Director of Reliability Engineering Photonics

Monarch Quantum•San Diego, CA

2d•$190,000 - $240,000

About The Position

Join our fast-paced and passionate team as a Director of Reliability Engineering Photonics. 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. Your key responsibilities are as follows: Reliability Strategy & Leadership Define and own the end-to-end reliability strategy for photonics products, from concept through volume production and field life. Build, lead, and mentor a team of reliability and test engineers. Establish reliability requirements, goals, and KPIs aligned with product, customer, and business needs. Serve as the executive technical authority on reliability risk and lifetime performance. Product & Technology Reliability Lead reliability analysis and qualification for: Semiconductor lasers (DFB, DBR, ECDL, QD, etc.) Optical modulators (e.g., LiNbO₃, InP, Si photonics) Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) Fiber-optic assemblies and packaging Opto-mechanical and electro-optic subsystems Drive physics-of-failure analysis for optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical degradation mechanisms. Develop and review FMEAs, fault trees, derating guidelines, and lifetime models. Materials & Process Reliability Testing, Qualification & Standards Define and oversee accelerated life testing (ALT), HALT/HASS, environmental stress testing, and wear-out studies. Establish qualification plans aligned with industry standards (e.g., Telcordia, JEDEC, MIL-STD, IEC, customer-specific specs). Interpret test data to drive design and process improvements. Ensure smooth transition from qualification to production reliability monitoring. Manufacturing & Field Reliability Partner closely with manufacturing, operations, and quality teams to support high-volume production. Implement reliability monitoring, yield learning, and FRACAS processes. Lead root-cause investigations of reliability issues from production or the field. Support customer engagements related to reliability data, qualifications, and failure analysis. 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).

Requirements

Preferred PhD or MS in Photonics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related field.
10+ years of industry experience in photonics hardware, with significant focus on reliability engineering.
Demonstrated experience with lasers, modulators, fiber-optic components, and/or PICs.
Hands-on knowledge of materials and interconnect reliability, including adhesives and solder systems.
Experience supporting high-volume manufacturing environments.
Strong understanding of accelerated testing, lifetime modeling, and physics-of-failure methodologies.
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence product decisions at the executive level.

Nice To Haves

Preferred experience in telecommunications, laser material processing, data center optics, or industrial photonics.
Proven track record in scaling products from prototype to mass production.
Knowledge of customer and regulatory reliability standards in optical communications.
Proficiency in failure analysis techniques across optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical domains.
Experience in managing external labs, suppliers, and conducting reliability audits.

Responsibilities

Define and own the end-to-end reliability strategy for photonics products, from concept through volume production and field life.
Build, lead, and mentor a team of reliability and test engineers.
Establish reliability requirements, goals, and KPIs aligned with product, customer, and business needs.
Serve as the executive technical authority on reliability risk and lifetime performance.
Lead reliability analysis and qualification for: Semiconductor lasers (DFB, DBR, ECDL, QD, etc.), Optical modulators (e.g., LiNbO₃, InP, Si photonics), Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs), Fiber-optic assemblies and packaging, Opto-mechanical and electro-optic subsystems
Drive physics-of-failure analysis for optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical degradation mechanisms.
Develop and review FMEAs, fault trees, derating guidelines, and lifetime models.
Define and oversee accelerated life testing (ALT), HALT/HASS, environmental stress testing, and wear-out studies.
Establish qualification plans aligned with industry standards (e.g., Telcordia, JEDEC, MIL-STD, IEC, customer-specific specs).
Interpret test data to drive design and process improvements.
Ensure smooth transition from qualification to production reliability monitoring.
Partner closely with manufacturing, operations, and quality teams to support high-volume production.
Implement reliability monitoring, yield learning, and FRACAS processes.
Lead root-cause investigations of reliability issues from production or the field.
Support customer engagements related to reliability data, qualifications, and failure analysis.