Senior Manager, Optical Quality & Reliability Engineering

TE Connectivity; City of Rochester (NY); On-site; USD 155,000 - 232,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k)

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Employee stock purchase plan

Paid time off

Job summary

TE Connectivity seeks a Sr. Manager of Quality and Reliability Engineering in the Passive Optical Engineering group. You will lead advanced optical characterization, metrology, and reliability programs for FAU assemblies powering data center applications.

Responsibilities include SPC and Six Sigma projects, DOE, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure IEC/TIA/IEEE optical standards compliance and production readiness. The role transitions to Rochester from Webster, NY.

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics or related field.
• 10–12 years of optical quality engineering experience or photonics metrology.

Responsibilities

• Lead advanced optical characterization, metrology, and alignment protocols.
• Drive supplier qualification, incoming inspection, and capability assessments.
• Develop and validate test systems with data acquisition and automated workflows.
• Apply SPC, Cp/Cpk, control charts, and Weibull analysis to predict failures.

Skills

Optical engineering

Statistics

Reliability engineering

Six Sigma / DMAIC

DOE

MSA / gauge R&R

Weibull analysis

Quality tools

Education

BS/MS in Optical Engineering/Electrical Engineering/Physics

Tools

Minitab

JMP

R

OSAs / OTDRs

Job description

At TE, you will unleash your potential working with people from diverse backgrounds and industries to create a safer, sustainable and more connected world.

Job Overview

Sr. Manager, Quality and Reliability Engineering – Passive Optical Engineering, Digital Data Networks (DDN) Unit | TE Connectivity

Join TE Connectivity's industry-leading Passive Optics organization as a Quality and Reliability Engineering Manager and drive excellence in optical interconnect solutions powering AI and hyperscale computing. You'll ensure world-class quality and reliability for Fiber Attachment Unit (FAU) assemblies through advanced metrology, statistical analysis, and precision optical characterization that enables mission‑critical data center applications.

Why This Role Matters:As AI workloads demand unprecedented reliability and performance consistency, optical quality engineering has become the cornerstone of successful deployment. You'll be instrumental in establishing quality benchmarks and reliability standards that directly enable the AI revolution while reinforcing TE's reputation for uncompromising optical connectivity excellence.

Please note: operations are currently based at a temporary site in Webster, NY. The team will transition to a permanent Rochester location (near RIC) upon completion.

Job Responsibilities

Advanced Optical Characterization & Metrology

• Lead precision optical testing: insertion/return loss, crosstalk, and backscatter reflectometry
• Perform state‑of‑polarization, PER measurements, and polarity verification
• Conduct laser/beam profiling and lens characterization for optimized coupling efficiency
• Develop sub‑micron optical alignment, pointing‑stability, and beam‑steering protocols
• Drive supplier qualification, incoming inspection, and capability assessments

Interferometric & Advanced Optics

• Utilize white‑light, coherence‑scanning, and phase‑shift interferometry for surface and dimensional analysis
• Conduct wavefront, aberration, and optical‑path‑difference characterization
• Perform spatial/temporal coherence measurements and visibility analysis
• Verify optical‑path stability, beam divergence, and diffraction performance

Statistical Quality & Reliability Engineering

• Apply SPC, capability studies (Cp/Cpk), and control charts to optical performance
• Develop accelerated life tests, perform Weibull analysis, and predict failure rates
• Lead Six Sigma DMAIC initiatives, DOE, and root‑cause investigations
• Establish MSA, gauge R&R, and calibration protocols for optical test systems

Test Development & Validation

• Design automated optical test systems with integrated data acquisition
• Develop environmental tests: thermal cycling, humidity, vibration, mechanical stress
• Ensure compliance with IEC, TIA/EIA, and IEEE optical standards
• Collaborate cross‑functionally to drive DFQ and production readiness

What Your Background Should Look Like

• Education:BS/MS in Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related technical field
• Experience:10-12 years in optical quality engineering, fiber optics characterization, or photonics metrology
• Hands‑on Expertise:Proven experience with optical bench setups, precision alignment systems, and advanced optical measurement techniques
• Statistical Knowledge:Strong foundation in statistical analysis, quality control methodologies, and reliability engineering principles
• Optical Metrology:Expert‑level proficiency with optical spectrum analyzers (OSAs), optical time domain reflectometers (OTDRs), interferometers, imaging systems, and polarimeters
• Measurement Systems:Hands‑on experience with beam profilers, power meters, insertion loss test sets, and return loss analyzers
• Quality Tools:Proficiency with statistical software (Minitab, JMP, R), SPC implementation, and reliability analysis tools
• FAU Characterization:Comprehensive understanding of Fiber Attachment Unit testing requirements, coupling efficiency optimization, and performance validation
• Backscatter Analysis:Expertise in optical backscatter measurement, OFDR trace interpretation, and reflectance characterization
• Thermal Analysis:Experience with temperature‑dependent optical performance, thermal cycling protocols, and environmental stress testing
• Manufacturing Quality:Knowledge of optical assembly processes, yield optimization, and in‑line quality monitoring systems

Competencies

SET : Strategy, Execution, Talent (for managers)

About Te Connectivity

TE Connectivity plc (NYSE: TEL) is a global industrial technology leader creating a safer, sustainable, productive, and connected future. As a trusted innovation partner, our broad range of connectivity and sensor solutions enable the distribution of power, signal and data to advance next‑generation transportation, energy networks, automated factories, data centers enabling artificial intelligence, and more.

Our more than 90,000 employees, including 10,000 engineers, work alongside customers in approximately 130 countries. In a world that is racing ahead, TE ensures that EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS. Learn more at www.te.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, WeChat, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).

Compensation

• Competitive base salary commensurate with experience: $155,00 – $232,500 (subject to change dependent on physical location)
• Posted salary ranges are made in good faith. TE Connectivity reserves the right to adjust ranges depending on the experience/qualification of the selected candidate as well as internal and external equity.
• Total Compensation = Base Salary + Incentive(s) + Benefits

Benefits

• A comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, 401(k), disability, life insurance, employee stock purchase plan, paid time off and voluntary benefits.

EOE, Including Disability/Vets