Director, Control & Firmware for Photonics Systems

Langham Recruitment; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

Langham Recruitment partners with a cutting-edge photonics company in San Jose to recruit a Director of Control & Firmware who will guide the control architecture and embedded firmware for next-generation optical systems.

The role demands extensive leadership and deep expertise in control theory, real-time embedded systems, and photonics. You will shape technology direction, oversee cross‑disciplinary teams, and drive production readiness from R&D to manufacturing.

Qualifications

• MSc with 15+ years or PhD with 12+ years in EE/Optical Engineering.
• Experience leading control systems and embedded firmware teams.
• Strong knowledge of control theory, PID, adaptive control, and signal processing.
• Experience with lasers, modulators, photonic integrated circuits, and optical measurement systems.
• Proven track record taking advanced hardware products from R&D through production.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture, development, and deployment of control and firmware systems for photonic products.
• Develop control strategies for calibration, initialization, stabilisation, and optimization of optical components.
• Own system-level control architecture across photonics, electronics, ASICs, and embedded firmware.
• Build and scale a high-performing control and firmware engineering team.
• Drive automated optical testing, validation, telemetry, and data-driven performance optimization.
• Lead complex troubleshooting and root cause analysis across development, manufacturing, and field environments.
• Collaborate with senior engineering leadership to influence product strategy and technology direction.

Skills

Control theory

PID control

Adaptive control

Signal processing

Real-time embedded systems

Python

Automation

System validation

Leadership of control/firmware teams

Education

MSc in EE/Optical Engineering with 15+ years experience

PhD in EE/Optical Engineering with 12+ years experience

Job description

Langham Recruitment partners with a cutting-edge photonics company in San Jose to recruit a Director of Control & Firmware who will guide the control architecture and embedded firmware for next-generation optical systems.

The role demands extensive leadership and deep expertise in control theory, real-time embedded systems, and photonics. You will shape technology direction, oversee cross‑disciplinary teams, and drive production readiness from R&D to manufacturing.