Technical Manager, Fiber Lasers

LIGHTERA has one of the longest and most respectable corporate lineages in American business, which goes back to Alexander Graham Bell and the invention of the telephone more than a century ago. We have a proven track record of being first in the industry with application specific fibers, optical connectors, ribbon cables, erbium doped fibers, Raman fiber lasers, fiber gratings and more. Our mission is to provide leading optical innovations and solutions by designing, manufacturing and supplying the best optical fibers, fiber cable and components and devices for our customers, with exceptional service that creates value for our shareholders, customers and employees. To do so, we must continue shaping the future of communications by applying the best minds to the challenges our customers will continually face. We currently seek a **Technical Manager** to help support our Fiber Lasers Department in our Somerset, NJ location. The Technical Manager, Fiber Lasers leads the development and execution of fiber laser technologies, overseeing technical teams responsible for laser architecture, optical design, and system integration. This role combines hands-on technical leadership with people management and program ownership to deliver high-performance, reliable, and manufacturable fiber laser products. Essential duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: **Technical Leadership** - Lead design and development of fiber laser systems (CW and pulsed), including seed sources, amplifiers, pump coupling, and beam delivery. - Oversee optical, thermal, and mechanical design trade-offs to meet power, beam quality, and reliability targets. - Drive performance optimization, stability improvements, and nonlinear effect mitigation. - Identify and explore new areas of high-potential, fiber laser research to seed the long-term product funnel. - Support fiber laser product development by guiding root-cause analysis of field and production issues. **Team & Program Management** - Manage and mentor a multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists. - Define project scope, milestones, budgets, and resource allocation. - Conduct technical reviews and ensure adherence to development processes. - Align technology roadmap with business and product strategy. **Cross-Functional Collaboration** - Partner with manufacturing to ensure scalable fiber assembly and packaging processes. - Collaborate with other technical leads to develop programs spanning fiber lasers, sensing, telecommunications, and medical applications. - Work with quality and reliability teams on qualification and lifetime testing. - Support Marketing and Sales Teams in customer-facing technical discussions and advanced applications. **Innovation & External Engagement** - Contribute to IP strategy, invention disclosures, and patent reviews. - Guide team in authoring high-profile journal and conference proceeding publications. - Monitor industry advancements through engagement with organizations such as SPIE, Optica, and IEEE. - Perform other related duties as required. Key qualifications: **Education** - M.S. or Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline. **Experience** - 8–15 years of experience in high power fiber lasers - Demonstrated excellence in experimental optical physics, including assembly, test, measurement, and analysis of fiber lasers - Strong track record in establishing and executing R&D projects - Demonstrated experience delivering fiber laser products from concept through commercialization. - Drive to work both independently and as a critical member of interdisciplinary teams - Prior technical leadership or people management experience required. **Technical Expertise** - Strong knowledge of: - Yb, Er, Tm and other single/double-clad fiber laser architectures - Physics, modelling and simulation of active fibers - Optical fibers, modes and waveguide design - Nonlinear effects (SBS, SRS, mode instability) - Fiber devices…