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Optics Manufacturing Engineering Intern

2/3/2026

The intern will participate in manufacturing engineering tasks, including flow analysis and simulation, to optimize the production of new optical products and components. Duties involve defining process objectives, mapping current processes, validating models, and recommending improvements with risk mitigations.

Working Hours

40 hours/week

Company Size

501-1,000 employees

Language

English

Visa Sponsorship

No

About The Company
Leveraging a product development and manufacturing history that spans more than 125 years, Gentex Corporation is a global leader in providing innovative protective gear solutions that enhance personal protection and situational awareness for global defense forces, emergency responders, and industrial personnel operating in high performance environments. Our portfolio includes protective solutions sold under the Gentex, Ops-Core, and PureFlo brands. Gentex delivers high performance flight equipment to meet the evolving challenges and requirements of aircrew and aircraft maintainers, including helmet systems and capability upgrades. Ops-Core provides a comprehensive portfolio of headborne protection, situational awareness, high performance optics, and respiratory protection for elite defense, law enforcement, and security forces. PureFlo powered air purifying respirators deliver next-generation all-in-one protection for a range of industrial workers in light to heavy duty environments. Our investment in our state-of-the-art in-house design and engineering, manufacturing, and testing facilities allow us to provide world-class solutions to our customers. As leaders in research and development, we are focused on continuously advancing design, performance, and protection, our products deliver a comprehensive set of integrated capabilities to support the diverse mission or job requirements of our customers. We are committed to not just meeting product requirements, but pushing them forward. Our multiple awards and contracts, such as our re-awarded USSOCOM contract, Air Force OTA Agreement, ALEP Daytime Spectacle Contract, and more are a testament to the high quality of our products and our commitment to providing next generation protection. Learn more about Gentex: https://www.gentexcorp.com/ Learn more about Ops-Core: http://ops-core.com/ Learn more about PureFlo: https://www.gentexcorp.com/pureflo-country-selector/
About the Role

Description

  

PURPOSE:

Under guidance from senior optics engineering staff, the intern shall participate in manufacturing engineering, manufacturing flow analysis, simulation and identify optimization levers to produce new optical products and components. The intern shall provide engineering assistance to project/program leads and production and engineering managers in the coordination and implementation of:

  • Definition of manufacturing process objectives and KPIs for key products
  • Mapping and modeling of the current processes
  • Validation of models
  • Identification of bottlenecks and wastes
  • Design and simulation of improvement scenarios
  • Running optimization and sensitivity analyses
  • Recommendation of improvement implementations and risk mitigations


DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES: 

  • Support new optical visor and spectacle production implementation and optimization.
  • Learn key functions of manufacturing simulation software.
  • Map and document current processes (flows, resources, cycle times, routings, shift patterns) in the relevant software and in standard work documents.
  • Build, parameterize, and sanity-check models representing the current manufacturing system.
  • Collect data from the floor and extract data from SAP (time studies, downtime logs, scrap data, material consumption, WIP counts) and load it into the model and KPI dashboards.
  • Run what-if scenarios to quantify effects on throughput, WIP, lead time, utilization, and other KPIs.
  • Help identify bottlenecks and waste by interpreting simulation results, simple statistics, and visualizations, then propose candidate improvement scenarios.
  • Prepare concise reports, slide decks, and visual instructions that translate model results into actionable changes for the engineering & production teams.
  • Document scenarios with KPI comparisons, and a recommendation memo per study (product & process).
  • Be motivated and able to work in a fast-paced, team-oriented work environment and have demonstrated multi-tasking capabilities.
  • Schedule flexibility to support critical deadlines may be required.


Requirements


EDUCATION AND/OR PROFESSIONAL LICENSE(s):

An Engineering Intern must have completed at least two years of study in a Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Management, Mathematical Sciences, Business Analytics, or other relevant B.S. degree program.


EXPERIENCE: 

At least one non-technical position demonstrating work skills, with one technical related work experience preferred.  


KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: 

Should have completed class work in the following areas:

  • Applied Mathematics
  • Programming for engineers (Python/MATLAB/R)
  • Process Design
  • Manufacturing processes and methods
  • Computer Aided Design
  • Probability and statistics for engineers
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Physics 1 and 2


Should demonstrate knowledge of one or more of the following:

  • Data Analysis & Statistics
  • Data pre-processing for input to AI models
  • Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
  • SolidWorks (or similar package)


Should have the following skills and abilities:

  • Detail oriented with very good organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
  • Self-motivated with good team skills, strong analytical skills, and strong interpersonal skills
  • Comfort learning new engineering and data tools quickly


CONTACT WITH OTHERS:

Daily contact with other engineers, managers, manufacturing, engineering and warehouse personnel.


PHYSICAL/MENTAL/COMMUNICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; talk or hear; and taste or smell.  The employee may lift and/or move up to 50 lbs.  Specific vision abilities required by the job may include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.  The individual must have a high level of comprehension, and a high level of general, verbal, written, and numerical intelligence.


WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Works majority of the day in a climate-controlled environment, with the exception of or otherwise specified, performing work in the warehouse or manufacturing areas which are subject to changes in temperature and/or noise.


TRAVEL:

Generally, travel is not required


LOCATION:

Gentex’s Carbondale facility is located in Northeastern Pennsylvania in Lackawanna County. Carbondale, PA is about twenty miles north of Scranton, PA, 50 miles south of Binghamton, NY, and about 125 miles from New York City and Philadelphia. The area hosts numerous nearby state parks, nature preserves and local colleges and universities, including The University of Scranton and Marywood University. Northeast Pennsylvania is a beautiful area and offers an excellent cost of living. It is a great place to work, recreate, meet people, raise a family and live!


Gentex Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard for any applicable state or federal protected class. Gentex is an E-Verify Participant. Pre-employment drug/alcohol/background screening is required.  

Key Skills
Manufacturing EngineeringProcess SimulationOptimizationProcess MappingData CollectionKPI DefinitionBottleneck IdentificationScenario AnalysisRisk MitigationProcess DocumentationPythonMATLABRSolidWorksData AnalysisOrganizational Skills
Categories
EngineeringManufacturingData & AnalyticsScience & Research
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