Principal Photonics Process Development Engineer Packaging and Tooling

Monarch Quantum•San Diego, CA

3h•$150,000 - $200,000

About The Position

Join our fast-paced and passionate team as a Principal Photonics Process Development Engineer focused on advanced packaging and tooling. As we scale, you will be instrumental in building our manufacturing foundation from the ground up. This is a dynamic, hands-on role for a highly self-directed engineer who thrives in an ambiguous, fast-moving environment. You will play a critical role in establishing scalable photonic manufacturing processes that directly enable product performance, reliability, and cost targets. Your work will define how our technology transitions from prototype to production. You will collaborate closely with device, optical, electrical, mechanical, and manufacturing engineers to transform delicate photonic designs into robust, manufacturable, high-yield products. Impact: Establish core assembly and packaging processes that enable company growth Define manufacturing strategies that scale from R&D to production Improve yield, reliability, and cost through process innovation and optimization Build tooling, fixtures, and automation approaches that enable repeatability Key Technical Areas: Vacuum reflow soldering (AuSn, SAC, Indium, and related materials) Wire bonding (Au and Al; ball and wedge) Die bonding (epoxy, eutectic, and solder attach) Optical assembly and active alignment (lenses, isolators, fiber arrays) Fiber splicing and precision fiber handling (including PM alignment) Hermetic sealing (laser welding, parallel seam sealing) Adhesives and material characterization Process metrology and inspection (shear/pull testing, vision systems, interferometry, hermeticity testing) Automation and semi-automation development 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

BS or MS in Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field
Typically 8+ years of relevant experience in photonics or optoelectronic process development
5+ years with demonstrated ownership of manufacturing process equipment such as die bonders, wire bonders, vacuum reflow systems, active alignment platforms, or laser welding systems

Nice To Haves

Experience with laser diodes, PICs, modulators, detectors, or optical transceivers
Familiarity with hermetic packaging (butterfly, TO, or micro-optical packages)
Experience with active alignment systems
Reliability testing experience (thermal cycling, HTOL, damp heat)
Knowledge of statistical process control (SPC) and manufacturing metrics
Experience supporting low- to medium-volume production environments
Fixture and mechanism design experience in precision systems
Comfortable operating in an evolving environment with changing priorities
Motivated by building new capabilities and infrastructure from the ground up
Willing to take ownership across multiple technical domains
Hands-on and resourceful, with a strong bias toward execution

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end development of photonic assembly processes from concept through production release
Define and execute the process development roadmap aligned with product and manufacturing goals
Design statistically rigorous experiments (DOE) to optimize process windows, robustness, and yield
Manage the process control limits, qualification criteria, and acceptance metrics
Transition processes from R&D to pilot and full manufacturing scale
Lead process transfer to production, including equipment qualification (IQ, OQ, PQ)
Drive yield improvement initiatives and root-cause investigations for failures and reliability issues
Establish engineering standards, documentation, and best practices
Develop process flows, work instructions, travelers, and training materials
Determine appropriate Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles and ensures tolerance analysis follows best practices
Manages the improvement of process capability (Cp/Cpk)
Performs qualification, reliability testing, and failure analysis (including FMEA)
Design precision fixtures, tooling, and mechanisms to enable repeatable assembly and alignment
Collaborate with mechanical engineers and equipment vendors to develop manufacturable solutions and automation
Mentor junior engineers and technicians and provide technical leadership across cross-functional teams
Ensure adherence to cleanroom protocols and contamination control practices
Other related duties as required.