Engineering Manager

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and develop a team of engineers across optical/laser, mechanical, electrical, and test disciplines.
• Provide day-to-day technical guidance, coaching, performance feedback, and career development for direct reports.
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and results-oriented engineering culture.
• Support resource planning in coordination with engineering director and other engineering managers in the R&D team.

Technical & Product Development Leadership

• Provide technical leadership for the development of laser engines, laser diode modules, multi-laser light engines, and laser measurement systems.
• Guide system-level design decisions, requirements flow-down, design reviews, and risk mitigation.
• Ensure sound engineering practices across design, prototyping, testing, verification, and documentation.
• Review and approve technical deliverables to ensure performance, quality, reliability, and safety requirements are met.
• Remain close at a technical level to provide credible technical guidance, design review input, and problem-solving support as needed.

Project Management

• Lead execution of development projects from concept through design release and transfer to manufacturing.
• Develop and manage schedules, priorities, and resource allocation for assigned projects.
• Identify technical, schedule, and resource risks and develop mitigation plans.
• Ensure projects follow the phase-gate development processes and hold phase-gate reviews for project milestones.
• Ensure product deliverables such as design documentation, test results, analyses and outputs are reviewed and recorded.
• Support NPI transfer activities to ensure effective handoff of new products to Operations.

Support Customer Engagement

• Support customer engagement and technical discussions as needed in coordination with the Engineering Director, Product Management, and Sales.
• Provide clear and timely program status updates, technical assessments, and risk communication to the engineering management team.

Education & Experience

BS degree required (MS or PhD preferred) in Optical Engineering, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline. 7–10 years of experience in laser or photonics product development, including hands-on engineering roles. 2–5 years of experience in an engineering leadership role, including direct people management or formal technical team leadership. Laser system product development experience (free-space and/or fiber-coupled) strongly preferred. Technical Background & Skills: Broad understanding of laser systems, laser diodes, modules, optics, and optical/mechanical integration. Experience leading multidisciplinary development teams (optical, mechanical, electrical, firmware/software, and test). Familiarity with system-level architecture, prototype development, and validation testing (including automated instrumentation/laser measurement where applicable). Working knowledge of laser safety and laboratory best practices. Strong technical judgment with system-level thinking. Clear written/verbal communication and comfort translating business needs into executable requirements and engineering plans. Experience with engineering project management tools/methods (Wrike/Agile/Kanban).

Safety Requirements

All employees are required to follow the site EHS procedures and Coherent Corp. Corporate EHS standards.

Quality & Environmental Responsibilities

Depending on location, this position may be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the ISO 9000, 9001, 14001 and/or other applicable standards that may apply to the relevant roles and responsibilities within the Quality Management System and Environmental Management System.

Culture Commitment

Ensure adherence to company’s values (ICARE): Integrity – Create an Environment of Trust Collaboration – Innovate Through the Sharing of Ideas Accountability – Own the Process and the Outcome Respect – Recognize the Value in Everyone Enthusiasm – Find a Sense of Purpose in Work

About Us

Coherent is a global leader in lasers, engineered materials and networking components. We are a vertically integrated manufacturing company that develops innovative products for diversified applications in the industrial, optical communications, military, life sciences, semiconductor equipment, and consumer markets. Coherent provides a comprehensive career development platform within an environment that challenges employees to perform at their best, while rewarding excellence and hard-work through a competitive compensation program. It's an exciting opportunity to work for a company that offers stability, longevity and growth. Come Join Us!