Strategic Planner, Photonics

Keysight Technologies, Inc.•Santa Rosa, CA

8d•Onsite

About The Position

Keysight is seeking an experienced strategic planner to shape its growth strategy in photonics. The role identifies and prioritizes opportunities, translates customer needs and market insights into actionable business cases, and recommends where and how Keysight should invest. It works across business, product, and research teams to evaluate opportunities for design, emulation, test, and measurement solutions in applications such as optical interconnects for AI data centers, automotive LiDAR, and quantum photonics. The primary focus is strategy development and opportunity prioritization, partnering with business leaders to translate approved strategies into execution plans. The position is onsite in Santa Rosa, California. The listed pay range is $180,000 to $300,000.

Requirements

10 or more years of relevant experience in strategic planning, business development, product management, or technology commercialization within photonics, optical communications, or related technology sectors, with demonstrated strategic planning capability.
Strong technical foundation in photonics, with depth in one or more relevant areas such as silicon photonics and photonic integrated circuits, optical interconnects, lasers, or optical sensing, and the ability to evaluate adjacent technologies and implications for design, test, and measurement.
Understanding of the photonics ecosystem and value chain, and ability to connect technical developments to customer needs and commercial opportunities.
Demonstrated ability to size markets, assess competitive positioning, prioritize opportunities, and develop business cases supporting investment decisions.
Strong business acumen and analytical judgment, including use of appropriate strategic frameworks and research methods, testing assumptions, and synthesizing incomplete information into objective recommendations.
Ability to combine direct customer and ecosystem engagement with rigorous secondary research to validate strategic opportunities.
Proficiency using AI tools to improve research, analysis, and communication, with sound judgment in validating outputs, protecting confidential information, and maintaining accountability for conclusions.
Proven ability to collaborate across business and technical teams, influence stakeholders, and help translate strategy into growth initiatives.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate complex technical and commercial issues clearly and persuasively to senior executives and external stakeholders.
Initiative, creativity, and sound decision-making in ambiguous environments, with the ability to manage competing priorities and adapt as markets and technologies evolve.
Bachelor’s degree in a relevant technical discipline, or equivalent practical experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience with photonics applications or customers in AI data center interconnects, automotive LiDAR, or quantum photonics.
Familiarity with compound-semiconductor platforms, including GaN, InP, or GaAs, and their relevance to photonics design and test requirements.
Experience representing an organization in standards bodies, industry consortia, or other relevant technical and business forums.
Advanced degree (e.g., M.S. or Ph.D.) in a relevant technical discipline or an MBA.

Responsibilities

Identify and prioritize photonics growth opportunities by assessing customer needs, technology trends, market attractiveness, competitive dynamics, and alignment with Keysight’s capabilities.
Quantify total addressable market (TAM) and serviceable available market (SAM), distinguishing application-market growth from revenue opportunities Keysight can realistically serve in design, emulation, test, and measurement.
Combine customer and ecosystem interviews with secondary research to validate unmet needs, market assumptions, adoption timelines, and commercial opportunities.
Map the photonics ecosystem and value chain, including customers, suppliers, competitors, foundries, and potential partners, to identify attractive entry points and sources of differentiation.
Develop opportunity assessments that define customer problems, evaluate Keysight’s competitive advantage, and explain why an opportunity merits investment or should not be pursued.
Evaluate organic growth, partnership, and acquisition opportunities, articulating trade-offs, capability requirements, and strategic fit.
Build decision-ready business cases covering market potential, competitive differentiation, investment requirements, assumptions, risks, and recommended actions.
Assess market, technology, and execution risks, including adoption uncertainty, emerging disruptions, and ecosystem dependencies, and incorporate findings into investment recommendations.
Partner with business, product, and research leaders to align strategic priorities and translate approved strategies into initiatives with ownership, milestones, and success measures.
Present evidence-based recommendations to senior leadership and represent Keysight in relevant customer, partner, and industry discussions, consistent with business priorities and confidentiality requirements.
Communicate thorough, objective, independent recommendations to C-suite decision makers on new SAM expansion growth opportunities.