Team Lead Co-Packaged Optics (m/f/d)

Q.ant GmbH; Stuttgart; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Q.ANT invites a Team Lead Co-Packaged Optics to architect and lead a new CPO Packaging team in Stuttgart, driving from concept to high‑volume production. You will own technical strategy at the photonics-electronics interface, coordinating with chip design, packaging, and external OSAT partners.

Ideal candidates bring 5+ years in semiconductor packaging, hands-on CPO experience, and strong leadership. German language is a plus for local collaboration in Germany.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics or related field.

Responsibilities

• Lead and build a brand-new CPO Packaging team from the ground up, with a focus on scalability and performance.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Analytical mindset

English fluency

German advantageous

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics

Tools

Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) packaging

Optical fiber attachment methods

DFM (JEDEC/Telcordia)

Supplier evaluation

Job description

Your mission

The future of AI computing is light, not electrons. Q.ANT is building photonic processing systems that compute with light – delivering a scalable, energy-efficient alternative to transistor-based architectures for next-generation AI and HPC applications. As ourTeam Lead Co-Packaged Optics, you are the architectural and leadership anchor of our next-generation semiconductor packaging. You will build, coach, and scale a brand-new CPO Packaging Team from the ground up, driving the transition from concept phase to high-volume production. This role is about establishing absolute technical ownership at the intersection of photonics and electronics, bridging the gap between internal cutting-edge chip design and external global OSAT manufacturing.

Your Responsibilities

• Leadership& TeamArchitecture:Build, mentor,anddisciplinarilyleada high-performingCPOPackagingengineeringteam;executegapanalysesandstrategichiringtoaccelerateourscalingroadmap.
• OSAT & Supply Chain Mastery: Own the evaluation, qualification, and end-to-end technical management of global OSAT partners, ensuring the secure onboarding of at least two qualified CPO suppliers within 12 months.
• Technical Ownership (CPO & Fiber Attach): Drive the development of advanced co-packaged photonic/electronic assemblies, mastering deep hardware challenges across optical fiber coupling (Edge Coupling, FAUs), advanced packaging materials, and high-performance thermal management.
• Design for Excellence (DFM): Bridge the gap between engineering and mass manufacturing by implementing strict Design for Manufacturability (DFM) guidelines and ensuring reliability qualification under JEDEC and Telcordia standards.
• Cross-Functional Synergy: Act as the critical interface between internal Chip Design, Systems, Manufacturing, Test, and external supply chain stakeholders to ensure a seamless product introduction (NPI) and volume production roll-out.
• Continuous Engineering Quality: Champion rigorous root-cause analysis utilizing structured frameworks (8D, FMEA, Ishikawa) to rapidly resolve unexpected reliability or process deviations.

Your profile

• Academic Foundation: You hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a closely related technical field.
• Semiconductor & OSAT Expertise:You possess at least 5 years of profound experience within the Semiconductor Packaging industry (Back-End / OSAT environment), with a proven track record in global supplier evaluation.
• CPO & Precision Hands-on Skills:You have direct, hands-on experience with Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) packaging, optical fiber attachment methods, and navigating advanced packaging materials (substrates, underfills, TIMs).
• Leadership & Empowerment:You have demonstrated experience in building, scaling, and coaching engineering teams, fostering a culture of high performance and technical accountability.
• Analytical Self-Leadership: You thrive in high-growth, innovative environments, demonstrating an advanced solution-oriented mindset and strong process ownership under tight project milestones.
• Communication Excellence:You possess exceptional written and verbal communication skills; fluency in English is required. Prior experience with glass substrates and proficiency in German are considered a distinct advantage for collaborating with local stakeholders.

Why us?

• We hire for attitudeand train for skills.
• We encourage self-responsibilityand accelerate professional development.
• We move fastand encourage experimentation.
• You have the opportunityto be part of developing breakthrough photonic computing technology and have a lasting impact on the future of computing.
• You can be part ofa passionate international, highly skilled cross-functional team.
• You will have accessto the founders of the company.