BD Manager – Photonics

Darwin Recruitment; California; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Darwin Recruitment is seeking an experienced Sales Manager to drive growth in North America for optics and photonics at a high‑tech manufacturing company specializing in precision glass microfabrication and 3D micro‑devices.

The role is based in the United States (preferably California) as a full‑time, permanent position. You will expand market presence, develop strategic customer relationships and translate customer needs into compelling commercial solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Optics, Photonics, Business Administration or related discipline.
• At least 10 years of B2B sales experience in high-tech industries.
• Strong experience in technical sales within optics and photonics.
• Established network of customers and industry contacts across North America.
• Familiarity with contract manufacturing, microfabrication or glass processing technologies.

Responsibilities

• Expand the company’s presence within the North American optics and photonics market, focusing on semiconductors, space, telecoms and data centres.
• Identify and develop new business opportunities, building a strong pipeline of qualified leads and strategic customer relationships.
• Establish and maintain relationships with hardware manufacturers and technology companies in optical communications, fibre optics, lasers, silicon photonics and interconnects.
• Grow existing customer accounts, strengthen commercial relationships and generate recurring revenue.
• Identify opportunities to enter new market segments and develop new product lines.
• Develop and execute commercial strategies, business plans and KPIs to achieve sales targets.
• Monitor sales performance, prepare forecasts and reports, and contribute to budgeting and continuous improvement of commercial activities.
• Collaborate with senior management to identify growth opportunities and refine commercial strategy.
• Understand customer needs and work with engineering teams to propose technical solutions.

Skills

B2B sales

Technical sales

Negotiation

Relationship building

Strategic account management

Cross-functional collaboration

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s degree in Engineering, Optics, Photonics, Business Administration

Job description

Sales Manager – Optics & Photonics

Location: United States – preferably California
Employment Type: Full-time, permanent

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Sales Manager to drive business growth across the North American optics and photonics market for an innovative high-tech manufacturing company specialising in high-precision glass microfabrication and advanced 3D micro-devices.

The company provides development, rapid prototyping and volume manufacturing solutions to customers across industries including semiconductors, optical communications, lasers, silicon photonics, optical connectivity, space and data centres.

This role offers an opportunity to expand market presence, establish strategic customer relationships and develop commercial opportunities for advanced manufacturing technologies and solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Sales & Market Development

• Expand the company’s presence within the North American optics and photonics market, with a focus on semiconductors, space, telecommunications and data centres.

• Identify and develop new business opportunities, building a strong pipeline of qualified leads and strategic customer relationships.

• Establish and maintain relationships with hardware manufacturers and technology companies operating across optical communications, fibre optics, optical connectivity, lasers, silicon photonics and interconnects.

• Grow existing customer accounts, strengthen commercial relationships and generate recurring revenue.

• Identify opportunities to enter new market segments and develop new product lines.

Commercial Strategy & Performance

• Develop and execute commercial strategies, business plans and KPIs to achieve sales and growth targets.

• Monitor sales performance, prepare forecasts and reports, and contribute to budgeting and continuous improvement of commercial activities.

• Analyse customer requirements, market trends, emerging technologies and competitive activity to strengthen market positioning.

• Collaborate with senior management and business development teams to identify growth opportunities and refine commercial strategy.

Technical Sales & Customer Engagement

• Understand customer needs and work closely with engineering teams to propose appropriate technical solutions.

• Support the preparation of project proposals, commercial offers, R&D agreements and supply agreements.

• Coordinate customer requirements and technical projects, ensuring alignment between commercial objectives and engineering capabilities.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers and internal stakeholders.

Marketing & Industry Engagement

• Develop and execute marketing and communications activities for the assigned market and territory, in collaboration with the marketing team.

• Plan, coordinate and participate in relevant industry trade fairs, conferences and networking events.

• Support initiatives that strengthen brand visibility and market awareness across North America.

Key Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Optics, Photonics, Business Administration or a related discipline.

• At least 10 years of B2B sales experience within high-tech industries.

• Strong experience in technical sales within optics and photonics.

• Established network of customers and industry contacts across the North American market.

• Familiarity with contract manufacturing, microfabrication and/or glass processing technologies.

• Demonstrated ability to develop new business, manage strategic accounts and deliver commercial growth.

• Strong negotiation, communication and relationship-building skills.

• Excellent analytical, strategic planning and project coordination capabilities.

• Self-motivated, proactive and results-oriented, with the ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.

• Excellent written and spoken English.

• Knowledge of Italian, German or French would be an advantage.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is an established technical sales professional with a strong understanding of optics and photonics and a proven track record of growing business within complex, technology-driven markets.

They will bring an existing North American industry network, the ability to translate customer requirements into technical and commercial opportunities, and experience managing the full business development cycle-from lead generation and proposal development to account growth and recurring revenue.

Experience selling advanced manufacturing, microfabrication or specialist optical components and technologies will be particularly valuable.

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity to take ownership of North American sales development for advanced photonics manufacturing solutions, working at the intersection of precision manufacturing, optical technologies and next-generation applications across semiconductor, telecommunications, space and data-centre markets.

Sindi Ngubane