Shape early-stage concepts, feasibility objectives, risk-reduction plans, and prototype approaches for priority CTO Office topics.
Lead technical evaluations, modeling, design reviews, and trade-off studies with internal or external contributors.
Develop technical recommendations on performance, manufacturability, integration path, scalability, reliability, and transition readiness.
Contribute technical input to roadmap discussions in optical interconnect, CPO / optical I/O, AI/HPC infrastructure, silicon photonics, advanced light sources, detector technologies, and related photonics platforms.
Translate emerging technology options into clear milestones, risks, decision points, and recommended next steps.
Connect future system needs, internal capabilities, external opportunities, and business-group priorities into actionable technical options.
Build a practical view of relevant startups, universities, research institutes, suppliers, and technology partners.
Evaluate external opportunities for technical credibility, maturity, differentiation, IP position, integration path, timing, and strategic fit.
Collaborate with CTO Office colleagues, internal experts, business groups, and external partners to advance relevant opportunities from evaluation toward proof points.
Prepare concise technical recommendations for senior technical, product, and business stakeholders.
Represent Coherent in relevant technical forums, partner meetings, university discussions, and ecosystem engagements when relevant.
Requirements
Advanced degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Photonics, or related field; Ph.D. preferred.
15+ years of experience in photonics, optical communications, semiconductor lasers, optoelectronic devices, data-center optical interconnect, quantum photonics, or related advanced technology fields.
Deep technical understanding of optical I/O, semiconductor photonics, III-V devices, silicon photonics, photodetectors, advanced light sources, and system-level optical-interconnect trade-offs.
Experience translating ambiguous technical opportunities into architectures, project scope, feasibility plans, risks, milestones, and technical recommendations.
Experience with modeling, simulation, data analysis, and technical decision support using tools such as Python, COMSOL, Lumerical, Matlab, or equivalent.
Experience coordinating cross-functional R&D work across design, process, packaging, reliability, product, and business stakeholders.
Experience with technology scouting, startup evaluation, partner assessment, roadmap input, or external innovation engagement.