Jobs at Thorlabs, Inc.

Supports and improves electronics manufacturing processes for photonics products. Responsibilities include resolving production issues, developing assembly techniques, planning lean layouts, supporting new product transfers, training production staff, conducting root-cause analysis, maintaining manufacturing documentation and routing, creating fixtures, supporting engineering changes, and improving quality, efficiency, capacity, and manufacturability.

Assists with purchasing, inventory planning, forecasting, safety stock management, production scheduling, vendor evaluations, and cost-reduction initiatives. Coordinates with operations, manufacturing, engineering, sales, and overseas offices to manage purchasing, lead times, expediting, product availability, and back orders. Reviews ERP transactions, BOMs, documents, and data while generating reports and adapting to changing production priorities.

Provide sales ledger and purchase ledger support for Thorlabs SAS (France) and UK/France accounts: billing, credit control, customer/supplier contact in French, match payments, issue credit notes, reconcile vendor statements, support month-end, maintain KPIs, and assist with electronic invoice transmission and ledger tasks using Excel and D365.

Implement a site-wide Total Preventive Maintenance strategy, schedule maintenance work orders in the CMMS, manage service contracts, coordinate contractors and external engineers, plan preventive maintenance, support facilities projects, maintain CMMS data, and assist maintenance engineers during downtime.

Designs, builds, tests, and supports integrated photonic and electronic systems from proof of concept through manufacturing release. Responsibilities include experiment design, system engineering coordination, test development, product characterization, technical documentation, troubleshooting, project timeline and cost management, ERP data entry, and technical support for manufacturing, marketing, and service teams.

Develops automated functional tests and test systems for photonics products, including test fixtures, equipment integration, software release testing, data analysis, and reporting. Ensures products meet quality, safety, compliance, and regulatory standards. Supports approval applications, maintains compliance records, coordinates engineering actions, and communicates test results and issues across teams.

Develops real-time embedded firmware for microcontroller-based photonics instruments. Responsibilities include designing firmware and test interfaces, documenting SDKs and operating procedures, prototyping, debugging, testing, developing manufacturing fixtures, troubleshooting electronics, supporting production, and transferring designs into manufacturing. The role requires collaboration with software teams and management of project timelines.

Drive business growth across India by identifying opportunities in photonics, optics, and laser markets; developing strategic customer relationships; leading technical solution development; managing complex sales negotiations; executing sales campaigns; maintaining CRM pipelines; forecasting sales; and sharing market intelligence with global sales, engineering, marketing, and product teams.

Plans, schedules, releases, and tracks production workflow from order placement through shipment. Manages inventory levels, shortages, excess inventory, MRP parameters, production schedules, resource planning, order commitments, and new product launches. Coordinates with procurement and production teams to maintain customer delivery goals, improve factory throughput, mitigate supply risks, and support continuous improvement initiatives.

Provides administrative and operational support for Human Resources across Jessup, Maryland, and Sterling, Virginia. Responsibilities include onboarding and offboarding, I-9 verification, employee record maintenance, employment and wage verification, employee inquiries, engagement and wellness programs, career fairs, recruitment support, HR projects, and safety protocol assistance. The temporary role requires travel to Sterling at least weekly and strong communication, organization, confidentiality, and attention to detail.

Leads multidisciplinary engineering teams developing photonics components and complex systems. Oversees design, system integration, validation, manufacturing readiness, and production ramp while applying DFM/DFA, ISO processes, PLM, documentation, and change control. Manages schedules, risks, deliverables, performance, and team development, partnering closely with R&D, manufacturing engineering, and operations to deliver scalable, reliable products.

Coordinates and delivers in-person and virtual photonics learning events, including technical lectures, laboratory demonstrations, equipment setup, and staff training. Collaborates with event, marketing, content, and technical teams to improve educational materials and expand learning programs. Builds relationships with universities, tracks event KPIs, gathers feedback, and develops strategies to increase program reach. Requires extensive photonics laboratory, STEM education, and technical presentation experience, plus fluency in English and Spanish.

Analyze business processes, identify automation opportunities, and design, develop, test, implement, and maintain workflows, scripts, and bots. Integrate solutions with enterprise applications and infrastructure, monitor performance, troubleshoot issues, and continuously optimize automation processes. Document solutions, provide user training and support, and ensure compliance with security policies and regulations while collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders.

Supports new product introduction from prototype through release by reviewing requirements, procuring pilot-run components, assisting manufacturing builds, testing software and firmware, updating documentation and BOMs, and supporting packaging, pricing, marketing, sales, and customers. The role also improves manufacturability, manages NPI inventory transactions, creates compliant product markings, and coordinates cross-functional project activities. A U.S. person is required for work involving ITAR products.

Lead supplier quality improvement through audits, corrective action plans, root cause analysis, and supplier development. Partner with Quality, Purchasing, Engineering, and supply chain teams to prevent defects, reduce variation, improve delivery, and implement Lean and continuous improvement tools. Conduct supplier visits, interpret high-precision engineering drawings, monitor quality KPIs, and verify sustained corrective actions. The role supports low-volume, high-mix manufacturing and requires strong supplier relationship, technical problem-solving, and project collaboration skills.

Develops electronics for precision microscope systems and scientific instruments, taking designs from concept through prototyping, debugging, testing, and manufacturing. Responsibilities include electro-opto and electromechanical design, circuit simulation, documentation, vendor and contract manufacturer management, troubleshooting, test fixture development, and production support. The role collaborates with global cross-functional teams and occasionally engages customers, sales, and field service personnel.

Leads global IT infrastructure engineering and local service management teams. Oversees enterprise cloud, network, systems, service delivery, incident management, security, disaster recovery, vendors, budgets, and modernization initiatives. Establishes operational metrics and service standards, aligns technology strategy with business needs, manages infrastructure performance and availability, and develops technical leaders and teams across a global, multi-site organization.

Leads enterprise analytics engineering by designing semantic models, governing KPIs and metric definitions, and enabling trusted self-service reporting. Partners with business stakeholders, Data Engineering, and IT to translate business needs into scalable analytical frameworks and reliable data assets. Establishes governance, documentation, validation, and change-management practices while supporting advanced analytics and AI/ML readiness. Supervises analytics personnel through coaching, performance management, and professional development.

Design, prototype, test, and document optomechanical components and instrumentation under supervision. Support vendor sourcing, manufacturability, validation testing, cross-functional coordination, and production troubleshooting.

Support and improve metrology equipment and test methods for optical product manufacturing. Develop training, create/maintain test documentation and fixtures, troubleshoot production issues, assist in product transfers, collaborate on root cause analyses, and implement corrective actions to improve manufacturability and quality.