Job Summary

We are looking for a Staff Engineer with strong technical project leadership skills to drive the development of passive etched micro-optical components for data communication devices.

You will lead cross-functional, international teams (10–20 people) across Europe and Asia, driving projects from concept to sample delivery in a fast-paced R&D environment.

This is a hands-on technical leadership role without direct reports — success depends on your ability to own design decisions, structure complex problems, and lead without authority.

Your Impact

• Deliver new products from concept to samples within one quarter
• Drive technical execution across global teams
• Establish best practices in product definition and documentation
• Improve product robustness and manufacturability through strong engineering discipline

What You Bring (Core Requirements)

Experience & Leadership

• 5+ years in engineering (microfabrication / semiconductor / microtechnology)
• 2–3+ years leading technical projects (without direct authority)
• Experience working with international, cross-functional teams
• Strong ability to structure problems, drive decisions, and execute

Semiconductor & Process Expertise

• Solid understanding of semiconductor manufacturing processes
  (lithography, etching, deposition)
• Cleanroom experience (required)
• Experience in process development (hands-on is a strong plus)
• Familiarity with microfabrication (micro-optics is a plus)

Design Ownership (Critical)

You take full ownership of design, from concept to release:

• Mechanical design (SolidWorks)
• Mask layout design (KLayout)
• Technical drawings (AutoCAD or equivalent)

Data & Quality Mindset

• Experience with data analysis (Python or MATLAB)
• Familiar with:
  • FMEA / PFMEA
  • Technical risk assessment
• Exposure to yield analysis / optimization is a plus

Communication

• Fluent in English
• French is important (daily interaction with technicians)

Practical Aspects

• Based on-site in Neuchâtel
• Willing to travel ~20% internationally (Europe & Asia)

What You’ll Do

• Lead technical execution of product & process development projects
• Define products and translate requirements into robust designs
• Align design, process, and manufacturing
• Analyze performance and drive improvements through data
• Coordinate global teams and manage technical risks
• Mentor junior engineers and raise technical standards

Why This Role

• High ownership: full design responsibility + project influence
• End-to-end exposure: from concept to industrialization
• Cutting-edge field: micro-optics & semiconductor-like fabrication
• Strategic visibility within an R&D growth organization

Success Looks Like

Within your first year:

• Deliver ≥2 customer products from concept to sample within one quarter each
• Establish structured product definition aNeuchâtel, Switzerlandnd documentation practices
• Become a key technical reference across sites

Job Responsibilities:

1. Support and perform inspection on SEM, etc. with involvement in ion milling, metallographic process, etc. on failure analysis of micro optical products.
2. Support and perform reliability tests, on optical products.
3. Identify root causes of failures and defects with submitted samples, with report compiling.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Education Background

1. Degree or Master's in Mechanical, Material, Chemical, or related engineerings.

Professional Knowledge & Experience

1. Knowledge on material and surface characterization, bonding, polymer molding, surface treatment, process optimizations in DOE, etc.
2. Familiarity with precision measuring instruments (Smartscope, contact/non-contact profiler, etc.), SEM, etc.

Basic Qualifications

1. Knowledge on material and surface characterizations.
2. Soft Skills: Proactive, analytical, and adaptable, with strong attention to detail, good observation and strong problem-solving and coordination abilities in cross-functional settings.

Plus:

1. Strong skills on data analysis on Microsoft excel/JMP/programming(Python, Matlab, etc.).

Job Responsibilities:

1. Focus on printing of micron-level structures based on high end 2-photon polymerization equipment, including recipe creation and optimization, simple error troubleshooting, etc.
2. Perform in-process inspections and data analysis on moulded components based on CNC smart scope, contact/non-contact profilers, etc.
3. Participate Design for Manufacturability (DFM), with strong initiatives to explore new technologies.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Education Background

1. Degree or Master's in Mechanical, Material, Chemical, or related engineerings.

Professional Knowledge & Experience

1. Knowledge or experiences on 3D printing, CNC machining, polymer molding, surface treatment, process optimizations in DOE, etc.
2. Experiences with precision measuring instruments (Smartscope, contact/non-contact profiler, etc.).

Basic Qualifications

1. Knowledge on polymer and curing, mechanical machining, etc.
2. Soft Skills: Proactive, analytical, and adaptable, with strong attention to detail, good observation and strong problem-solving and coordination abilities in cross-functional settings.

Plus:

1. Strong skills on data analysis on Microsoft excel/JMP/programming(Python, Matlab, etc.).

Job Responsibilities:

1. Learn and apply RIE process for micro optics compoents fabrication.
2. Provide hands-on support for R&D activities in Focuslight’s cleanroom facility in Nechatel, contributing to innovation and continuous improvement.
3. Support the production team to resolve process issues in mass production and the R&D pilot line to improve product optical performance or reduce production costs.
4. Leverage global internal and external resources to deliver competitive optical solutions in a fast-paced market, with a strong focus on rapid and successful execution.
5. Create and maintain technical documentation to support process development, product qualification, and knowledge transfer.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Education Background

1. Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Optical Engineering, Photonics, Applied Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, or related fields.

Fundamental Knowledge

1. Basic understanding of optics, lasers, or precision engineering principles, with coursework related to optical systems, photonics, or microfabrication.

Technical Skills

1. Familiarity with engineering tools such as optical simulation software, CAD tools, or programming/analysis tools (e.g., MATLAB or Python) is beneficial.
2. Basic laboratory or hands-on experimental skills are a plus.

Experience

1. Experience through laboratory courses, student projects, or research activities related to optics, lasers, micro-optics, microfabrication, optical system design, precision mechanics, or optical assembly is preferred.

Personal Attributes

1. Motivated students with strong curiosity, problem-solving ability, and a willingness to learn, who enjoy working in hands-on and collaborative engineering environments.

Basic Qualifications

1. Individuals with strong ambition and a sense of urgency to solve difficult problems that enable business growth and sustainability through self-learning, strong interpersonal skills, and the effective use of artificial intelligence.

Plus:

1. Experience in Etch optics RIE process.

Job Responsibilities:

1. Develop and maintain a relational database architecture optimized for engineering and manufacturing data.
2. Build and maintain data ingestion pipelines to collect, clean and structure data from multiple internal sources.
3. Design and implement an AI-powered natural language interface to query relational databases.

Qualifications & Requirements:

1. Background in data science, AI, software engineering or related fields.
2. Strong programming skills in Python.
3. Experience with database design and management (SQL or similar).
4. Experience building data pipelines and ETL workflows.
5. Familiarity with AI frameworks.
6. Experience building backend services.
7. Understanding of data security, authentication and access control mechanisms.
8. Good written and spoken English.

Basic Qualifications:

1. Experience in data engineering and backend development.
2. Experience working with structured and unstructured data.
3. Familiarity with cloud platforms and AI services.
4. Ability to design scalable and maintainable software systems.

Plus:

1. Experience in AI application development.
2. Experience with data visualization tools (Power BI or similar).
3. Experience working with engineering, manufacturing or R&D datasets.

Job Responsibilities

1. Polymer molding of singlet/array lens and wafer level, based on high end CNC based step and repeat equipment, including setup of alignment recipe, dispensing recipe, and inspection recipe.
2. Perform in-process inspections and data analysis on moulded components based on CNC smart scope and other contact/non-contact profilers.
3. Improve existing process, respond timely to technical enquiries, lead Design for Manufacturability (DFM) initiatives, with strong initiatives to explore new technologies.
4. Work closely with product designer on optimization of molding process, project manager on task delivery, and machine vendor on potential upgrading, to improve process efficiency and accuracy.
5. Project and task planning, with accurate/timely documentation of task progress, troubleshooting, and knowledge transfer.

Qualifications & Requirements

1. Good presentation/writing skills on PowerPoint/Word.
2. Familiar with 6 sigma of statistical process control.
3. Experience on machining, molding, assembly, surface treatment, process optimizations in DOE.
4. Familiarity with precision measuring instruments (Smartscope, contact/non-contact profiler, etc.), optics, Autocad.
5. Degree or Master's in Mechanical, Material, Chemical, or related engineerings.
6. Knowledge on polymer and curing, mechanical machining, etc.
7. Team player who can work effectively with diverse colleagues across departments.
8. Soft Skills: Proactive, analytical, and adaptable, with strong attention to detail, good observation and strong problem-solving and coordination abilities in cross-functional settings.

Plus

1. Strong skills on data analysis on Microsoft excel/JMP/programming(Python, Matlab, etc.).