Director, Laser Technology

Diamondfoundry; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Diamondfoundry is seeking an experienced leader to head our Laser Technology group, steering end-to-end development of high-power laser systems and beam delivery for diamond wafer processing. You will manage a cross-disciplinary team of photonics engineers and optical scientists, guiding projects from R&D to production.

The role requires a strong track record in high-power lasers, advanced optics, and process optimization, with hands-on expertise in simulation tools and DOE/ RCA methodologies.

Qualifications

• Masters or PhD in Optics, Photonics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or Materials Science.
• 8+ years in laser systems engineering.
• 5+ years managing technical optical/process engineering teams.
• Deep technical expertise in high-power industrial lasers (fiber, DPSS, ultrafast/femtosecond).
• Proficiency with optical simulation tools (Zemax, Code V) and multiphysics modeling (COMSOL, MATLAB, Python).
• Strong background in SPC, DOE, RCA.

Responsibilities

• Own the technical roadmap for high-power laser systems and beam shaping optics.
• Lead and scale a team of photonics engineers and optical scientists.
• Drive scaling and transfer of laser-material processing recipes from R&D to factory floor.
• Collaborate with Equipment Engineering to design and integrate delivery hardware.
• Maximize diamond wafer yield by addressing laser-material interactions and beam drift.
• Collaborate with Metrology and Automation for real-time sensor grids and closed-loop controls.

Skills

Leadership

Laser systems engineering

Beam delivery optics

Modeling & simulation

Team management

Education

Masters or PhD in Optics/Photonics/Physics/EE/Materials Science

Tools

Zemax

Code V

COMSOL

MATLAB

Python

Job description

We are seeking an experienced, seasoned leader of Laser Technology to lead our laser process development and advanced optics team. In this role, you will own the end-to-end lifecycle of our high-power laser technology —from initial optical physics R&D and beam delivery modeling to scaling laser-material processing loops on the manufacturing floor. You will manage a team of laser engineers, optical physicists, and process specialists driving breakthrough yields in precision material processing.

• Own the technical roadmap for high-power laser systems, beam shaping optics, and ultrafast laser slicing for diamond wafers.

• Lead and scale a high-performing team of photonics engineers, optical physicists, and laser process specialists.

• Drive the scaling and transfer of laser-material processing recipes (dicing, singulation, surface ablation) from R&D to the factory floor.

• Partner with Equipment Engineering to design, procure, and integrate high-precision optical delivery hardware and galvo systems.

• Maximize diamond wafer yield by resolving complex laser-material interaction excursions, thermal lens effects, and beam drift

• Collaborate with Metrology and Automation teams to implement real-time optical sensor grids and closed-loop process controls.

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Optics, Photonics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or Materials Science.

• 8+ years in laser systems engineering, with 5+ years managing technical optical/process engineering teams.

• Deep technical expertise in high-power industrial lasers (fiber, DPSS, ultrafast/femtosecond), beam delivery optics, and galvo scanners.

• Proven track record in precision laser-material processing loops (e.g., semiconductor wafer slicing, ceramic/hard-material dicing, or optical annealing).

• Proficiency with optical simulation tools (Zemax, Code V) and multiphysics modeling platforms (COMSOL, MATLAB, Python).

• Strong background in Statistical Process Control (SPC), Design of Experiments (DOE), and Root Cause Analysis (RCA).