Lead Optical Process Engineer for Automated Alignment

Monarch Quantum; San Diego, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

401(k) with 4% employer matching

20 PTO days per year

13 company holidays

9/80 work schedule

Job summary

Monarch Quantum is seeking a Principal Optical Process Engineer to lead the development of automated optical alignment processes for precision photonic assemblies. You will bridge optical physics, process development, and automation to deliver robust, repeatable production solutions.

Responsibilities include designing and validating automated alignment systems, characterizing process sensitivities, and driving production readiness across cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, physics, photonics, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in optical engineering, photonic assembly, optical alignment, process development, or a related discipline.
• Extensive experience with optical alignment and photonic assembly, including fiber coupling, precision component alignment, optical measurement, alignment sensitivity, tolerancing, and process variation.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and explain the physical behavior driving an active alignment process, and to use that understanding to develop and improve the process.
• Demonstrated experience developing, characterizing, optimizing, and qualifying production processes using DOE, statistical analysis, tolerance analysis, root-cause analysis, process capability, and data-driven decision making.
• Experience designing, building, integrating, and verifying automated equipment and processes, with demonstrated focus on repeatability, robustness, and production readiness.
• Experience with automated optical alignment or test using robotics, machine vision, precision motion, optical instrumentation, or electrical test equipment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize active optical alignment processes for precision photonic assemblies, using a deep understanding of optical physics, alignment sensitivity, coupling behavior, beam propagation, and sources of process variation.
• Translate optical alignment requirements into robust, automated processes, with the goal of eliminating manual intervention and enabling repeatable production at scale.
• Develop, integrate, and validate automated alignment systems using robotics, precision motion, machine vision, optical instrumentation, and real-time measurement and feedback.
• Characterize alignment processes to understand sensitivities, identify sources of variation, and establish process windows, tolerances, and control strategies.
• Use DOE, statistical analysis, tolerance analysis, root-cause analysis, and process capability analysis to optimize processes and demonstrate repeatability and robustness.
• Diagnose process failures by determining whether the underlying cause is optical, mechanical, measurement-related, software-related, or procedural, and develop effective corrective actions.
• Drive innovation in optical alignment methods, process architecture, modeling, analysis, and automation to support the product roadmap.
• Work with product and design engineers to identify opportunities to design products and assemblies for automated alignment and manufacturing.
• Lead processes from development through qualification and production release, including requirements definition, process development, verification, documentation, and transfer.
• Work independently and collaboratively while maintaining clear communication with engineering leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Plan and execute engineering activities including data collection, analysis, peer reviews, technical documentation, and decision-making.
• Support project engineering with scope, schedule, resource, and risk analysis.

Skills

Optical alignment

Robotics

Machine vision

Automation

Statistical analysis

DOE

Education

Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, physics, photonics, or related field

Tools

Mechanical CAD

Python

MATLAB

Instrumentation & measurement

Electrical test equipment

Job description

Monarch Quantum is seeking a Principal Optical Process Engineer to lead the development of automated optical alignment processes for precision photonic assemblies. You will bridge optical physics, process development, and automation to deliver robust, repeatable production solutions.

Responsibilities include designing and validating automated alignment systems, characterizing process sensitivities, and driving production readiness across cross-functional teams.