Development Scientist

Corning Incorporated is seeking a Sr. Scientist, Mechanics of Materials to join the Physical Properties team at Sullivan Park in Corning, NY. This is a full-time, onsite position working primarily a standard day shift with flexibility to support instrument availability and project needs. Occasional off-hours work may be required for long experiments, maintenance windows, or time-sensitive deliverables. Travel is expected up to 10%, primarily domestic, for collaboration across sites, supplier/vendor support, and occasional technical conferences; international travel may be possible based on business needs. Relocation assistance is available.

This role supports the Physical Properties team by developing and applying small-scale mechanical characterization methods—primarily nanoindentation—to quantify hardness, elastic modulus, and related deformation and fracture metrics in glass and ceramic materials and relate them to mechanical performance. The scientist will design test plans, execute experiments, interpret results using appropriate contact mechanics and materials models, and translate findings into actionable guidance for composition and process development. This individual will also serve as a subject matter expert across R&D programs, helping guide discovery, method selection, data interpretation, and application of mechanical property insights in advanced glass, ceramic, and coating systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and execute damage and contact mechanics experiments on glass, ceramic, and coated samples, including sample preparation, mounting, polishing, cleanliness, and environmental controls
• Develop, maintain, and improve small-scale mechanical test methods, including calibration approaches, tip area function, frame compliance, drift control, thermal stabilization, reference materials, and acceptance criteria
• Analyze load-displacement data using accepted instrumented indentation analysis methods and evaluate sources of uncertainty, bias, repeatability, and reproducibility
• Investigate deformation and fracture behavior in brittle materials, including indentation size effects, viscoelastic or viscoplastic response, rate/time dependence, flaw sensitivity, scratch or contact damage, crack initiation, and crack growth
• Correlate nanoindentation and other small-scale measurements with complementary methods such as microhardness, bending strength, and other mechanical tests to connect local response to bulk performance
• Support fracture and damage interpretations through microscopy and surface characterization methods where available, including optical microscopy, SEM, AFM, profilometry, or related techniques
• Serve as a subject matter expert in nanoindentation, damage mechanics, and small-scale mechanics, partnering with composition, process, and modeling teams to define hypotheses, design experiments, communicate conclusions, and translate results into development decisions
• Document procedures, methods, results, and recommendations through lab notebooks, technical reports, presentations, and other project communications
• Maintain equipment readiness through routine checks, troubleshooting, vendor interactions, scheduling, and adherence to environmental, health, and safety practices in the lab

Minimum Qualifications and Skills

• PhD in Materials Science & Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Ceramics/Glass Science, or a closely related field; MS with significant directly relevant experience may be considered
• 2+ years of hands-on experience, in graduate research and/or industry, performing instrumented indentation including nanoindentation and/or microindentation and analyzing mechanical property data
• Demonstrated experience with brittle materials such as glass, ceramics, or glass-ceramics and a strong foundation in mechanics of materials, including elasticity, plasticity, fracture, and contact mechanics
• Expertise in instrumented indentation, including test execution, calibration, data reduction, and understanding of common limitations and artifacts
• Experience measuring hardness and modulus in brittle materials and interpreting indentation cracking and fracture-related behavior
• Experience designing experiments and applying statistical methods such as DOE, uncertainty analysis, and repeatability/reproducibility to generate defensible property values
• Proficiency with data analysis and visualization tools, including Excel and at least one of Python, MATLAB, or JMP, with the ability to streamline or automate analysis workflows
• Strong laboratory practice in sample preparation and metrology, including polishing quality, surface roughness considerations, and microscopy support
• Ability to clearly communicate technical findings in written reports and presentations for technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to work safely and effectively in laboratory environments with familiarity with environmental, health, and safety expectations and documentation

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• Experience with complementary mechanical testing such as Vickers/Knoop microhardness, microindentation fracture toughness estimates, flexural strength, scratch/abrasion, wear, or related methods
• Familiarity with microscopy and surface/topography methods used to support indentation interpretation, including optical microscopy, SEM, AFM, profilometry, or interferometry
• Experience with finite element modeling of indentation/contact or working closely with modeling teams to interpret measured response
• Knowledge of glass structure/property relationships and strengthening or damage mechanisms such as ion exchange, thermal tempering, and subcritical crack growth
• Track record of technical publications, patents, or conference presentations in small-scale mechanical characterization
• Strong collaboration, prioritization, and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to work across diverse R&D disciplines and influence decisions through data