Senior Manager, Materials Quality and Manufacturing

About Polaris Electro-Optics:

At Polaris Electro-Optics, we are pioneering the future of optical communications. We develop cutting-edge ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals (FNLCs) and integrate them into silicon photonics to create next-generation, high-speed modulators. Our cross-disciplinary team is pushing the boundaries of what is possible in electro-optics, and we are looking for top-tier talent to help with manufacturing these novel materials.

At Polaris Electro-Optics, we are pioneering the future of optical communications. We develop cutting-edge ferroelectric nematic liquid crystals (FNLCs) and integrate them into silicon photonics to create next-generation, high-speed modulators. Our cross-disciplinary team is pushing the boundaries of what is possible in electro-optics, and we are looking for top-tier talent to help with manufacturing these novel materials.

We are seeking a highly technical, systems-oriented Senior Manager, Materials Manufacturing and Quality (Director with the right qualifications) to develop our manufacturing strategy and oversee the manufacturing of our next-generation organic electro-optic materials. This critical role serves as the primary operations, engineering and quality bridge between our offshore contract manufacturing partners, our internal Colorado finishing lab, and downstream Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test (OSAT) clean rooms.

The successful candidate will take ownership of the materials manufacturing operations including ISO 9001-compliant Quality Management System (QMS) that directly satisfies the rigorous supply chain scrutiny of our enterprise hyperscaler customers. You will oversee the external suppliers as well as all internal employees associated with the material manufacturing and quality assurance ensuring that processing realities match strict semiconductor-grade quality standards.

This role is evolving with the company and the candidate will be a significant party to the key materials operational decisions.

• Refine and maintain ISO 9001 framework tailored to a bench-scale manufacturing environment, building rigorous Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), auditable lot genealogy tracking, and instrument calibration registries.
• Own and continuously update the Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (PFMEA) matrix across all manufacturing stages to proactively mitigate risks surrounding contamination, extractables, and degradation.
• Author technical data packages, Certificates of Analysis (CoAs), and material safety specifications to facilitate seamless chemical transfers to semiconductor OSAT clean rooms.
• Serve as the primary technical subject matter expert during audits executed by hyperscaler customers and tier-one semiconductor partners.

• Define and govern the functional gatekeeper validation processes, utilizing complex spectroscopy to verify specific electronic and chemical benchmarks on incoming raw materials and finished lots.
• Establish rigorous Outgoing Quality Control (OQC) protocols, including specific multi-injection HPLC-PDA-CAD setups, trace metal purification verifications via ICP-MS, and quantitative NMR/qNMR assays.
• Translate the requirements of device physicists and optical engineers into robust chemical control limits, ensuring critical device performance metrics are met.

• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for external custom synthesis providers, directing campaigns for the multi-step synthesis of organic intermediates.
• Lead international technology transfer, process validation, and scale-up efforts.
• Troubleshoot synthesis anomalies, yield drops, and analytical drift remotely and through targeted on-site vendor visits.

• Direct laboratory staff in the execution of final-stage organic coupling reactions and macro-scale column chromatography to ensure adherence to established yield and purity targets.
• Oversee the internal micro-scale compounding of our printable photonics ink.
• Enforce stringent environmental and contamination controls during downstream formulation, advanced zero-headspace packaging, and global shipping logistics.

• Education: Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a highly related discipline with 5+ years of industrial experience; OR an M.S. degree with 8+ years of relevant industrial experience.
• Quality Systems: Deep familiarity with ISO 9001 quality management principles, batch record auditing, and the deployment of PFMEA risk matrices.
• Analytical Chemistry Mastery: Deep hands-on proficiency in interpreting and configuring complex analytical sequences, including quantitative NMR (1H-qNMR / 19F-qNMR), HPLC-PDA-CAD, ICP-MS, and DSC.
• CDMO Management: Minimum of 3 years managing custom fine chemical synthesis or electronic…