Director of Advanced Optics & Productization

Director of Advanced Optics & Productization

Location: Onsite in Santa Rosa, CA

Our client is expanding a next generation optical product portfolio and is looking for a senior leader who can bridge advanced engineering with real world manufacturing execution. This is a high impact opportunity to shape how complex optical technologies move from concept to scalable production, while building a strong technical team and influencing future product strategy. The right person will bring a blend of deep optics expertise, cross functional leadership, and product commercialization experience to help turn breakthrough ideas into reliable, high performance solutions.

This Role Offers

• Work at the intersection of advanced optical innovation and production readiness.
• Lead programs that influence product strategy, technical direction, and commercialization success.
• Guide a multidisciplinary team across optics, mechanics, electronics, and validation.
• Partner closely with operations and business leaders to improve scale up, quality, and time to market.
• Play a visible leadership role in a fast moving environment focused on meaningful technical advancement.

Focus

• Lead cross functional teams in the design, validation, and launch of advanced optical products from concept through manufacturing scale up.
• Translate research concepts into manufacturable optical assemblies, balancing performance, yield, cost, and schedule.
• Guide optical, opto mechanical, and test strategy decisions for precision systems used in demanding environments.
• Build and mentor a high performing engineering organization across optics, mechanics, electronics, and product realization disciplines.
• Establish development frameworks for feasibility analysis, tolerance budgeting, verification planning, and root cause resolution.
• Partner with operations and supply chain leaders to strengthen process readiness, supplier capability, and production transfer plans.
• Use modeling and simulation tools to improve structural, thermal, and optical performance before physical builds.
• Support intellectual property development, technical roadmaps, and investment planning for next generation optical platforms.
• Drive technical reviews, risk assessments, and decision making throughout the product lifecycle.
• Collaborate with executive stakeholders to align engineering priorities with market opportunities and business objectives.

Skill Set

• Advanced degree in Optical Sciences, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical field preferred.
• 10 or more years of experience leading complex optical product development efforts, including several years in a people leadership capacity.
• Strong background in optical systems, opto mechanical design, and product transition to manufacturing.
• Experience bringing sophisticated hardware based technologies from early-stage development into production.
• Knowledge of tolerance analysis, environmental performance considerations, and design for manufacturability.
• Familiarity with CAD tools and simulation environments used for structural, thermal, and optical analysis.
• Comfort working across engineering, operations, quality, and supply chain teams in a highly collaborative setting.
• Strong communication skills, sound technical judgment, and the ability to lead through ambiguity.
• Exposure to regulated or highly technical markets such as aerospace, defense, industrial instrumentation, advanced sensing, or semiconductor related applications is helpful.
• Ability to support work associated with export control or similar compliance requirements.

About the Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a strategic technical leader who enjoys building teams, solving difficult product challenges, and turning advanced engineering work into manufacturable outcomes. They are equally comfortable discussing architecture, process capability, risk, and execution, and they know how to create momentum across both development and operations.

About Blue Signal:

Blue Signal is an award-winning, executive search firm specializing in various specialties. Our recruiters have a proven track record of placing top-tier talent across industry verticals, with deep expertise in numerous professional services. Learn more at bit.ly/46Gs4yS