Optical Engineering Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

A Day in Your Life at MKS:
As a Senior Electrical Engineering Manager at MKS, you will provide technical and organizational leadership for the development and sustaining of high-speed optical detector and receiver products. You will partner with Product Management, Sales, Customers, and cross-functional engineering teams to translate market and customer needs into product strategies and successfully execute R&D programs from concept through production. In this role, you will report to the BU Engineering Director.
You Will Make an Impact By:

• Build and lead a world-class engineering team developing high-speed optical detector products and technologies from concept through volume production.
• Be a key member of the technical leadership team driving the roadmap for next-generation optical receivers, photodiodes, detector modules, and photonic measurement solutions.
• This is a hands-on technical leadership position requiring a deep understanding of optical, electrical, mechanical, and system-level design. You will lead and support engineering activities including requirements definition, device architecture, photodiode and receiver design, analog front-end electronics, packaging, optical coupling, thermal management, test development, characterization, qualification, reliability, manufacturability, cost optimization, and production transfer.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, and Product Management to deliver successful products.
• Plan and oversee your team's work across multiple concurrent development programs. Manage direct reports, establish objectives, provide coaching and mentorship, conduct performance reviews, support career development, and build organizational capability.
• Work closely with marketing, applications, systems engineering, and key customers to translate market requirements into product specifications and development priorities.
• Establish realistic schedules, identify technical and project risks, allocate resources effectively, and drive execution to meet product performance, quality, cost, and schedule objectives.
• Travel Requirements: Up to 15 % of Travel is required.

Skills You Bring:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optical Engineering, Photonics, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of industry experience in development of optical, optoelectronic, photonic, or high-speed electronic products.
• 5+ years of engineering management experience leading multidisciplinary product development teams.
• Proven experience leading complex hardware development programs involving photodiodes, optical receivers, photonic instrumentation, or related technologies.
• Strong understanding of high-speed analog electronics, photodetectors, optical systems, signal integrity, and system-level performance optimization.
• Experience balancing performance, manufacturability, reliability, cost, schedule, and product requirements in commercial product development.
• Demonstrated success bringing complex products from concept through qualification and production.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence across functions and build high-performing teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with high-speed photodiodes, optical receivers, or optical communication components.
• Experience with semiconductor detector technologies including InGaAs, Si, Ge, InP.
• Familiarity with optical packaging, fiber coupling, RF interconnects, and high-frequency measurement techniques.
• Experience with characterization equipment such as VNAs, oscilloscopes, BER testers, optical spectrum analyzers, and laser sources.
• Knowledge of photonics manufacturing processes, supplier management, and product qualification.

We are interested in a qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we will not be sponsoring work visas for this position, at this time.

Compensation and Benefits:
Salary Pay Range: $155,250 to $258,750 per year. This range is a good faith estimate of the expected salary range for this position, based on a wide range of factors including qualifications, experience and training, operational and business needs and other considerations permitted by law.At MKS, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for the role.

Bonus: This position is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, in an amount to be determined by MKS [or as applicable].

Benefits: MKS offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance coverage (medical, dental and vision), 401(k) with company match, life and disability insurance, 12 paid holidays, sick time, 15 paid vacation days, [6 weeks fully paid] parental leave, adoption assistance and tuition reimbursement [and for participation in any stock programs, signing bonus, etc.].

MKS is an equal opportunity employer, including disability, veteran status and all categories protected by law. Please review our EOE statements for additional details.

MKS will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act and the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers.

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Globally, our policy is to recruit individuals from wide and diverse backgrounds. However, certain positions require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Applicants for these positions may need to be "U.S. persons." "U.S. persons" are generally defined as U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, lawful permanent residents (or, green card holders), individuals granted asylum, and individuals admitted as refugees.

MKS Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries ("MKS") is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer: diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. We win as a team and are committed to recruiting and hiring qualified applicants regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), religion, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability or handicap, marital status, membership in the uniformed services, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law. Hiring decisions are based on merit, qualifications and business needs. We conduct background checks and drug screens, in accordance with applicable law and company policies. MKS is generally only hiring candidates who reside in states where we are registered to do business.

MKS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process due to a disability, please contact us at:accommodationsatMKS@mksinst.com.

If applying for a specific job, please include the requisition number (ex: RXXXX), the title and location of the role