Manufacturing Engineer - Optics

voyagertechnologiesinc; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Voyager Technologies seeks a Manufacturing Engineer, Optics Lab to develop, document, validate, and sustain manufacturing processes for optical hardware, translating engineering requirements into repeatable production methods and supporting operations, optical engineering, quality, supply chain, and program teams.

You'll work to meet safety, cleanliness, optical performance, quality, delivery, cost, and production-readiness objectives, with increasing scope by level and collaboration across

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related technical discipline.
• Experience with manufacturing process development and control plans.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and specifications.

Responsibilities

• Develop, document, and improve optical and optomechanical manufacturing processes.
• Support NPI, prototype builds, pilot production, and production release.
• Develop and validate repeatable methods for cleaning, bonding, mounting, alignment, and testing.
• Translate drawings and requirements into production documentation and acceptance criteria.
• Design and qualify fixtures, metrology setups, and environmental controls.
• Drive root cause analysis for optical performance issues and process instability.
• Mentor less experienced engineers and coordinate with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Communication

Problem-solving

Data analysis

Cross-functional coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Physics

Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering

Job description

Voyager is an innovative defense, national security and space technology company committed to advancing and delivering transformative, mission-critical solutions. We tackle the most complex challenges to unlock new frontiers for human progress, fortify national security, and protect critical assets to lead in the race for technological and operational superiority from ground to space.

Forge the Future: Join Voyager Technologies

The future belongs to those who build it. At Voyager Technologies, we're building technologies that protect lives, expand frontiers and prepare us for what's next. And we're doing that with people who are wired to solve, build, adapt and lead. These roles are not for the faint of heart.

You'll help lay the foundation for humanity's future. Join a culture where innovation thrives, curiosity is rewarded, and impact is real. We're a company of doers, thinkers and builders, united by purpose and grounded in reality.

If you want to put your skills to work where the stakes are real and the mission is bigger than any one person, forge the future with Voyager.

Position Summary

The Manufacturing Engineer, Optics Lab is responsible for developing, improving, documenting, validating, and sustaining manufacturing processes used to assemble, align, inspect, test, handle, and integrate optical and optomechanical hardware. This role translates engineering requirements into repeatable production methods and supports operations, optical engineering, quality, supply chain, and program teams to achieve safety, cleanliness, optical performance, quality, delivery, cost, and production-readiness objectives. Scope and independence increase by level.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, document, and improve optical and optomechanical manufacturing processes, work instructions, travelers, routings, process specifications, tooling, fixtures, and production controls.
• Support new product introduction, prototype builds, pilot production, production release, capacity planning, and sustaining production within the optics lab.
• Develop and validate repeatable methods for optical cleaning, handling, bonding, mounting, alignment, focus adjustment, inspection, metrology, and final integration.
• Translate optical drawings, alignment requirements, tolerances, test requirements, and contamination controls into executable production documentation and acceptance criteria.
• Design, procure , qualify, and sustain optical assembly fixtures, alignment tooling, metrology setups, test equipment, process aids, and environmental controls.
• Analyze yield, alignment performance, optical test results, defects, rework, cycle time, labor hours, process capability, and production constraints.
• Drive root cause analysis and corrective action for optical performance issues, contamination events, workmanship defects, alignment escapes, equipment variation, and process instability.
• Work with optical, mechanical, electrical, test, and quality engineering to improve manufacturability, assembly sequence, tolerance allocation, testability, reliability, and cost.
• Support nonconformance reviews, material review board activities, engineering change implementation, and disposition of optical components and assemblies.
• Establish process controls for cleanliness, electrostatic discharge, environmental conditions, material shelf life, adhesive preparation and cure, calibration, and tool control as applicable.
• Develop training and qualification requirements for optical technicians, assemblers, inspectors, and production leads; provide hands-on build and troubleshooting support.
• Support supplier technical reviews, incoming inspection criteria, process transfers, and production readiness for optical components, coatings, assemblies, and specialized services.
• Participate in design reviews, production readiness reviews, risk reviews, PFMEA activities, capacity reviews, and continuous improvement events.
• Ensure optics-lab manufacturing processes comply with customer requirements, safety practices, quality procedures, configuration controls, and applicable industry standards.
• Mentor less experienced engineers and technical personnel as appropriate for level.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering , Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Knowledge of manufacturing process development, production documentation, root cause analysis, process validation, and continuous improvement methods.
• Working knowledge of optical assembly, alignment, inspection, metrology, precision handling, or optomechanical integration principles.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings, optical drawings, bills of material, specifications, work instructions, test data, and acceptance requirements.
• Strong communication , hands-on problem-solving, data analysis, and cross-functional coordination skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in aerospace, defense, spac