Optical Communications Team Lead

Bright Silicon Technologies•Pleasanton, CA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

Bright Silicon Technologies (BST) is developing solid-state optical solutions to replace vulnerable RF links and mechanical gimbals, aiming to redefine laser communications with multi-point agile networks. Their flagship product, OCTANE (Optical Communication Terminal for Advanced NEtworking), is a secure, high-bandwidth free-space optical terminal designed for airborne platforms and ground vehicles, enabling dense mesh networks. This role involves leading the OCTANE program from an advanced lab prototype to live airborne demonstrations, including integration with the Air Force. The position requires building and leading a team of approximately six engineers across various disciplines (modem/DSP, FPGA/embedded firmware, optoelectronic hardware, PAT controls), owning the terminal-level architecture and schedule, and ensuring seamless integration of all components. The ideal candidate will possess strong optical communications expertise to guide the team.

Requirements

BS, MS, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
Hands-on experience building optical communications systems (lasercom, FSO, optical inter-satellite links, or fiber-coupled optical transceivers) from design through integration and test.
Proven experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams through complex hardware/software integration, in roles such as team lead, principal engineer, program lead, or manager.
Strong systems-level understanding of a communications link, including link budgets, modem and physical-layer concepts, and the interaction of optical, electronic, and software components.
Experience taking a system from prototype to a deployable product.
Ability to guide engineers outside their home discipline and build a team from scratch.
U.S. Person status (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or protected individual) due to involvement with CUI and ITAR material.

Nice To Haves

Experience with SDA optical standards, JLIS/OIC2, or multi-waveform lasercom architectures.
Experience integrating optical payloads into airborne pods, aircraft, or satellites.
Familiarity with qualification of government payloads.

Responsibilities

Lead the OCTANE program technically, including roadmap, milestones, risk management, and customer/partner engagement.
Build, hire, and mentor a team of approximately 6 engineers, many of whom may be new to optical communications.
Own the terminal architecture and link budget, defining interfaces between the optical front end, fiber-coupled back end, and modem.
Collaborate with the modem lead and team on waveform, FEC, and multi-waveform strategy to meet SDA and defense interoperability standards.
Lead terminal integration and test, encompassing lab validation, environmental qualification, and flight demonstrations.
Coordinate with the optical and controls team on PAT and adaptive optics at the system level.
Bridge R&D, systems engineering, and production to facilitate the transition of OCTANE to scaled manufacturing and new optical communications architectures.