Director, OCS System & Test Architecture

Coherent Corp.; Saxonburg (PA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Coherent Corp. is seeking an experienced architect to own the OCS system and test engineering strategy. You will guide architecture, model optical paths, and lead multi-disciplinary teams from design through sustainment, ensuring performance and reliability.

The role requires deep expertise in optical networking, system engineering, and test automation, with on-site work in Sunnyvale, CA. English fluency and strong leadership are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Computer/Optical Engineering, Photonics, Physics or related field; Master's/PhD preferred.
• 12+ years in optical networking, photonic systems or related; 5+ years leading multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience taking hardware/firmware/software products through requirements, architecture, integration and sustaining.
• Leadership of OCS or optical-system architecture, automated test equipment, or manufacturing test teams.
• Fluency in written and spoken English; ability to collaborate across sites and partners.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, technical-writing, and interpersonal skills.
• Proven people-leadership including hiring, performance mgmt, budget ownership.
• Deep understanding of optical circuit switching and liquid-crystal OCS designs preferred.
• Knowledge of optical networks, datacenter interconnects, budgets, loss, crosstalk, latency.
• Systems-engineering discipline: requirements decomposition, traceability, risk mgmt, FMEA.
• Experience with test equipment, automation, calibration, diagnostics, and safe lab practices.
• Proficiency in test-software and automation architecture.
• Working knowledge of embedded systems, firmware, telemetry, APIs, security.
• Familiarity with optical networking standards and industry forums.
• Judgment balancing performance, risk, manufacturability, cost, schedule.

Responsibilities

• Define and maintain overall OCS product system architecture; interfaces, operating modes, telemetry, and fault handling.
• Translate customer needs into system requirements, specifications, and acceptance criteria.
• Lead architectural trade-offs across performance, scalability, and cost; manage risks.
• Develop system modeling and analysis for optical paths, control, and margins.
• Lead reviews, drive system integration and root-cause analysis; coordinate cross-functional teams.

Skills

OCS architecture

Optical networking

System engineering

Test automation

Leadership

Requirements traceability

Cross-functional collaboration

Budget ownership

English fluency

RFP/RFI communication

Education

Bachelor in Electrical/Computer/Optical Eng, Photonics or Physics

Master's or PhD preferred

Job description

Coherent Corp. is seeking an experienced architect to own the OCS system and test engineering strategy. You will guide architecture, model optical paths, and lead multi-disciplinary teams from design through sustainment, ensuring performance and reliability.

The role requires deep expertise in optical networking, system engineering, and test automation, with on-site work in Sunnyvale, CA. English fluency and strong leadership are essential.