Product Development Manager

Samtec, Inc. Position Title

New Product Development Manager

Samtec is seeking a New Product Development Manager to join our team in the Silicon Valley Design Center located in Santa Clara, CA. The New Product Development Manager owns all aspects of optical transceiver development programs, managing a staff of cross‑disciplinary associates, engineering experts, project leaders, and project management teams from concept approval through production release. They are highly effective leaders steeped in product development, optical transceiver technology, and have proven competence in a key engineering discipline with adjacent competencies such as EE, RF‑optics, photonics, signal integrity, physics, ME, material science, thermal, and firmware.

• Lead the end‑to‑end development process for optoelectronic assemblies, from concept and prototyping to production and market release.
• Collaborate with marketing, engineering, sourcing, manufacturing, and quality teams to define product specifications, plans, and budgets.
• Build and constantly tune the composition of a high‑performing team.
• Oversee the design, development, and testing of optoelectronic components, ensuring performance, reliability, efficiency, and compliance with industry standards.
• On time, on scope, on performance, on quality, on cost.
• Set up decision processes and roles to ensure timely execution.
• Identify and integrate emerging technologies and materials to enhance product performance and competitiveness.
• Manage project milestones, mitigate risks, and resolve technical challenges to keep development on track.
• Serve as the primary liaison between R&D, supply chain, and external partners or vendors.
• Analyze market and customer feedback to refine product designs and prioritize development pipelines.
• Mentor and guide team members, fostering a culture of innovation and technical excellence.
• Communicate up, across, and down the organization.

The responsibilities as defined are intended to serve as a general guideline for this position. Associates may be asked to perform additional tasks depending on strengths and capabilities.

• 5+ years of experience in new product development, with at least a couple of cycles from concept to revenue and at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Strong leader of people, technology and product development, driving with a sense of urgency.
• Proven expertise in optoelectronics, including knowledge of optical systems, optical transceivers, semiconductor devices, or related assemblies.
• Strong project management skills, with experience using tools such as MS Project, Jira, or similar.
• Familiarity with manufacturing processes, quality assurance, and regulatory requirements for optoelectronic products.
• Excellent problem‑solving abilities and a track record of delivering complex projects on time and within budget.
• Exceptional communication and leadership skills to inspire teams and influence stakeholders.

PhD + 7y, MS + 9y, BS + 10y
Electrical Engineering, Optics, Physics, Materials Science, Semiconductor Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering

The preferred location for this position is the Silicon Valley Design Center in Santa Clara, CA. Salary range: $232,000 – $290,000 per year, commensurate with experience, plus generous Samtec bonuses paid three times per year. The secondary location is the Samtec Vista design center in San Diego/Vista, CA: salary range $211,000 – $264,000. The third location is the Samtec Microelectronics facility in Colorado Springs, CO: salary range $189,000 – $237,000.

Benefits include medical (HSA/PPO), dental, vision, hearing, group life, AD&D, short‑ and long‑term disability, EAP, 401(k) match, profit sharing, and paid time off.

Founded in 1976, Samtec is a privately held, $950 million global manufacturer of a broad line of electronic interconnect solutions, including high‑speed board‑to‑board, high‑speed cables, mid‑board and panel optics, precision RF, flexible stacking, and micro/rugged components and cables. Samtec Technology Centers develop and advance technologies, strategies, and products to optimize performance and cost from bare die to interface. With 40+ international locations and products sold in more than 125 countries, Samtec’s global presence enables unmatched customer service.

SAMTEC, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and committed to creating a diverse environment. All employment decisions at Samtec are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national origin, pregnancy or parental status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military service, or other protected status.