Senior Manager of Board Design

Position Overview

Neurophos is seeking a hands-on Senior Manager of OPU Product Board Design to own the full board design function across two tightly coupled domains: conventional computer hardware board design and optoelectronics board integration. This is a senior technical leadership role with direct ownership of all OPU product PCBs — from architecture and schematic capture through layout, bring-up, and production release. The right candidate will bring deep personal hands-on experience in high-speed digital board design and a working understanding of optoelectronic circuit integration (laser drivers, TIAs, high-speed DAC/ADC, metasurface/SLM drive electronics, silicon photonics IC interfaces).

Key Responsibilities

• Board Design Ownership

  • Own end-to-end PCB development for all OPU product boards, including host interface carrier boards, silicon photonic IC interposers, metasurface/SLM driver boards, and subsystem evaluation platforms.
  • Define board architecture, layer stack-ups, and design rules for high-speed digital interfaces (PCIe Gen 5, UCIe, DDR5) and high-fidelity analog/optoelectronic drive circuits on the same or adjacent boards.
  • Lead schematic capture and layout reviews, enforcing DFM, DFT, and signal integrity standards across both digital and optoelectronic board domains.
  • Drive board-level bring-up, debug, and characterization for complex mixed-signal systems; establish repeatable verification methodologies covering both electrical and optical functional tests.
  • Maintain schematic block libraries, footprint libraries, and simulation models that span digital, analog, and optoelectronic component families.

• Optoelectronics Board Integration

  • Lead board-level integration of silicon photonic ICs, laser driver ICs, transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs), and high-speed DAC/ADC circuits that interface directly with the OPU optical engine.
  • Collaborate with optical and optomechanical engineers to translate optical system specifications into concrete PCB design requirements.
  • Define and execute board-level qualification plans for optoelectronic subsystems, including eye diagram measurements, BER characterization, and optical power budget validation.
  • Stay current on silicon photonics packaging trends and assess their impact on future OPU board architectures.

• People & Team Building

  • Recruit, onboard, and develop a team of board design engineers.
  • Define team roadmap and resource allocation across multiple concurrent board programs.
  • Provide technical mentorship, set clear performance goals, and conduct regular reviews to support each team member's growth.
  • Foster a design culture that values simulation-first rigor, thorough design reviews, and systematic root cause analysis.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Vendor Management

  • Interface with ASIC, firmware, test engineering, and system integration teams to ensure board designs support automated functional test, KGD workflows, and in-system diagnostics.
  • Manage PCB fabricators, contract manufacturers, and component suppliers; drive NPI schedules, DFM feedback loops, yield improvements, and cost-reduction initiatives.
  • Communicate board program status, critical path risks, and resource needs to engineering leadership clearly and on a regular cadence.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in electrical engineering or a closely related discipline.
• 10+ years of hands-on PCB and hardware engineering experience, with at least 3 years in a people management or technical lead role.
• Deep expertise in high-speed digital PCB design — including stack-up optimization, differential pair routing, impedance control, and PDN design — for SerDes rates of 25G and above (PCIe Gen 4/5, 56G/112G SerDes).
• Hands-on experience with optoelectronic board design: laser driver ICs, TIA circuits, high-speed DAC/ADC interfaces, or silicon photonics IC integration at the board level.
• Proficiency with industry-standard EDA toolchains (Cadence Allegro/OrCAD, Altium, or equivalent) and SI/PI simulation tools (HyperLynx, Sigrity, or equivalent).
• Demonstrated track record bringing complex multi-layer boards (16L+) from schematic through NPI and into volume production.
• Strong background in power delivery design for high-power ASIC, SoC, and photonic IC loads, including multi-phase VRM design, LDO selection, and EMI mitigation.
• Proven ability to hire, develop, and retain specialized engineering talent in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to clearly represent the board program's status and risks to technical peers and executive leadership.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with metasurface or spatial light modulator (SLM) drive electronics and associated precision analog/mixed-signal board design.
• Familiarity with silicon photonics IC packaging approaches: co-packaged optics, flip-chip, or photonic wire bonding integration.
• Background in thermal management design for high-power-density optical and electronic assemblies.
• Experience with FMEA, design reviews (CDR/PDR), and NPI processes in a hardware startup or semiconductor environment.
• Exposure to PLM systems (Arena, Agile, Windchill) and engineering change order (ECO) workflows.
• Background in AI/ML hardware, optical communications, or photonic integrated circuit (PIC) product development.

What We Offer

• 100% coverage of base health plan premiums for you and your dependents, plus HSA contributions.
• Unlimited PTO. No rigid vacation banks, just a focus on delivery.
• 401(k) matching and stock option opportunities to ensure our success is your success.
• Full suite of voluntary benefits, including Dental, Vision, Life, Hospital, Critical Illness, and Accident insurance.
• Personalized Benefits. Choose the plans that fit your life and take the cash back for those that don’t.