Senior Hardware Engineer

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Senior Hardware Engineer, Optical Module R&D – San Jose, US

It’s an exciting time to join Lumentum! Lumentum (NASDAQ: LITE) is a market-leading manufacturer of innovative optical and photonic products enabling optical networking and commercial laser customers worldwide. Lumentum’s optical components and subsystems are part of virtually every type of telecom, enterprise, and data center network. Lumentum’s commercial lasers enable advanced manufacturing techniques and diverse applications, including next-generation 3D sensing capabilities. Lumentum is headquartered in San Jose, California, with R&D, manufacturing, and sales offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.lumentum.com.

We believe Lumentum is a great place to work, and we support a diverse and inclusive culture where employees bring their whole and authentic selves to work. We strive to build meaningful connections that fuel innovation to produce products that impact the world. We are committed to creating a diverse and welcoming workplace that includes employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We believe that enables us to better meet our mission and values while serving customers throughout our global communities. People of color, women, LGBTQIA+, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Overview

Our Cloud and Networking Optical Module R&D team is a global group of experts dedicated to designing, developing, and delivering next-generation optical transceivers and related technologies. We emphasize high performance, cost effectiveness, and energy efficiency to power cutting-edge telecom and data center applications. As a Sr. Principal Hardware Engineer, you are:

• Considered a master of hardware design and development, with a track record of groundbreaking innovations and broad impact on the industry.
• Widely recognized for your deep knowledge of hardware principles, providing thought leadership and strategic direction for Lumentum.
• A master of cost-effective opto-electronic packaging and an authority in materials science, leveraging this expertise to drive revolutionary new product lines that elevate the entire industry.

In this role, you will lead highly complex, cross-functional programs, mentor other senior engineers, and shape the long-term technical vision for Lumentum’s hardware products.

Key Responsibilities

Hardware Design & Industry Leadership

• Serve as a leading industry expert and authority in hardware design and development, guiding the organization on both theoretical fundamentals and real-world applications.
• Provide thought leadership on hardware architecture decisions and drive strategic initiatives that have far-reaching impacts on Lumentum’s product portfolio.

Opto-Electronic Packaging Mastery

• Champion cost-effective opto-electronic packaging innovation, leveraging an in-depth understanding of design principles, component interactions, and manufacturing processes.
• Lead development of next-generation packaging technologies that may revolutionize the industry, reinforcing Lumentum’s standing as a market leader.

Materials Science Expertise

• Act as a master of materials science, consulting on the selection and optimization of advanced materials to solve complex challenges in optical module development.
• Provide thought leadership and direction for the organization on materials science–related issues, improving hardware development processes and overall product quality.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Mentorship

• Foster an environment of collaboration and innovation, mentoring other senior engineers and building technical excellence across multiple global teams (e.g., firmware, test, manufacturing).
• Collaborate with directors and executive leadership, translating high-level business goals into actionable engineering strategies.

Standards & Compliance Authority

• Maintain expert-level knowledge of relevant standards (e.g., IEEE, Telcordia) and compliance requirements, ensuring all designs meet or exceed industry benchmarks.
• Oversee complex testing protocols and guide technical leads on ensuring reliability, manufacturability, and risk mitigation at every stage of product development.

Strategic Infl