Optical NPI Engineer: Precision Optics for Scale Relocation

Protagonist Management LLC; Austin, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Competitive salary and equity options

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

Exowatt in Austin, TX is seeking a Manufacturing/NPI Engineer focused on optics to move precision optical components from prototype to high-volume production. You will own manufacturing readiness, collaborate with design engineers and suppliers, and ensure quality, cost, and ramp targets are met.

Relocation to Austin is provided. The role requires 4+ years in optical manufacturing/NPI, hands-on metrology, and experience transitioning hardware through NPI gates into volume production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Optical, Mechanical, Manufacturing, or Industrial Engineering, Physics, or related field.
• 4+ years of manufacturing, process, or NPI engineering experience with precision optical components or optomechanical assemblies.
• Hands-on experience with optical metrology tools and methods (interferometry, spectrophotometry, CMM, imaging-based alignment verification).

Responsibilities

• Own new product introduction (NPI) for optical components and assemblies from design-for-manufacturing feedback through pilot builds and volume ramp.
• Develop, document, and validate manufacturing and assembly processes for precision optics including alignment, bonding, coating, cleaning, handling.
• Define and implement optical metrology and quality controls with acceptance criteria for suppliers.
• Qualify and develop optics manufacturing and assembly suppliers domestically and internationally: audits, first article inspections, PPAP.
• Partner with design engineering to translate optical performance requirements into manufacturable specifications and tolerances.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action for optical yield, quality, and reliability issues across pilot and production builds.
• Drive cost-reduction and yield-improvement initiatives balancing optical performance, manufacturability and cost.
• Build documentation backbone: work instructions, control plans, PFMEAs, and process flow diagrams for optical manufacturing and assembly.
• Travel to supplier and manufacturing sites (domestic and international) as needed.

Skills

NPI engineering

Optical fabrication

Optical metrology

Supplier management

GD&T

Root cause analysis

Volume manufacturing

Process troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Optical/Mechanical/Manufacturing Engineering or related field

Tools

CMM

Interferometry

Spectrophotometry

Coating processes

Job description

Exowatt in Austin, TX is seeking a Manufacturing/NPI Engineer focused on optics to move precision optical components from prototype to high-volume production. You will own manufacturing readiness, collaborate with design engineers and suppliers, and ensure quality, cost, and ramp targets are met.

Relocation to Austin is provided. The role requires 4+ years in optical manufacturing/NPI, hands-on metrology, and experience transitioning hardware through NPI gates into volume production.