Manager, Internal Fabrication & Metrology Tool Development

The Manager, Internal Fabrication & Metrology Tool Development is responsible for leading the design, development, and deployment of advanced custom manufacturing and optical metrology systems that support infrared lens production and R&D. This role leads a multidisciplinary team in creating next-generation fabrication, test, and measurement solutions, including proprietary fabrication equipment, interferometric systems, and automated test platforms. The position requires both strong technical leadership and hands-on engineering capability, with a focus on enabling scalable, high-precision manufacturing and
measurement processes.

Responsibilities:
Leadership & Team Development
• Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary team of engineers and technicians (optical,
mechanical, electrical, and software disciplines).
• Establish team goals, priorities, and performance expectations aligned with organizational
objectives.
• Drive a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Support recruiting, onboarding, and professional development of team members.

Tool & System Development
• Own the full lifecycle development of internal fabrication and metrology systems:
o Requirements definition
o System architecture
o Detailed design
o Fabrication and assembly
o Integration and validation
o Production release and sustainment
• Design and develop custom fabrication equipment tailored to infrared optics manufacturing,
including tooling for molded chalcogenide and other IR materials.
• Develop precision optical metrology systems, including:
o Interferometers
o Null lenses
o Wavefront sensing systems
o MTF benches
o Imaging and automated inspection platforms

Technical Execution
• Define system-level performance requirements, including:
o Measurement accuracy and uncertainty budgets
o Repeatability and reproducibility
o Throughput and yield impact
• Lead opto-mechanical design, alignment strategies, and calibration methodologies.
• Oversee development of automation and data acquisition systems (LabVIEW, Python,
MATLAB).
• Ensure robust system documentation, including design records, calibration procedures, and
user documentation.

Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Partner with Manufacturing, Quality, Optical Design, and R&D teams to:
o Identify capability gaps
o Translate product and process needs into tooling requirements
o Support NPI and production scale-up
• Provide technical leadership in root cause analysis, yield improvement, and process
optimization initiatives.

Quality, Compliance & Standards
• Establish and maintain calibration traceability and measurement system validation.
• Ensure all internally developed systems meet AS9100 and/or ISO 17025 standards.
• Support internal and external audits related to metrology systems and calibration processes.
Program & Project Management
• Manage multiple concurrent development programs, including:
o Project timelines and milestones
o Resource allocation
o Budget management
• Provide regular status updates to senior leadership.
• Identify and mitigate technical and program risks.

Experience/qualifications:
Required
• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or related field
• 7+ years of experience in precision instrumentation, metrology, or optical systems
development
• 3+ years of leadership experience managing technical teams
• Hands-on experience with:
o Opto-mechanical design and alignment
o Optical metrology systems
o Calibration and measurement systems
• Strong understanding of measurement uncertainty and system validation
• Experience working in a regulated manufacturing environment
• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. and eligible for required U.S. Government
authorizations (ITAR)

Preferred
• M.S. or Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field
• Experience with infrared optics or molded glass materials
• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or similar tools
• Experience designing custom interferometric or imaging systems
• Familiarity with automation, robotics, or advanced manufacturing equipment
• Experience implementing ISO 17025-compliant metrology systems