Technical Manager, Fiber Lasers

Lightera•Franklin Township, NJ

6d•$173,000 - $259,500

About The Position

LIGHTERA seeks a Technical Manager to support its Fiber Lasers Department in Somerset, New Jersey. The role leads the development and execution of fiber laser technologies and oversees teams responsible for laser architecture, optical design, and system integration. It combines hands-on technical leadership, people management, and program ownership to deliver high-performance, reliable, and manufacturable fiber laser products. The Technical Manager leads fiber laser design and development, including continuous-wave and pulsed systems, and guides performance optimization, research, and root-cause analysis. The position manages and mentors engineers and scientists; owns project scope, milestones, budgets, and resource allocation; and aligns the technology roadmap with business and product strategy. The role partners with manufacturing, quality, reliability, marketing, sales, and other technical leads; contributes to intellectual property and publications; and monitors industry advancements. It also performs other related duties as required. LIGHTERA describes itself as a global leader in optical fiber and connectivity solutions, serving communications, data centers, and specialty photonics markets. The company is part of Furukawa Electric Group and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Requirements

M.S. or Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline.
8–15 years of experience in high-power fiber lasers.
Demonstrated excellence in experimental optical physics, including assembly, testing, measurement, and analysis of fiber lasers.
Strong track record establishing and executing R&D projects.
Experience delivering fiber laser products from concept through commercialization.
Prior technical leadership or people management experience.
Strong knowledge of Yb, Er, Tm, and other single- and double-clad fiber laser architectures.
Knowledge of active-fiber physics, modelling, and simulation.
Knowledge of optical fibers, modes, and waveguide design.
Knowledge of nonlinear effects including SBS, SRS, and mode instability.
Knowledge of fiber devices such as fiber combiners, gratings, and mode-field adapters.
Knowledge of thermal management and packaging.
Knowledge of laser safety and reliability standards.
Ability to lead and develop technical teams, make decisions, solve problems, communicate cross-functionally, and balance innovation with schedule, cost, and manufacturability constraints.
Ability to work independently and as a member of interdisciplinary teams.
Exceptional documentation and presentation skills for audiences at all levels of the organization.
Effective verbal and written communication skills.
Proficiency with MS Office Word and Excel.
Ability to maintain discretion when working with confidential and proprietary information.
Strict adherence to company safety policies and procedures and conformity to Lightera’s Standards of Conduct.

Responsibilities

Lead design and development of continuous-wave and pulsed fiber laser systems, including seed sources, amplifiers, pump coupling, and beam delivery.
Oversee optical, thermal, and mechanical design trade-offs to meet power, beam-quality, and reliability targets.
Drive performance optimization, stability improvements, and mitigation of nonlinear effects.
Identify and explore promising fiber laser research areas to support the long-term product funnel.
Guide root-cause analysis of field and production issues in support of fiber laser product development.
Manage and mentor a multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists.
Define project scope, milestones, budgets, and resource allocation.
Conduct technical reviews and ensure adherence to development processes.
Align the technology roadmap with business and product strategy.
Partner with manufacturing to establish scalable fiber assembly and packaging processes.
Collaborate with technical leads on programs spanning fiber lasers, sensing, telecommunications, and medical applications.
Work with quality and reliability teams on qualification and lifetime testing.
Support marketing and sales teams in customer-facing technical discussions and advanced applications.
Contribute to intellectual property strategy, invention disclosures, and patent reviews.
Guide the team in authoring journal and conference proceeding publications.
Monitor industry advancements through engagement with organizations such as SPIE, Optica, and IEEE.
Perform other related duties as required.
Demonstrate effective verbal and written communication, proficiency with MS Office Word and Excel, discretion with confidential information, adherence to company safety policies and procedures, and conformity to Lightera’s Standards of Conduct.
Promote safe work practices, maintain a clean and organized work area, properly wear and store personal protective equipment, and prioritize personal safety and wellness.