Product Engineer

Photon Kinetics, Inc; Beaverton (OR); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Photon Kinetics is seeking a Product Engineer to own cross-disciplinary development of next-generation optical measurement platforms and automated interconnect solutions. This hands-on role spans optical, mechanical, electrical, and software domains, translating requirements into architectures and guiding prototypes through validation to manufacturing.

You will collaborate with specialists across disciplines to deliver high-precision instruments on schedule and with first-pass yield

Qualifications

• Requires a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, optical/photonics, or related field.
• Minimum of three years developing precision instruments or automation systems across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Experience taking products from concept to manufacturing transfer.
• Ability to discuss technical topics across optical, mechanical, electrical, and software domains.
• Strong analytical, documentation, and communication skills.
• Proven track record of owning complex projects to completion.

Responsibilities

• Drive new product development from concept to release across disciplines.
• Own technical trade-offs and ensure subsystems form a coherent high-performance product.
• Build, instrument, and characterize prototypes; analyze data to guide design decisions.
• Manage projects, schedules, risks, and documentation; communicate progress to leadership.
• Lead design reviews and contribute to continuous improvement of engineering processes.

Skills

Cross-disciplinary collaboration

Analytical skills

Documentation

Project ownership

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/Physics

Tools

CREO

Python

LabVIEW

C/C++

Job description

Photon Kinetics is the world’s trusted standard in optical fiber testing and measurement solutions. For more than 40 years, our instruments have helped fiber and cable manufacturers deliver the performance that enables high-speed communication networks around the globe. 95% of the world’s optical fiber has been tested using our equipment. As the world moves deeper into AI-driven computing and hyperscale data centers, the demand for precise measurement and reliable optical infrastructure continues to grow. Photon Kinetics is applying its expertise in measurement science, automation, and precision systems to help build the connectivity backbone that powers the next generation of data and AI technologies.

Role Overview

The Product Engineer will own the cross-disciplinary technical development of next-generation Photon Kinetics products — from optical measurement platforms to automated optical interconnect manufacturing solutions. This is a hands-on, systems-level role that spans optical, mechanical, electrical, and software domains. You'll translate market and customer requirements into product architectures, drive prototypes through validation, and shepherd designs from concept through release into manufacturing. You'll work alongside specialists in each discipline, while becoming the product expert and owner for specific product lines.

What You Will Achieve in Year One

• Product Delivery: Lead the technical development of at least one new product or major subsystem from concept through pilot production, on schedule and on spec.
• Architecture & Specifications: Help build and maintain clear product requirements, system architectures, and interface definitions that align optics, hardware, firmware, and software teams.
• Design Excellence: Strengthen PK's NPD process — improving design-for-manufacture, design-for-test, and design-for-serviceability so new products reach production faster and with higher first-pass yield.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive new product development across the full lifecycle: concept, architecture, prototyping, validation, design transfer, and launch
• Own technical trade-off decisions across disciplines and ensure subsystems integrate into a coherent, high-performance product
• Build, instrument, and characterize prototypes; analyze data to drive design decisions

Project Management & Execution

• Manage NPD projects from concept through release, coordinating cross-functional contributors across optical, mechanical, electrical, and software disciplines
• Maintain technical schedules, risk registers, and gating documentation; communicate progress and trade-offs clearly to engineering leadership and product management
• Partner with the Product Director to align technical roadmaps with customer commitments and market opportunities

Manufacturing & Sustaining Support

• Lead design transfer to manufacturing, including pilot builds, calibration procedures, verification test plans, and production documentation
• Collaborate with suppliers and internal manufacturing to optimize cost, performance, yield, and reliability
• Support sustaining engineering on shipping products — root-cause field issues, drive corrective actions, and feed lessons learned back into NPD
• Lead and participate in design reviews across disciplines
• Contribute to continuous improvement of PK's engineering processes, tools, and standards
• Mentor more junior engineers and champion rigorous, data-driven engineering practices

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, Optical/Photonics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field
• Minimum of three years developing precision instruments, electromechanical products, or automation systems — ideally in a role that spanned multiple engineering disciplines
• Demonstrated experience taking products through new product development: concept, prototyping, design validation, and transfer to manufacturing
• Comfort working across optical, mechanical, electrical, and software boundaries — you don't need to be the expert in every domain, but you can hold a credible technical conversation in each and know when to pull in specialists
• Strong analytical, documentation, and communication skills
• Proven ability to take full ownership of complex projects and drive them to completion

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with optical fiber, photonics, metrology, or precision measurement systems
• Familiarity with motion control, instrument integration, automated test, or calibration system design
• Working knowledge of 3D CAD (CREO preferred) and design-for-manufacture principles
• Exposure to scripting or instrument control environments (e.g., Python, LabVIEW, C/C++)
• Experience working with hyperscale data center, telecom, or fiber/cable manufacturing customers
• Familiarity with Photon Kinetics products or similar fiber and cable test equipment (OTDRs, geometry systems, fiber analyzers)

Why This Role Is Different

• Work on technologies that enable the next wave of AI and data center innovation
• Join a highly skilled, collaborative team where your designs move from concept to production quickly and your contributions directly impact the products — and the customer relationships — that connect the world
• Sit at the intersection of every engineering discipline and have visibility and influence in a company recognized globally for engineering excellence, precision, and trusted performance
• Work in a company where 95% of the world's optical fiber has been tested using our equipment

Why Join Photon Kinetics

You’ll work on technologies that enable the next wave of AI and data center innovation. At Photon Kinetics, you’ll join a highly skilled, collaborative team where your contributions directly impact the products and relationships that connect the world. You’ll have visibility and influence in a company recognized globally for engineering excellence, precision, and trusted performance. We value different perspectives and problem-solving approaches. The best solutions come from teams that think differently.