Vice President of Engineering – Optical Circuit Switch (OCS)
Coherent · Sunnyvale, CA
- Level
- Director+
- Team
- Manufacturing
- Experience asked
- 15+ years
- Industry
- Industrial
- Posted
- 30+ days ago
The role in 30 seconds
A director-level manufacturing role at Coherent (industrial) in Sunnyvale, CA. A ccountability – Own the Process and the Outcome.
- They ask for
- 15+ years
- Tools it names
- Control plans, EHS / safety
Read from the posting. The full description is below.
From the plant jobs report · week of November 2, 2026
Manufacturing Engineer roles in California: typical posted base $111k–$173k.
Median of the low and high ends of 165 live postings that list pay, out of 443 manufacturing engineer openings in California, read from manufacturers' own careers sites.
California plant jobs report →Pay by team and state →What moves pay →
How this role compares
Against 442 other live manufacturing postings in California.
- Base pay
- Not listed in this posting
- Experience asked
- More than usual (15+ vs 5+)
Typical $109k–$159k, from 144 postings that list pay.
Similar roles usually ask 5+ years.
Skills these teams ask for most
- Tooling 50%
- New product launch 45%
- Root cause 37%
- Automation 34%
- Validation (IQ/OQ/PQ) 26%
- Machining 26%
✓ = this posting asks for it too. % = share of similar postings that mention it.
Stands out: this posting asks for Control plans, EHS / safety, which few similar roles mention. If you have it, lead with it.
At a glance
Pulled from the posting text. If it's not listed here, the posting didn't say.
How to get in at this plant
Five moves over a week or two. The first one takes ten minutes.
- 1
Pick 2–3 people on the Manufacturing team at Coherent
We found 3 people at this company and state: 3 leaders. Engineers who joined in the last year or two reply the most. See them ↓
- 2
Send a short, curious note
One real question about their work. No favors yet. Each person gets a different note, written for this role.
Write to Jack → (free) - 3
Turn a reply into a short call
Questions worth asking about this team:
- What does a normal week look like on your team?
- Is the work mostly new product launches or sustaining existing lines?
- How much time do you spend on the floor versus at a desk?
- How did you land the job? What stood out in your interviews?
- 4
Apply with someone vouching for you
If the call went well, ask whether they’d pass your résumé to the hiring manager. Send your résumé link, apply that day, and let them know.
- 5
Bring proof to the interview
One page of before-and-after numbers from projects you led: scrap, OEE, cycle time, cost. Plant managers hire on results.
This plant: Coherent in Sunnyvale
5 other open roles at this site · 3 people we found in manufacturing roles at Coherent.
- Senior Principal Process Engineer · Process · Senior
- Principal Quality Engineer-Optical Systems · Quality · Senior
- Senior Fiber Optic Module Packaging Engineer · Manufacturing · Senior
- Principal NPI Engineer · Manufacturing · Senior
- Principal Reliability and Quality Engineer (Optical Systems) · Quality · Senior
Full description from CoherentAs posted on their careers site.ShowHide
Responsibilities
- ◆Define and drive the OCS technology and product roadmap
- ◆Lead system-level design of large-scale optical fabrics
- ◆Build and lead a multi-disciplinary engineering organization in different countries and different locations
- ◆Deliver OCS platforms from concept through prototype, qualification, and high-volume production
- ◆Engage with hyperscale customers and ecosystem partners
- ◆Ensure manufacturing scalability and operational excellence
Skills
requirements
(e.g., topology, bandwidth scaling, reconfiguration time) into product specifications.
- ✓Collaborate with partners across the ecosystem (optics, fiber, packaging, and system vendors).
Education & Experience
- ✓PhD preferred, or MS with 15+ years of highly technical experience, including optical, networking, transceivers, firmware, software.
Physical
Requirements
- ✓Minimal physical activity : There is little to no need for heavy lifting, prolonged standing, or manual labor.
- ✓Computer use : Frequent use of a computer, keyboard, and mouse for communication, project management, and collaboration tools.
- ✓Travel : Some travel may be required for client meetings, conferences, or site visits, but this is not a core part of the job.
Safety
Requirements
All employees are required to follow the site EHS procedures and Coherent Corp. Corporate EHS standards.
Quality and Environmental
Responsibilities
Depending on location, this position may be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the ISO 9000, 9001, 14001 and/or other applicable standards that may apply to the relevant roles and
responsibilities
within the Quality Management System and Environmental Management System.
Culture Commitment
Ensure adherence to company’s values (ICARE) in all aspects of your position at Coherent Corp.:
I ntegrity – Create an Environment of Trust
C ollaboration – Innovate Through the Sharing of Ideas
A ccountability – Own the Process and the Outcome
R espect – Recognize the Value in Everyone
E nthusiasm – Find a Sense of Purpose in Work
Coherent is a global leader in lasers, engineered materials and networking components. We are a vertically integrated manufacturing company that develops innovative products for diversified applications in the industrial, optical communications, military, life sciences, semiconductor equipment, and consumer markets. Coherent provides a comprehensive career development platform within an environment that challenges employees to perform at their best, while rewarding excellence and hard-work through a competitive compensation program. It's an exciting opportunity to work for a company that offers stability, longevity and growth. Come Join Us!
Note to recruiters and employment agencies: We will not pay for unsolicited resumes from recruiters and employment agencies unless we have a signed agreement and have required assistance, in writing, for a specific opening.
Show full description ↓Show less ↑
Coherent is seeking a Vice President of Engineering – Optical Circuit Switching (OCS) BU to lead the product development, and commercialization of next-generation optical circuit switching platforms for hyperscale and AI data center networks.
This executive will define and execute the end-to-end OCS strategy, spanning photonic device innovation, system architecture, firmware/software control, and high-volume manufacturing readiness.
Engineering Execution
- •Build and lead a world-class, multi-disciplinary engineering organization across:
- •Photonics / optical design
- •ASIC / control electronics
- •Firmware and system software
- •Mechanical and packaging engineering
Customer & Ecosystem Engagement
- •Serve as the primary technical executive interface to hyperscale customers (e.g., cloud and AI infrastructure providers).
- •Translate system-level
Innovation & Differentiation
- •Drive innovation in:
- •High-radix and high density OCS architectures
- •Low-loss optical paths and packaging
- •Fast and scalable switching control planes
- •Build and manage IP strategy and patent portfolio in optical switching technologies
- •Establish best practices in design for manufacturability (DFM), test, and reliability engineering
- •Foster a culture of innovation and execution
