Senior Optical Quality Engineer – NPI & CAPA Leader

COHERENT; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 146,000 - 202,000; Full time

Job summary

COHERENT is seeking a senior quality engineering leader for our optical systems division in Sunnyvale, CA. You will partner with optical design, mechanical, manufacturing, and suppliers to embed quality into product development and ramp activities.

Responsibilities include leading root-cause analyses (8D, DMAIC, Fishbone, 5-Why), driving CAPA closure, and developing comprehensive quality and inspection plans to reduce variation and ensure ISO-aligned processes.

Qualifications

• M.S. or higher in Electrical, Optical, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years in quality engineering with optical systems or photonics.
• Experience supporting NPI and high-volume manufacturing environments.
• Startup or fast-paced environment experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure quality in product and process development.
• Lead structured root-cause investigations (8D, DMAIC, Fishbone, 5-Why).
• Drive CAPA closure and validate effectiveness with data-based methods.
• Develop quality plans, control plans, and inspection strategies.
• Collaborate with suppliers to improve process capability and quality.
• Support NPI, production ramp, and manufacturing scalability.

Skills

Quality engineering leadership

Optical systems expertise

Root cause analysis

Audit & compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Data-driven decision making

Education

M.S. or higher in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or related technical field

Job description

COHERENT is seeking a senior quality engineering leader for our optical systems division in Sunnyvale, CA. You will partner with optical design, mechanical, manufacturing, and suppliers to embed quality into product development and ramp activities.

Responsibilities include leading root-cause analyses (8D, DMAIC, Fishbone, 5-Why), driving CAPA closure, and developing comprehensive quality and inspection plans to reduce variation and ensure ISO-aligned processes.