Senior Director, Manufacturing Software Engineering

Senior Director, Manufacturing Software Engineering

About Lumilens

At Lumilens, we're building the photonics infrastructure powering tomorrow’s AI supercomputing. From chip-to-chip optical interconnects to scalable photonic engines, Lumilens is unlocking a new era of computing: faster, cooler, and massively more efficient.

We are a well-funded startup backed by Mayfield and led by technology veterans. This is a ground-floor opportunity to rethink the optical layer from the silicon up. You'll join a team of world-class engineers tackling the hardest challenges in optics, systems, and scale. If you're looking for mission, momentum, and a chance to make a major impact, jump on the rocket ship—we’re just getting started.

Position Overview

Lumilens is seeking a Senior Director of Manufacturing Software Engineering to lead the strategy, development, and execution of software systems enabling high-volume manufacturing of next-generation optical transceivers (800G, 1.6T, and beyond). You will build and scale manufacturing software infrastructure that drives yield, test, calibration, and production efficiency for our photonics manufacturing ecosystem.

This is a critical leadership role at the intersection of software, manufacturing, and hardware systems. You will define and implement frameworks supporting end-to-end production—from wafer-level test and module assembly to system validation—ensuring high yield, reliability, and throughput at scale.

The ideal candidate has deep experience in manufacturing software, test automation, and production systems in semiconductor, optical transceiver, or high-performance hardware environments, with a strong record supporting hyperscale customer deployments.

Key Responsibilities

Manufacturing Software Strategy & Execution

Define and lead the software roadmap for manufacturing systems supporting optical transceivers and photonic devices

Architect scalable test, calibration, and data infrastructure for new product introduction (NPI) and high-volume manufacturing (HVM)

Drive software solutions for wafer probe, module test, system-level validation, and final test

Ensure seamless integration with MES systems and factory automation platforms

Yield, Test & Production Optimization

Develop software frameworks to improve yield, throughput, and cycle time across manufacturing lines

Lead implementation of data-driven yield analysis, failure detection, and root cause methodologies

Build and deploy automated test and calibration systems for optical modules, including DSP tuning and optical alignment

Partner with manufacturing and quality teams to reduce escapes, improve reliability, and optimize cost

Hyperscaler & Production Readiness

Ensure manufacturing software meets the scale, quality, and traceability requirements of hyperscale customers

Support customer qualifications, audits, and production ramp readiness

Implement robust telemetry, logging, and traceability systems

Drive alignment between internal manufacturing systems and customer validation environments

Cross-Functional Leadership

Partner closely with photonics, ASIC, hardware, systems, and operations teams to enable manufacturable product designs

Support NPI to HVM transitions with robust, production-ready software systems

Interface with foundries, OSATs, and contract manufacturers to standardize test and software infrastructure

Collaborate with supply chain and operations to ensure capacity and scalability

Organizational Leadership & Team Building

Build, lead, and scale a high-performing software manufacturing and test engineering team

Establish best practices in software development, release management, and manufacturing deployment

Drive a culture of operational excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement

Mentor engineers across software, test, and manufacturing domains

Required Qualifications

Bachelor’s or advanced degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

15+ years of experience in software engineering with significant focus on manufacturing, test, or production systems

5+ years of leadership experience managing engineering teams

Strong background in manufacturing software, test automation, and production systems for semiconductor, photonics, or hardware products

Proven experience supporting NPI to HVM, including yield ramp and production scaling

Experience working with contract manufacturers, OSATs, and/or global manufacturing partners

Strong programming experience (Python, C/C++, or similar) for automation, test, and data systems

Deep understanding of manufacturing KPIs: yield, throughput, cycle time, cost, and quality

Experience with MES systems, data pipelines, and manufacturing analytics

Preferred Qualifications

Experience with optical transceivers (QSFP, QSFP-DD, OSFP) and high-speed modules (400G, 800G, 1.6T)

Background in silicon photonics, advanced packaging, or optical module manufacturing

Experience building factory automation systems and test infrastructure at scale

Familiarity with DSP-based systems, calibration flows, and optical performance tuning

Experience supporting hyperscalers or Tier 1 data center customers

Experience in fast-paced startup or high-growth environments

What We Offer

Competitive executive-level compensation, including meaningful equity participation

Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance

Opportunity to build and lead a critical engineering function at a rapidly scaling photonics company

Direct impact on next-generation AI and hyperscale infrastructure

Collaborative environment with world-class photonics and systems engineers