Optical Manufacturing Engineer

Optical Process Development & Manufacturing

• Optimize optical alignment, calibration, assembly, and inspection processes for lasers, lenses, mirrors, detectors, and other optical components.


• Specify, qualify, and support optical test equipment, including interferometers, spectrometers, and beam profilers.


• Troubleshoot optical performance, alignment issues, yield losses, and failure modes using root cause analysis and corrective actions.


• Establish and improve cleaning, contamination control, optics handling, bonding, curing, torque control, alignment locking, and environmental control practices.


• Ensure optical assemblies meet performance requirements through testing, validation, and metrology activities.

Production Systems & Process Improvement (Up to 50%)

• Develop, implement, and sustain automated and semi-automated optical assembly, alignment, calibration, inspection, and test processes.


• Create data acquisition, monitoring, and analysis tools to support process control, drift detection, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement.


• Apply SPC, process capability analysis, measurement system analysis, test method validation, and other statistical tools to improve process performance.


• Define manufacturing processes, select and design equipment/tooling, qualify processes, and support pilot builds, validation, and production readiness reviews.


• Develop work instructions, process documentation, safety improvements, and control plans to support repeatable, scalable production.

Production Support & New Product Introduction (Up to 50%)

• Provide technical support, floor support, training, and mentoring for production technicians and operators.


• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to improve safety, quality, throughput, and cost.


• Collaborate with R&D, Engineering, Quality, and Production to resolve issues, transfer new products into manufacturing, and implement robust production processes.


• Provide DFM, DFA, and DFT feedback to improve manufacturability and support successful new product introductions and design transfers.


• Design and implement manufacturing lines, workstations, tooling, procedures, and process controls while supporting ERP, quality system, and alternative design/material initiatives.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (or equivalent education/experience) with 7+ years of manufacturing experience and a proven record in optical manufacturing projects.


• 3+ years of mechanical design experience, including tooling and fixture design for opto-electrical assembly; experience with compressed gases is preferred.


• Experience with complex opto-electrical systems, gas phase spectroscopy, and optical components such as lenses, mirrors, windows, coatings, and alignments.


• Strong knowledge of mechanical tooling, fixture development, and Design for Manufacturability, Testability, Quality, and Assembly (DFM&T, DFQ, DFA).


• Electronics expertise including oscilloscopes, meters, D/A and A/D systems, RS-232, Ethernet, embedded firmware, and analog/digital electronics.


• Experience with automated or semi-automated optical test systems, including motion control, sensors, cameras, power meters, spectrometers, lasers, data capture, and equipment communication.


• Proficiency in manufacturing data analysis, dashboarding, and automation tools such as Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, SQL, Power BI, and advanced Excel.


• Experience applying statistical and quality methodologies including SPC, process capability analysis, control charts, Gage R&R, and measurement system analysis.Lean manufacturing experience, including Kaizen, 5S, continuous improvement initiatives, and the ability to independently operate and manage 3D printing equipment.


• Strong safety mindset, communication, organizational, and computer skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, production, and leadership teams