Job Overview

Position Summary

The Program Manager, Manufacturing Process Development & Industrialization, drives execution of the manufacturing process development (MPDE) roadmap for optical connectivity products supporting AI and hyperscale applications. Working closely with Engineering, this role coordinates process design, development, trials, validation, and transfer into scalable manufacturing, while integrating activities across internal teams and multiple external vendors.

This hands-on role combines technical understanding, structured program execution, and manufacturing industrialization experience. An engineering background is strongly preferred to support effective collaboration on process design, technical tradeoffs, and readiness decisions. As processes mature, the Program Manager drives integrated high-volume manufacturing (HVM) readiness and ramp planning.

Location & Work Model

Onsite role in the Rochester, NY area; current operations are based in Webster, NY, with a planned transition to the permanent Rochester location. Supplier and factory travel may be required.

Job Requirements

• Own the integrated MPDE program plan for assigned processes, from initial requirements and process concepts through development, external trials, validation, transfer, and HVM readiness.
• Partner with Engineering to translate process and design requirements into stage-by-stage work packages, schedules, deliverables, acceptance criteria, owners, and decision gates.
• Coordinate activities with multiple vendors and technical partners across process development stages, including quotations, design reviews, tooling, prototypes, trials, test results, iterations, and delivery commitments.
• Work with Engineering, Sourcing, and vendors to resolve technical issues, manage design changes, and address capability, quality, cost, and schedule risks.
• Maintain an integrated plan connecting engineering development, vendor milestones, material availability, equipment, tooling, process trials, and validation activities.
• Support manufacturing process industrialization by coordinating process capability, repeatability, yield, quality controls, documentation, work instructions, and transfer readiness with Engineering, Quality, and Operations.
• Lead cross-functional HVM ramp planning as programs approach production; align labor and skills, machines and equipment, materials, factory footprint, production capacity, build plans, and OEE targets.
• Coordinate capacity assumptions, cycle times, bottlenecks, staffing, equipment utilization, ramp scenarios, and recovery plans with Operations and Manufacturing Engineering.
• Drive readiness reviews and handoffs to production with clear open-item closure, accountable owners, milestone dates, and evidence of process and factory readiness.
• Build concise dashboards for schedule, technical milestones, critical path, risks, budget, process maturity, vendor dependencies, and HVM readiness; communicate decisions and tradeoffs to leadership.

What your background should look like

Core Competencies

• Execution Driven: Turns process development plans into measurable milestones, owners, decisions, and completed deliverables.
• Technical Integrator: Connects Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Operations, and multiple vendors to resolve issues and advance process readiness.
• Manufacturing Mindset: Understands process capability, production constraints, quality, and the transition from prototype to repeatable output.
• Systems Thinker: Connects engineering development, supplier readiness, people, machines, materials, footprint, capacity, and OEE.
• High Risk Sensor: Identifies emerging technical, schedule, cost, quality, and scale-up risks and drives timely mitigation.
• Influential Collaborator: Builds accountability across Engineering, Operations, Sourcing, Quality, and external partners without direct authority.
• Crisp Communicator: Provides clear, fact-based status, tradeoffs, asks, and recovery actions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Manufacturing, Industrial, or related discipline) strongly preferred; relevant technical or operations qualifications may also be considered.
• 8+ years of experience in engineering program management, manufacturing engineering, process development, industrialization, technical program management, or related roles.
• Experience coordinating multiple vendors or external manufacturing partners through technical reviews, development iterations, milestones, and issue resolution.
• Demonstrated experience supporting engineering-led process development and taking new manufacturing processes or products through validation into qualified, repeatable production.
• Experience with production ramp planning, capacity models, equipment readiness, staffing, materials, factory layout or footprint, build schedules, and OEE or comparable operational metrics.
• Ability to work credibly with engineering teams on process development and validation while maintaining ownership of the integrated execution plan.
• Experience with optical connectivity, fiber assembly, precision manufacturing, automation, electronics, or semiconductor processes preferred.
• Proficiency with integrated scheduling and program management tools such as Microsoft Project, Asana, Planisware, Smartsheet, or equivalent.
• Strong technical problem-solving, integrated planning, risk management, communication, and cross-functional influencing skills.

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Competencies