# Additional Information

GE Vernova offers a great work environment, professional development, challenging careers, and competitive compensation. GE Vernova is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

GE Vernova will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable).

Relocation Assistance Provided: Yes