Principal Laser & Optical Project Engineer – Photonic Modules (opens in a new tab)

Monarch Quantum; San Diego (CA); In loco; USD 175.000 - 225.000; Tempo pieno

Vantaggi offerti da questo lavoro

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

Fidelity 401(k) plan with 4% employer匹

20 paid time off (PTO) days per year

13 paid company holidays

9/80 work schedule (every other Friday

Descrizione del lavoro

Monarch Quantum in San Diego, CA is seeking a Principal Laser & Optical Project Engineer for Photonic Modules. You will own the optical architecture, lead the program to production, and serve as the senior technical authority for laser and photonic hardware powering our quantum systems.

You will ship laser-based products at volume, develop manufacturability processes (DfX), drive supplier strategy, and lead cross-functional teams across optics, mechanical, electrical, test, and quality.

Competenze

• MS or PhD in Optics, Photonics, Physics, or a closely related field with deep expertise in laser physics or applied optics.
• 10+ years of industry experience developing laser, photonic, or optoelectronic hardware, including several years as the technical lead for modules or subsystems.

Mansioni

• Set the optical and opto-mechanical architecture for photonics module portfolio, including source selection, beam shaping, fiber coupling, and alignment strategy.
• Own the performance budgets tying modules to system requirements (optical, tolerance, thermal, mechanical).
• Make and defend trade-offs across optical, mechanical, electrical, and thermal domains; influence system-level design decisions.
• Serve as final technical escalation point for performance, yield, and reliability issues from laser physics to assembly.

Conoscenze

Shipped laser photonics products

DfX experience

Opto-mechanical design

Cross-functional leadership

Influence roadmaps

Formazione

MS/PhD in Optics/Photonics/Physics

Descrizione del lavoro

Join our fast-paced and passionate team as a Principal Laser & Optical Project Engineer - Photonic Modules. As we scale, you will be instrumental in building our foundation from the ground up. This is a dynamic, hands-on role for a self-starter who thrives in a fluid startup environment. You'll have the opportunity to work on cutting edge technologies, work closely with leadership, and develop and implement engineering practices that support our mission and growth.

At Monarch Quantum, Project Engineers are the technical owners of their modules. You’ll set the optical architecture and lead the program that takes it to production. As our Principal Laser & Optical Project Engineer, you’ll be the senior technical authority for the laser and photonic modules that power our quantum systems, and you’ll shape how we design, qualify, and scale optical hardware across the company.

We’re looking for a laser physicist or optical engineer who has shipped laser-based products at volume, many times over, and wants to apply that experience to a frontier technology. You may come from telecom/datacom transceivers, lidar, industrial or medical lasers, semiconductor equipment, or a similar industry. You’ll work directly with executive leadership and build the engineering foundation that our hardware roadmap rests on.

What you’ll own:

Technical direction

• Set the optical and opto-mechanical architecture for our photonics module portfolio, including source selection, beam shaping and delivery, fiber coupling, alignment strategy, and wavelength, power, and polarization stability.

• Own the performance budgets that tie the modules to system requirements, including optical, tolerance, thermal, and mechanical stability budgets.

• Make and defend the critical trade-offs across optical, mechanical, electrical, and thermal domains, and influence system-level architecture and build-versus-buy decisions.

• Serve as the final technical escalation point for difficult performance, yield, and reliability problems, from the laser physics down to the assembly process.

Design for production

• Establish DfX (manufacturability, assembly, test, reliability, and cost) as a standard practice across photonic module programs, starting at concept.

• Define scalable assembly and alignment processes, including active and passive alignment, attach methods, and hermetic or environmental sealing.

• Drive design and process changes that improve first-pass yield, cycle time, and unit cost, and own the business case for each.

• Lead strategy for critical laser, optical, and opto-mechanical suppliers, including qualification, second-sourcing, cost reduction, and joint technical development.

Program leadership

• Own the integrated plan, phase-gate deliverables, and budget for your module programs; manage the critical path and raise risks early.

• Lead cross-functional teams spanning optics, mechanical, electrical, process, test, quality, and supply chain, largely through influence.

• Run design and gate reviews and drive decisions to closure with clear, documented rationale.

• Report program status, metrics, and key decisions to executive leadership.

• This position requires access to export-controlled information. Employment is contingent upon the applicant being a U.S. person as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3).

Experience:

• MS or PhD in Optics, Photonics, Physics, or a closely related field, with deep expertise in laser physics or applied optics.
• 10+ years of industry experience developing laser, photonic, or optoelectronic hardware, including several years as the technical lead for modules or subsystems.

Skills:

• Shipped multiple laser-based or photonic products from prototype through qualification into sustained volume production.
• Deep hands-on DfX experience (DFM, DFA, DFT, DFR, design-to-cost) applied to optical or opto-mechanical packaging.
• Expertise in opto-mechanical design: tolerancing, alignment sensitivity, thermal and CTE effects, and attach and packaging methods.
• Track record of leading complex cross-functional programs while owning schedule, budget, and technical risk.
• Demonstrated influence beyond your own projects, such as setting standards, mentoring engineers, or shaping product or technology roadmaps.
• This position requires access to export-controlled information. Employment is contingent upon the applicant being a U.S. person as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3).

Preferred:

• Experience with narrow-linewidth, frequency-stabilized, or NIR/ visible/UV lasers.
• Experience with fiber-coupled modules, free-space micro-optics, or hermetic packaging.
• Experience with reliability qualification (for example, Telcordia GR-468 or equivalent) and statistical process control.
• Experience scaling hardware at a startup or early-stage company, building processes from scratch.
• Patents, publications, or recognized technical contributions in lasers or photonic packaging.

The expected annual salary range for this position is $175,000-$225,000.

As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for Monarch’s comprehensive benefits package, which includes:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Fidelity 401(k) plan with 4% employer matching
• 20 paid time off (PTO) days per year
• 13 paid company holidays
• 9/80 work schedule (every other Friday off)

Monarch Quantum is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status or any other characteristics protected under applicable federal, state and local laws.