VP of Product Engineering

About Us

Irradiant Technologies is pioneering the future of nano-optics and photonics with our proprietary 3D nanofabrication platform. Our technology enables the creation of optical components with geometries and refractive index profiles previously unattainable, opening doors to entirely new classes of photonic devices. By redefining what is possible in optical design and manufacturing, we are accelerating innovations in sensing, communication, imaging, display, and computation. We are expanding our team with passionate individuals who thrive at the cutting edge of technology.

About the role

The VP of Product Engineering will serve as a key leader within Irradiant Technologies, overseeing all engineering efforts and ensuring that technical development aligns with the company's strategic goals, whilst serving and identifying new customer needs. This individual will oversee R&D to product development, with teams spanning optics, nanofabrication, mechanical engineering, software, and materials science. This role is heavily involved in interfacing with customers to understand their needs, and to use that understanding to shape our capabilities and product offering. The ideal candidate will be both a strategic thinker and a hands-on leader, with a strong technical foundation and the ability to manage complex engineering projects in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

What you’ll be doing

• Engineering Leadership: Oversee all engineering activities, ensuring alignment with company objectives and the successful execution of development and customer projects.
• Technical Strategy: Define the technical roadmap for product development to balance short-term and long-term goals.
• Commercial Strategy: Helping to identify, build and grow a commercial direction for the use of our technology.
• Project Management: Direct the planning, execution, and delivery of engineering projects, ensuring milestones are met on time and within budget.
• Team Development: Build, mentor, and inspire a high-performing engineering team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Quality and Reliability: Oversee the development and implementation of processes to ensure product quality, reliability, and scalability for mass production.
• Risk Management: Identify technical challenges and develop mitigation strategies to ensure project success and adherence to timelines.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Communicate technical progress, challenges, and solutions to internal and external stakeholders, including executives, customers, and partners.

What experience you’ll bring

• Proven experience leading engineering organizations in a high-tech environment, preferably within photonics, optics, nanotechnology, or advanced manufacturing sectors.
• Demonstrated success in taking R&D to commercialization, with a track record in identifying and growing new market niches with novel technology/solutions.
• Expertise in one or more of the following: optics, nanofabrication, materials science, or related fields, with an ability to dive into the technical details of other fields, including mechanical engineering or software.
• Exceptional stakeholder & customer communication capability, both in industry and research partnership settings.
• Experience with process development, production scaling, and quality assurance for high-tech hardware products.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic startup environment with a hands-on approach to problem-solving.
• Experience and an existing network within optical connectivity in the telecom and datacom industry is highly desired. 

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this role is $200K - $250K and we are committed to equitable compensation across our company. Compensation also includes a generous equity stake. We handle our benefits through an annual reimbursement to give our employees greater flexibility with the plans that meet their needs. We offer a Flexible Paid Time Off policy and encourage people to take regular vacation.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Irradiant Technologies is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive team free from discrimination or harassment. We encourage candidates of any race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status to apply. Applicants with a disability are encouraged to contact us with any requests for accommodation.