Head of Manufacturing Science & Technology; MS&T

Position: Head of Manufacturing Science & Technology (MS&T)
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Description

OVERVIEW:

The Head of Manufacturing Science & Technology (MS&T) is the senior technical authority responsible for translating scientifically complex products and processes into robust, scalable, and repeatable manufacturing operations. This role sits at the critical interface between R&D and Manufacturing, with direct accountability for Design for Manufacturing (DFM), process development, overseeing Sustaining Engineering (current and improved processes/equipment) and scale up of production for the Light Adjustable Lens (LAL) intraocular lens platform and its accessories (including lens delivery device and cartridge).

This position is intentionally designed for a leader who remains deeply hands on and technically engaged. The Head of MS&T is expected to work seamlessly across early stage product and process development for new IOL technologies and day to day manufacturing floor support, ensuring that scientific understanding of materials, process physics, and equipment behavior directly informs manufacturing decisions.

The role requires direct involvement in shaping product and process designs to ensure manufacturability, robustness, and long term scalability, and in leading the scale up from development and pilot builds into stable, high volume commercial production of IOLs and their accessories. Success depends on the ability to diagnose and solve complex manufacturing problems at the material, process, and equipment level, while enabling a lean, highly capable technical team to do the same.

The Head of MS&T is expected to remain personally engaged in technical problem solving, providing hands on leadership that ensures manufacturing processes are scientifically sound, operationally stable, and capable of supporting the company's growth while maintaining world class quality and regulatory compliance.

Requirements

Manufacturing Science & Process Development

* Serve as the hands on technical authority for manufacturing processes supporting the IOL and its accessories, with direct involvement in materials, process physics, and equipment behavior.

* Lead and personally engage in process development, characterization, and optimization for material processing, precision molding, assembly, and finishing operations.

* Apply first principles scientific understanding, DOE, SPC, and advanced analytics to diagnose and resolve complex manufacturing issues.

* Drive process robustness, yield improvement, COGS/Gross Margin improvements and scrap reduction through direct technical problem solving, not escalation alone.

Technology Transfer, DFM and Scale-Up

* Co-lead Design for Manufacturing (DFM) activities in close partnership with R&D, ensuring product and process designs are manufacturable, robust, and scalable from inception.

* Maintain direct technical involvement during scale up of the LAL and its accessories, from early development and pilot builds through stable, high volume commercial production.

* Ensure smooth technology transfer by remaining actively engaged during early manufacturing, not operating solely as a transition gate.

* Own manufacturing readiness from a technical risk perspective, ensuring materials, processes, and equipment are production ready.

Manufacturing Engineering & Operational Excellence

* Champion and lead scientific/technical problem solving (involving Manufacturing, Quality, R&D, and Supply Chain) rooted in data, experimentation, and physical understanding.

* Demonstrate true ownership of the production process - comfortable originating proposals, designing a strategy/plan and overseeing through and past implementation

* Ensure validated processes reflect process understanding rather than procedural compliance alone.

* In collaboration with RD&E, guide automation and equipment development with an emphasis on long term process stability and scalability.

Technical Leadership & Team Model

* Define, execute, and own long-term MS&T roadmap that aligns MS&T capabilities with the company's long-term product pipeline, cost structure, and capacity growth objectives.

* Build and lead a lean, highly technical MS&T organization where leaders are expected to remain technically active,…