Manufacturing Engineer - Optics

Voyager Technologies, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

Voyager Technologies, Inc. seeks a Manufacturing Engineer for the Optics Lab to translate engineering requirements into repeatable production methods while supporting operations, optical engineering, quality, supply chain, and programs to meet safety, cleanliness, optical performance, quality, delivery, cost, and production-readiness goals.

You will develop and validate methods for optical assembly, alignment, metrology, and final integration, and mentor less experienced staff in a high-stakes

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.

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.

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, space, medical, laser, imaging, lidar, semiconductor, or other high-reliability optical manufacturing environments.
• Experience supporting production optical alignment, precision bonding, optical cleaning, contamination control, metrology, environmental testing, or failure analysis.
• Familiarity with interferometers, autocollimators, collimators, alignment telescopes, microscopes, power meters, beam profilers, coordinate measurement systems, or related optical lab equipment.
• Familiarity with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, PFMEA, control plans, statistical process control, measurement system analysis, process capability, and process validation.
• Experience with ERP/MRP, MES, PLM, CAD, data-acquisition systems, statistical analysis tools, MATLAB, Python, or similar engineering tools.
• Experience with AS9100, ISO 9001, NASA workmanship standards, cleanroom or contamination-control practices, ESD controls, or related production standards.

The good-faith base salary range (OR hourly range) for this role is $125,000-$145,000 at the time of this posting. Where you fall within the range depends on your experience, skills, and location. This range reflects base salary only and does not include benefits or bonus/ incentive . This range may be adjusted in the future.

Voyager offers a comprehensive, total compensation package, which includes competitive salary, a discretionary annual bonus plan, paid time off (PTO), a comprehensive health benefit package, retirement savings, wellness program, and various other benefits.When you join our team, you're not just an employee; you become part of a dynamic community dedicated to innovation and excellence.

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Voyager is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law.

Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran

The statements contained in this job description are intended to describe the general content and requirements for performance of this job. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all job duties, responsibilities, and requirements. This job description is not an employment agreement or contract. Management has the exclusive right to alter the scope of work within the framework of this job description at any time without prior notice.

$85,000 - $145,000 USD

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in Voyager Technologies, Inc.'s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval