Principal Engineer, External Manufacturing & NPI

Position Overview

The incumbent will act as the bridge between R&D, New Product Development and high-volume manufacturing (both in-house and with contract manufacturers). This role is responsible for ensuring new optical engine, module‐level products transition smoothly into production, meet performance and quality goals, and achieve acceptable yield and cost metrics. The incumbent will collaborate closely with cross‐functional teams - design, manufacturing, quality, supply chain, and external partners - to deliver reliable products on schedule.

Responsibilities

• Engage early with R&D to influence product design for manufacturability, cost, reliability, and yield.
• Define and implement NPI processes including phase-gate reviews, design validation, pilot builds, and production ramp-up.
• Establish manufacturing flows, process steps, work instructions, validation checklists, and required tooling/jigs.
• Ensure all design specifications, documentation, and phase-gate deliverables are completed and approved on schedule.
• Monitor pilot and early production performance; lead corrective actions to improve yield, quality, and throughput.
• Plan and manage NPI project timelines, scope, budgets, and cross-functional alignment.
• Conduct risk assessments and mitigation activities (PFMEA, control plans, capability studies).
• Validate manufacturing processes and test methods to ensure readiness for mass production.
• Partner with Quality teams to define acceptance criteria, reliability tests, and drive continuous improvement using statistical tools (SPC, DOE, RCA).
• Maintain technical documentation and ensure compliance with regulatory and certification requirements.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in product development, NPI, or manufacturing within semiconductor, optoelectronics, or data communications industries; experience with optical engines or transceivers is a strong plus.
• Familiarity with TOSA/ROSA or equivalent optical transmitter/receiver technologies.
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in statistical tools (SPC, DOE), yield modeling, and reliability testing.
• Hands-on experience in defining test methods, qualification/validation, process flows, and design for manufacturability (DFM).
• Expertise in documentation standards, SOPs, drawing reviews, and specification writing.
• Proven project management skills with ability to plan, track, and deliver complex projects on time and within budget.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills for effective collaboration with internal teams and external suppliers.
• Proficiency in data analysis tools (Excel, JMP, Minitab); programming or scripting skills (Python, MATLAB) are a plus.
• Ability to travel to manufacturing or partner sites and work in fast-paced environments, including occasional extended hours or weekends; hands-on involvement in lab and pilot production when required.