Supplier Development Engineer - Advanced Photonics & Precision Manufacturing

Overview

Supplier Development Engineer – Advanced Photonics & Precision Manufacturing.

Location:

Los Angeles, CA (On-site). Travel:
Frequent domestic and international travel, including Europe and the San Francisco Bay Area. This is a hands-on, externally facing, execution-driven role focused on building a global supplier ecosystem for advanced photonics and precision manufacturing.

A fast-growing, venture-backed hardware company is building next-generation optical and photonic systems that push the limits of physics and manufacturing. The team scales highly specialized hardware with semiconductor-style wafer processing, precision optical assemblies, and tightly controlled manufacturing processes. The.

Supplier Development Engineer will execute an aggressive supply chain roadmap with immediate impact over the next two months and sustained ownership over the following year.

We are a deep-technology hardware company focused on unlocking new capabilities in optical and photonic systems through vertically integrated design, manufacturing, and software. Our team combines physics, engineering, and advanced manufacturing to develop hardware platforms that operate at extreme tolerances and scale.

• Execute supplier development activities tied to an aggressive manufacturing and supply chain timeline with near-term milestones requiring immediate focus
• Identify, evaluate, and onboard new suppliers, processes, and equipment capable of supporting advanced photonic and optical hardware
• Collaborate with silicon photonics and wafer processing vendors to ensure on-time delivery, yield improvement, and process stability
• Travel extensively to supplier sites (Europe and the Bay Area) to drive execution, resolve issues, and accelerate readiness
• Develop and qualify suppliers producing components with sub-micron tolerances and demanding optical, thermal, and reliability requirements
• Partner with suppliers to define process flows, quality standards, inspection methods, and in-line controls
• Lead supplier-side investigations related to yield, reliability, and performance, coordinating corrective actions and continuous improvement
• Collaborate cross-functionally with internal engineering and manufacturing teams to align supplier capabilities with product requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Engineering, Physics, or a closely related technical field
• Strong foundational knowledge in mechanical engineering, manufacturing processes, semiconductors, or photonics
• 3+ years of experience working with external vendors, suppliers, or manufacturing partners, or demonstrated ability to ramp quickly in supplier-facing roles
• Comfortable operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments where priorities evolve rapidly

• Background in process engineering or mechanical engineering
• Experience supporting high-volume or scale-up manufacturing environments
• Working knowledge of GD&T and precision tolerance analysis
• Exposure to optical components, photonics manufacturing, or semiconductor-style processes

• Opportunity to make an immediate, visible impact on a critical production timeline
• Direct ownership of supplier relationships and manufacturing outcomes
• Hands-on role with significant autonomy and decision-making responsibility
• Fast-growing startup environment with meaningful technical challenges
• Collaborative, highly technical team focused on solving problems that have not been solved before

$120,000 - $180,000

Mid-Senior level

Full-time

Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Engineering

Semiconductor Manufacturing and Manufacturing

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