Manager of Photonics Development

Darwin Recruitment; New Jersey; On-site; USD 225,000 - 275,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Performance Bonus

Comprehensive Benefits

Job summary

Darwin Recruitment in the United States is partnering with a premier defence tech innovator in New Jersey to recruit a Manager of Photonics Development. This leadership role directs a high-caliber R&D team focused on photonic subsystems, high-power directed energy, ruggedized LiDAR, and secure free-space optical links for extreme environments.

Lead architecture and program execution across internal R&D and government contracts, ensuring MIL-STD compliance and SWaP-C targets while scaling

Qualifications

• MS/PhD required in a relevant field (Photonics/Optical Eng/Physics/EE).
• 5+ years of hands-on photonics R&D experience, incl. 2+ years leading teams or programs.
• Proven track record with III-V semiconductors, fiber lasers, nonlinear optics, or ruggedized optical systems.
• Security Clearance: U.S. Citizenship required; ability to obtain/maintain DoD Secret or Top Secret clearance.

Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership: Direct multidisciplinary photonics engineers, physicists, and technicians from concept to prototypes.
• System Architecture: Develop PICs, fiber laser architectures, and electro-optic sensors for aerospace/defense platforms.
• Program Execution: Manage R&D budgets, labs, and milestones for internal and government contracts.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Align with systems engineering, reliability, and manufacturing to meet SWaP-C and MIL-STD requirements.

Skills

Photonics R&D leadership

Team leadership

System architecture

Security clearance readiness

Education

MS/PhD in Photonics/Optical Engineering/Physics/Electrical Engineering

Job description

Location: Central / Northern New Jersey (On-site)

Base Compensation: $225,000 – $275,000 USD + Annual Performance Bonus & Comprehensive Benefits

Sector: Defence & Aerospace Systems

The Opportunity

Our client, a premier innovator in mission-critical defence technologies, is seeking a Manager of Photonics Development to lead an elite R&D team in New Jersey. You will spearhead the design, prototyping, and maturation of next-generation optical and photonic subsystems including high-power directed energy, ruggedized LiDAR, and secure free-space optical communications built to perform in extreme environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Leadership: Direct a multidisciplinary team of photonics engineers, physicists, and lab technicians from initial concept and physics modeling through to field-ready prototypes.
• System Architecture: Guide the development of photonic integrated circuits (PICs), fiber laser architectures, and electro-optic sensors tailored for aerospace and defence platforms.
• Program Execution: Manage R&D budgets, lab infrastructure, and technical milestones across both internal R&D initiatives and government-funded defense contracts.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Partner with systems engineering, reliability, and manufacturing teams to ensure designs meet strict SWaP-C (Size, Weight, Power, and Cost) and MIL-STD requirements.

Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Photonics, Optical Engineering, Physics, or Electrical Engineering.
• 5+ years of hands-on photonics R&D experience, including 2+ years leading technical teams or complex engineering programs.
• Proven track record with III-V semiconductors, fiber lasers, nonlinear optics, or ruggedized optical systems.
• Security Clearance: U.S. Citizenship is required; ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret or Top Secret clearance.