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