Fabrication Manufacturing Engineer

Core Responsibilities

Process Innovation & Development


* Lead the development, optimization, and transfer of advanced polishing and finishing processes for NLO crystal and exotic materials including oxides, fluorides, Ge, Si, and sapphire.


* Drive process capability, yield improvement, and manufacturability from prototype through production.

Advanced Optical Fabrication


* Execute and oversee high-precision fabrication operations such as CNC generating, deterministic corrective finishing, and manual pitch or pad polishing.


* Work with complex optical geometries including aspheres and freeform surfaces.

Metrology & Quality Assurance


* Ensure world-class optical quality using interferometry (flats and spheres), X-ray diffraction (XRD) for crystal orientation, and spectrophotometry.


* Translate metrology data into actionable process improvements.

Production & Troubleshooting Support


* Partner with the production floor to troubleshoot equipment and process issues using structured root cause failure analysis (RCFA).


* Implement robust technical solutions that improve yield, repeatability, and throughput.

Tooling & Fixture Design


* Design or support custom fixtures and tooling to enable fabrication of delicate, unconventional, or challenging crystal geometries.

Continuous Improvement & Automation


* Champion continuous improvement initiatives, including automation, robotics, and advanced process controls to scale manufacturing excellence.

Required Qualifications

Education


* Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field required.


* Master's or PhD preferred for highly specialized crystal or optical roles.


* Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 3 years and a Master's degree; or a PhD without years experience; or equivalent work experience.

Crystal & Materials Expertise


* Demonstrated experience handling and processing crystals, including crystal orientation (e.g., C-axis sapphire).


* Strong understanding of how crystal properties influence optical and mechanical performance.

Manufacturing Experience


* 3+ years in an optics manufacturing or production environment.


* Hands-on experience with CNC machining, diamond turning, and double-sided polishing.

Technical Tools


* Proficiency with CAD tools such as SolidWorks or AutoCAD.


* Experience using data analysis tools like MATLAB or Python to drive process decisions.

Key Skills & Strengths


* Analytical Excellence: Strong command of Design of Experiments (DOE) and Statistical Process Control (SPC).


* Mechanical Aptitude: Comfortable maintaining, improving, and debugging fabrication equipment.


* Leadership & Communication: Ability to mentor technicians, collaborate cross-functionally, and clearly communicate technical risks and tradeoffs to leadership or external partners.
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