Optical Manufacturing Engineer Arrow Route, Rancho Cucamonga, CA,

What is the role about?

The Optical Manufacturing Engineer is part of the Manufacturing Engineering team and reports to the Manufacturing Engineering Manager. This team is responsible for developing, improving, and supporting manufacturing processes for optical-based gas analytical equipment. This position specifically will be responsible for designing, developing, and improving the processes involved in manufacturing optical components.

• Optimize optical alignment, calibration, assembly, and inspection processes for lasers, lenses, mirrors, detectors, and other optical components.
• Specify, qualify, and support optical test equipment, including interferometers, spectrometers, and beam profilers.
• Troubleshoot optical performance, alignment issues, yield losses, and failure modes using root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Establish and improve cleaning, contamination control, optics handling, bonding, curing, torque control, alignment locking, and environmental control practices.
• Ensure optical assemblies meet performance requirements through testing, validation, and metrology activities.

• Develop, implement, and sustain automated and semi-automated optical assembly, alignment, calibration, inspection, and test processes.
• Create data acquisition, monitoring, and analysis tools to support process control, drift detection, troubleshooting, and continuous improvement.
• Apply SPC, process capability analysis, measurement system analysis, test method validation, and other statistical tools to improve process performance.
• Define manufacturing processes, select and design equipment/tooling, qualify processes, and support pilot builds, validation, and production readiness reviews.
• Develop work instructions, process documentation, safety improvements, and control plans to support repeatable, scalable production.

• Provide technical support, floor support, training, and mentoring for production technicians and operators.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean and Six Sigma methodologies to improve safety, quality, throughput, and cost.
• Collaborate with R&D, Engineering, Quality, and Production to resolve issues, transfer new products into manufacturing, and implement robust production processes.
• Provide DFM, DFA, and DFT feedback to improve manufacturability and support successful new product introductions and design transfers.
• Design and implement manufacturing lines, workstations, tooling, procedures, and process controls while supporting ERP, quality system, and alternative design/material initiatives.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (or equivalent) with 7+ years of manufacturing experience and a proven record in optical manufacturing projects.
• 3+ years of mechanical design experience, including tooling and fixture design for opto-electrical assembly; experience with compressed gases is preferred.
• Experience with complex opto-electrical systems, gas phase spectroscopy, and optical components such as lenses, mirrors, windows, coatings, and alignments.
• Strong knowledge of mechanical tooling, fixture development, and DFM, DFA, DFQ.
• Electronics expertise including oscilloscopes, meters, D/A and A/D systems, RS-232, Ethernet, embedded firmware, and analog/digital electronics.
• Experience with automated or semi-automated optical test systems, including motion control, sensors, cameras, power meters, spectrometers, lasers, data capture, and equipment communication.
• Proficiency in manufacturing data analysis, dashboarding, and automation tools such as Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, SQL, Power BI, and advanced Excel.
• Experience applying statistical and quality methodologies including SPC, process capability analysis, control charts, Gage R&R, measurement system analysis, Lean manufacturing, Kaizen, 5S, and 3D printing equipment operation.
• Strong safety mindset, communication, organizational, and computer skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across engineering, production, and leadership…