Optical Operations Manager

Optical Operations Manager

Making precision optics at the scale needed for large aperture ground based telescope systems is one of the hardest manufacturing challenges in the industry, and very few companies are doing it.

Our client needs a manufacturing manager who can take full ownership of the optics production function, leading a diverse team of technicians and engineers from raw material through coating, test and final installation. This is a floor leadership role for someone who thrives in a high precision, hands on environment and has the people skills to bring a team with them.

The role

You will own the optics production function end to end, taking day to day responsibility for schedule, yield, quality and team performance across a group that works through every stage of the optical manufacturing process, from incoming raw materials through grinding, polishing, coating and final test. You will establish and optimise scalable, repeatable manufacturing processes, drive down variability, scrap and rework through disciplined process control, and strengthen documentation and operational standards.

You will also partner closely with engineering, assembly and coating teams, lead structured root cause analysis on production issues, and ensure the floor is safe, organised and consistently performing. The long term opportunity here is significant, with succession at the senior technical level a genuine consideration as the company scales.

What you’ll need

• 5 or more years of experience in precision manufacturing environments such as aerospace, medical devices or high precision machining
• Demonstrated success leading teams in a production setting, ideally across a diverse mix of skill levels and backgrounds
• Strong analytical and problem solving capabilities with a first principles approach to complex manufacturing challenges
• Track record of driving measurable process improvements and operational results
• Comfortable in a fast moving, scrappy environment where priorities shift and flexibility is essential
• Willingness to be based in Michigan full time

What sets candidates apart

• Exposure to optics, metrology, high precision surface manufacturing or telescope and astronomy systems
• Experience leading teams where the work itself is technically specialist, requiring a coaching and training approach rather than pure task management
• Familiarity with lean manufacturing or continuous improvement methodologies
• Genuinely engaging leadership style with the ability to motivate and develop people at a range of experience levels

Why this role

Our client is one of a very small number of companies in the world making large aperture integrated optical systems, spanning ground, space and laser communication. The Michigan operation is growing quickly and this is a foundational leadership hire within that expansion.

It is not a desk job, not a nine to five, and not a role for someone looking to manage from a distance. If you want ownership of something genuinely rare and the opportunity to grow with a company that is building towards market leadership in precision optics, the timing here is right.