Sr Development Engineer - Accelerated Growth

If you’re looking for a special place to build or grow your career, you’ve found it. Whether you’re an experienced professional, a recent college graduate or somewhere in between, IDEX is a place where you can apply your existing skills and learn new ones in an environment where you can make an impact.

With interesting opportunities in engineering, marketing, sales, supply chain, operations, HR, finance, and more across more than 40 diverse businesses around the globe, chances are, we have something special for you.

IDEX Corporation (NYSE: IEX), based in Northbrook, IL (suburb of Chicago), is a leading global manufacturer of diversified products in industries ranging across health, science, safety, fire, and fluidics. The company operates in 24 countries, IDEX is an innovative and growing company, focused on delivering excellence through diverse, winning teams. We’re a global provider of applied solutions serving a variety of markets. These include life science and medical technologies, process industry and infrastructure related applications, industrial/municipal fire, and rescue - to name just a few.

IDEX Material Science Solutions (MSS) is a newly formed group made up of 11 Materials Sciences businesses across 14 locations within the US and Europe. These businesses include Advanced Thin Films, Inc., CVI Laser, LLC, CVI Laser Limited, Iridian Spectral Technologies Ltd., Micro-LAM, Inc., Superior Technical Ceramics Corp (STC), Tecan Limited, Veco B.V., Atul, Veco Precision India Pvt. Ltd (VPI), Millux B.V., and Louwers Hanique B.V.

Responsibilities:

The Senior Development Engineer will be a specialist in ultra precision diamond turning with hands-on experience operating, programming, and optimizing multi-axis diamond turning machines. Experience with 5-axis ultra-precision machining systems is strongly preferred.

The successful candidate will develop and validate manufacturing processes for high-precision optical and mechanical components, support customer applications, conduct machine demonstrations and acceptance trials, and provide technical leadership throughout the application lifecycle. This role requires a strong understanding of single-point diamond turning, freeform machining, precision metrology, machine dynamics, tooling, and environmental process control.

Key accountabilities and responsibilities for the Senior Development Engineer include but are not limited to:

• Develop, optimize, and document diamond-turning processes for spherical, aspheric, diffractive, off-axis, and freeform components.
• Program, set up, and operate multi-axis ultra-precision diamond-turning machines, preferably including 5-axis platforms.
• Select suitable machining strategies, tool geometry, workholding, process parameters, and compensation methods.
• Translate optical or mechanical designs into manufacturable processes using CAD/CAM and machine-specific programming systems.
• Conduct process feasibility studies, cycle-time estimates, and technical risk assessments.
• Achieve demanding dimensional, form, surface-finish, and optical-performance requirements.
• Diagnose and resolve issues involving tool wear, vibration, thermal drift, servo performance, surface defects, alignment, and workholding.
• Use metrology data to characterize errors and implement corrective or iterative machining strategies.
• Provide on-site and remote technical support, employee training, and process-development assistance to customers and partner sites.
• Collaborate with machine design, controls, software, service, sales, and product-development teams.
• Support the development of new machine capabilities, accessories, tooling solutions, and application software.
• Prepare technical reports, application notes, operating procedures, training materials, and customer presentations.
• Mentor junior applications engineers and establish best practices for ultra-precision machining.
• Maintain compliance with applicable quality, safety, export-control, and information-security requirements.

Requirements & Experience:

• Due to the position’s access to export-controlled technical data, candidates must qualify as a “U.S. person” under applicable U.S. export-control regulations. This includes U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Optical Engineering, Precision Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related discipline. Equivalent advanced technical experience may be considered.
• Typically, 7 or more years of relevant experience in ultra-precision machining, diamond turning, precision optics manufacturing, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience with multi-axis diamond-turning machines.
• Strong knowledge of single-point diamond turning and ultra-precision process development.
• Experience machining materials such as aluminum alloys, crystals, copper, nickel-phosphorus-plated substrates, optical polymers or other diamond-machinable materials.
• Ability to interpret complex engineering drawings, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing, optical prescriptions, and surface specifications.
• Working knowledge of precision metrology, including several of the following:
  • Interferometry
  • Profilometry
  • Form measurement
  • Surface-roughness measurement
  • Coordinate measuring machines
  • Optical alignment and inspection
• Experience diagnosing surface-finish and form-error problems using metrology and process data.
• Understanding of machine kinematics, servo systems, thermal stability, vibration control, spindle performance, and error compensation.
• Experience with CAD/CAM software, CNC programming, and machine-control interfaces.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, documentation, and customer-facing communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and lead technically complex application projects.

Ability and willingness to travel and work periodically to customer or partner facilities

Characteristics:

• Ultra-precision machining expertise: Demonstrates deep knowledge of single-point diamond turning, machine-tool capabilities, cutting tools, material behavior, surface generation, and the factors that influence optical form and surface finish.
• Advanced technical aptitude: Quickly understands complex technical concepts, applies engineering principles to unfamiliar problems, and learns new technologies, materials, equipment, and processes.
• Process development mindset: Enjoys developing new machining methods, testing unconventional approaches, and establishing reliable processes for challenging components or materials.
• Technical adaptability: Adjusts approaches as material properties, part geometry, equipment capabilities, or customer requirements change. Is comfortable working through uncertainty when developing new capabilities.
• Analytical problem-solving: Breaks complex technical challenges into manageable components, evaluates evidence, and develops logical, technically sound solutions.
• Root-cause thinking: Investigates the underlying causes of machining defects, process instability, tool wear, and inconsistent results rather than treating symptoms.
• Curiosity and experimentation: Asks questions, challenges assumptions, and uses structured experiments to understand why a process behaves as it does.
• Creativity and innovation: Generates new approaches to machining, tooling, programming, process control, and manufacturing challenges that improve capability or enable previously impractical solutions.
• Ownership and accountability: Takes responsibility for technical challenges and outcomes, follows problems through to resolution, and communicates risks or setbacks early.
• Sound engineering judgment: Makes decisions based on technical evidence, risk, customer requirements, and practical manufacturing constraints. Knows when to proceed independently and when additional expertise or approval is needed.
• Technical leadership: Provides technical direction, establishes sound engineering approaches, and guides others through complex machining or development challenges without needing formal management authority.
• Knowledge sharing and mentoring: Transfers expertise to engineers, programmers, machinists, and technicians; explains the reasoning behind technical decisions; and helps build organizational capability.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Works constructively with Manufacturing, Quality, Metrology, Engineering, and Operations to develop solutions that satisfy technical requirements and can be implemented in production.
• Clear technical communication: Explains complex engineering concepts, experimental findings, risks, and recommendations in ways that are understandable and useful to different audiences.

Salary Range - $100-150k

Are you ready to join a different kind of company where our people, our culture, and our commitments are centered around providing trusted solutions that improve lives around the world?

IDEX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IDEX gives consideration for employment to qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, genetic information, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other consideration or protected category made unlawful by federal, state or local laws.

Attention Applicants: If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process, please let us know. Likewise, if you are limited in the ability to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, we will determine an alternate way for you to apply. Please contact our Talent Acquisition Team at [email protected] for assistance with an accommodation. These contact tools may be used only by individuals with a disability for accommodation requests. Do not inquire as to the status of an application.