Technical Program Leader

Lumentum; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading optical technology firm in Ottawa is seeking a Technical Program Leader to manage the development of innovative optical modules. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience, including significant experience in R&D program management and expertise in optics. This role requires exceptional leadership and communication skills to guide cross-functional teams and ensure projects meet performance and quality standards.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of work experience with 5+ years managing complex R&D programs.
• Strong experience in optical or photonic product development.
• Hands-on system engineering or architecture experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional teams through program phases.
• Develop, monitor and control integrated master schedules.
• Define and maintain product specifications.

Skills

Leadership skills

Communication skills

System engineering

Problem solving

Technical depth in optics

Education

Degree in Optical, Electrical, Physics, or related engineering field

Tools

JIRA

Confluence

Tableau

Job description

It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing! We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business.

If you like wild growth and working with happy, enthusiastic over-achievers, you'll enjoy your career with us!

Lumentum Canada was awarded the 2022 National Capital Region’s Top Employers for the 6th consecutive year and the 2022 Career Directory Canada’s Best Employers for Recent Graduates for the 5th consecutive year.

Location: Ottawa, Ontario – On‑site with occasional travel

As a global, multi‑cultural innovative company, we are building a diverse and inclusive culture where differences are valued. We are unified in our commitment to live our Guiding Principles: Innovate, Engage, Deliver, Excel, and Win. Our differences make us stronger, more creative, and capable of delivering better results.

Why this role exists

Lumentum’s Ottawa design centre is scaling the next generation of Optical switches, optical channel monitors, and dynamic gain equalizers. The Technical Program Leader combines the delivery focus of an Engineering Program Manager with the system‑level ownership of a Design Authority, ensuring programs hit schedule and budget and the product architecture meets performance, reliability, and manufacturability targets.

What you’ll do

Program Management Leadership

• Lead amulti-disciplinary, cross‑functional team through concept, development, qualification, and production release of complex optical modules, owning Alpha/Beta deliveries and executive status reporting
• Develop, monitor, and control integrated master schedules, budgets, and risk registers; identify gaps and drive process improvements that question the status quo
• Coordinate vendor/partner interactions, prototyping, test & characterization activities, and communicate frequently with customers and product‑line management

Technical Design Authority

• Define & maintain the product specification, translating market/customer needs into clear engineering requirements and system budgets
• Own the system‑level architecture, bringing optics, electronics, firmware, and mechanics into a cohesive design and chairing formal design reviews
• Guide problem‑solving, root‑cause analysis, and engineering‑change control, ensuring the design continues to satisfy requirements through the lifecycle
• Provide authoritative technical input to operations, quality, sales, and customers; mentor engineers in optics, electronics, algorithms, and software

What You Bring

• Exceptional leadership and communication skills with a proven ability to build collaborative relationships across various functions.
• 10+ years of work experience, including 5+ years managing complex R&D programs in optical or photonic product development, coupled with hands‑on system engineering or architecture experience.
• A degree in Optical, Electrical, Physics, or a related engineering field; an advanced degree is a valuable asset.
• Comfort navigating ambiguous situations, defining a clear path to resolution, and confidently interacting directly with customers and executives.
• Technical depth in one or more of the following areas: lasers, MEMS/LCoS, Si Photonics, coherent optics, and free space optics.
• Familiarity with DFx, Six‑Sigma, ISO 9001/TL 9000, and project tools such as JIRA, Confluence, Oracle, Agile, Tableau, or PMI/Scrum/PRINCE2 methodologies.

What Success Looks Like

• Programs launch on time and on budget, with quality metrics meeting or exceeding Telcordia and customer standards.
• Architectural decisions are thoroughly documented and traceable; design reviews promptly address actions, and field issues show rapid root‑cause closure.
• The cross‑functional team feels empowered, informed, and continuously improving—and customers view you as their trusted technical interface.

Ready to drive both execution excellence and technical integrity for industry‑leading optical modules? Apply via the Lumentum careers portal today