Manufacturing Engineer - Optics Voyager is an innovative defense, national security and space technology company committed to advancing and delivering transformative, mission-critical solutions. We tackle the most complex challenges to unlock new frontiers for human progress, fortify national security, and protect critical assets to lead in the race for technological and operational superiority from ground to space. The Manufacturing Engineer, Optics Lab is responsible for developing, improving, documenting, validating, and sustaining manufacturing processes used to assemble, align, inspect, test, handle, and integrate optical and optomechanical hardware. This role translates engineering requirements into repeatable production methods and supports operations, optical engineering, quality, supply chain, and program teams to achieve safety, cleanliness, optical performance, quality, delivery, cost, and production-readiness objectives. Scope and independence increase by level.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop, document, and improve optical and optomechanical manufacturing processes, work instructions, travelers, routings, process specifications, tooling, fixtures, and production controls. Support new product introduction, prototype builds, pilot production, production release, capacity planning, and sustaining production within the optics lab. Develop and validate repeatable methods for optical cleaning, handling, bonding, mounting, alignment, focus adjustment, inspection, metrology, and final integration. Translate optical drawings, alignment requirements, tolerances, test requirements, and contamination controls into executable production documentation and acceptance criteria. Design, procure, qualify, and sustain optical assembly fixtures, alignment tooling, metrology setups, test equipment, process aids, and environmental controls. Analyze yield, alignment performance, optical test results, defects, rework, cycle time, labor hours, process capability, and production constraints. Drive root cause analysis and corrective action for optical performance issues, contamination events, workmanship defects, alignment escapes, equipment variation, and process instability. Work with optical, mechanical, electrical, test, and quality engineering to improve manufacturability, assembly sequence, tolerance allocation, testability, reliability, and cost. Support nonconformance reviews, material review board activities, engineering change implementation, and disposition of optical components and assemblies. Establish process controls for cleanliness, electrostatic discharge, environmental conditions, material shelf life, adhesive preparation and cure, calibration, and tool control as applicable. Develop training and qualification requirements for optical technicians, assemblers, inspectors, and production leads; provide hands-on build and troubleshooting support. Support supplier technical reviews, incoming inspection criteria, process transfers, and production readiness for optical components, coatings, assemblies, and specialized services. Participate in design reviews, production readiness reviews, risk reviews, PFMEA activities, capacity reviews, and continuous improvement events. Ensure optics-lab manufacturing processes comply with customer requirements, safety practices, quality procedures, configuration controls, and applicable industry standards. Mentor less experienced engineers and technical personnel as appropriate for level.
Required Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, Industrial Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
Knowledge of manufacturing process development, production documentation, root cause analysis, process validation, and continuous improvement methods.
Working knowledge of optical assembly, alignment, inspection, metrology, precision handling, or optomechanical integration principles.
Ability to interpret engineering drawings, optical drawings, bills of material, specifications, work instructions, test data, and acceptance requirements.
Strong communication, hands-on problem-solving, data analysis, and cross-functional coordination skills.
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience in aerospace, defense, space, medical, laser, imaging, lidar, semiconductor, or other high-reliability optical manufacturing environments. Experience supporting production optical alignment, precision bonding, optical cleaning, contamination control, metrology, environmental testing, or failure analysis. Familiarity with interferometers, autocollimators, collimators, alignment telescopes, microscopes, power meters, beam profilers, coordinate measurement systems, or related optical lab equipment. Familiarity with Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, PFMEA, control plans, statistical process control, measurement system analysis, process capability, and process validation. Experience with ERP/MRP, MES, PLM, CAD, data-acquisition systems, statistical analysis tools, MATLAB, Python, or similar engineering tools. Experience with AS9100, ISO 9001, NASA workmanship standards, cleanroom or contamination-control practices, ESD controls, or related production standards. The good-faith base salary range for this role is $125,000–$145,000 at the time of this posting. Where you fall within the range depends on your experience, skills, and location. This range reflects base salary only and does not include benefits or bonus/incentive. This range may be adjusted in the future. Voyager offers a comprehensive, total compensation package, which includes competitive salary, a discretionary annual bonus plan, paid time off (PTO), a comprehensive health benefit package, retirement savings, wellness program, and various other benefits. When you join our team, you're not just an employee; you become part of a dynamic community dedicated to innovation and excellence. To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Voyager is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran
