About Rain Tree Photonics

At Rain Tree Photonics, we are building next-generation optical engines for co-packaged optics (CPO) and near-packaged optics (NPO) to break the bandwidth and power bottlenecks in AI infrastructure.

Our silicon photonic ICs power 200G/lane and beyond interconnects, enabling scalable, energy-efficient connectivity for AI data centers.

The Role

As a Senior Tech Lead - Optical Manufacturing, you will drive the development, optimization, and scale-up of optical manufacturing processes across assembly, alignment, packaging, and test.

You will play a critical role in transitioning products from development to high-volume manufacturing, working at the intersection of optical engineering, process development, and production. This role will partner closely with internal engineering teams and external manufacturing partners to deliver scalable, high-yield optical systems.

What You'll Do

Drive Manufacturing Scale & Process Excellence

- Lead the transition of optical products from prototype to volume manufacturing (NPI → HVM)

- Develop and optimize optical assembly, alignment, packaging, and test processes

- Drive improvements in yield, throughput, cycle time, and cost

- Establish manufacturing KPIs aligned to product and delivery milestones

Own Optical Assembly & Alignment Systems

- Lead development of precision optical alignment (active/passive) processes

- Optimize optical performance metrics such as coupling efficiency, insertion loss, and reliability

- Define and standardize process flows, SOPs, and manufacturing documentation

Equipment & Automation

- Define, select, and qualify manufacturing equipment and tooling

- Drive automation initiatives across alignment, inspection, and testing workflows

- Collaborate with vendors and partners for custom tool development and process integration

Partner with Engineering &Manufacturing Ecosystem

- Work closely with optical, process, and packaging engineering teams for product transfer

- Drive Design for Manufacturability (DFM)and Design for Test (DFT) initiatives

- Interface with external partners (foundries, OSATs, assembly/test vendors) for execution and scale

Operational Excellence & ContinuousImprovement

- Lead root cause analysis (RCA) and yield improvement initiatives

- Implement process control, quality systems, and in-line inspection methodologies

- Drive continuous improvement across defect reduction, reliability, and process stability

Leadership

- Mentor and guide engineers and technicians in optical manufacturing processes

- Build strong technical depth within the team and drive a culture of execution and accountability

- Lead through influence across cross-functional and global teams

What We're Looking For

- 8-12+ years of experience in optical/photonics manufacturing or process engineering

- Bachelor's / Master's / PhD in Optics, Photonics, Physics, or related field

- Strong expertise in optical alignment, packaging, and testing

- Proven experience in scaling products from development to manufacturing (NPI to HVM)

- Experience working with external manufacturing partners and suppliers

- Strong understanding of manufacturing KPIs: yield, throughput, cycle time, and quality

- Ability to operate in a fast-paced, startup environment with high ownership

Nice to Have

- Experience with silicon photonics, PICs, or optical interconnect systems

- Exposure to cleanroom manufacturing environments

- Familiarity with automation, machine vision, and precision assembly systems

- Experience with Lean / Six Sigma methodologies

What We Offer

- Competitive salary commensurate with experience

- Comprehensive benefits package including health insurance

- Opportunity to work on cutting-edge photonics and AI infrastructure technology

- High-impact role in scaling manufacturing for next-generation systems

- Collaborative environment with world-class engineering teams