Director of Advanced Lasers

Coherent Aerospace & Defense Inc; New Jersey; On-site; USD 180,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Attalon, Inc. in Warren and Somerset, NJ is seeking a Director of Advanced Lasers to lead a multidisciplinary team developing laser systems for military applications.

You will drive technical and programmatic leadership, interface with customers during program capture, and collaborate with senior management on business strategy and capture efforts. The role requires a strong record of leading technical teams, program management, and experience with CAS accounting where possible.

Qualifications

• Masters or PhD in optics, physics, applied physics or electrical engineering.
• 15+ years of relevant experience.
• 7+ years of diversified leadership, planning, communicating and motivating people.
• Experience leading highly technical, multi-discipline team in advanced laser systems development with ownership of key technical responsibilities.
• Experience selling new programs and working with senior management.
• Experience with CAS-compliant accounting preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead a multi-discipline team of engineers and program staff developing advanced laser systems for military applications.
• Provide technical, programmatic and business leadership to the team.
• Collaborate with senior leadership on strategy and capture efforts.
• Serve as the primary customer interface during program capture and support execution.
• Collaborate with functional managers on staffing and hiring across EP&T sites.
• Develop EP&T-wide and site-specific operating plans.
• Manage the site’s expenses to within plan.
• Oversee facility management.
• Support EH&S, shipping, receiving, quality and inventory control activities.

Skills

Laser systems

Optical engineering

Program management

Customer interface

Business strategy

Staffing & hiring

Budget management

Facilities management

EH&S compliance

DoD programs

Education

Masters or PhD in optics/physics/EE

Job description

About this position

Attalon, Emerging Products & Technologies (EP&T) Business Unit is seeking a Director of Advanced Lasers for EP&T’s sites in Warren and Somerset NJ. This manager will be responsible for leading a highly skilled, multi-discipline team developing advanced lasers for military applications. This manager will be responsible for providing technical and programmatic leadership, for serving as the customer interface and for collaborating with senior management on business strategy and program capture.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

The EP&T Director of Advanced Lasers will have the following primary duties and responsibilities:

• Senior manager of team of highly skilled optical, electrical, mechanical and software engineers, program managers and operations staff who develop advanced laser systems for military applications.
• Provide the team with technical, programmatic and business leadership
• Collaborate with senior leadership on business strategy and capture efforts
• Serve as the primary customer interface during program capture and provide support as the team’s senior manager during program execution
• Collaborate with functional managers across EP&T sites and senior management on staffing and hiring
• Support the development of EP&T-wide and site-specific annual operating plan.
• Manage the site’s expenses to within plan
• Oversight of facility management
• Support for environmental health and safety, shipping, receiving, quality, and inventory control led by EP&Ts Business Operations and Quality leads.

Education & Experience

Masters or Ph.D. in optics, physics, applied physics or electrical engineering

15+ years of relevant experience in combination of education and work

7+ years of diversified leadership, planning, communicating, organizing and motivating people

Must have experience leading highly technical, multi-discipline team in development of advanced laser systems or other closely related technical developments. Experience must include ownership of key technical responsibilities, overall program management and managing customer interface.

Must have experience selling new programs and working collaboratively with senior management.

Experience working within business with CAS-compliant accounting is preferred.

Skills & Other Requirements

Required skills: technical including system engineering, people management, customer management, business skills,

• Deep technical knowledge of laser systems or closely related technology
• Ability to digest complex technical problems and lead team to correct solutions. Strong analytic decision-maker with problem-solving skills, able to handle unforeseen issues
• Ability to collaboratively manage highly skilled and opinionated staff
• Ability to establish objectives and work plans, delegates assignments to subordinate
• Ability to develop new technical concepts and sell new programs to customers
• Ability to digest market and product intel to collaboratively develop business strategy with senior management
• Personable working style with a “can-do” attitude

Preferred skills and experience:

• Deep familiarity with diode-pumped solid-state lasers and/or pulsed fiber lasers
• Prior P&L responsibility
• Familiarity with CAS accounting standards and CAS-compliant, DoD-serving, cost-reimbursable businesses
• Other preferred experiences include facilities management, inventory management, EH&S compliance, AS9100 quality standards, and the IFS ERP system

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Attalon, Inc. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Security Clearance Eligibility

Must be eligible for a U.S. government security clearance. Position requires eligibility for a U.S. government security clearance, which typically requires U.S. citizenship.