Project Lead, PhotonIQ

Status: Full-time, exempt

Reports To: Program Manager

Location: Bozeman, Montana (in person)

Salary Range (annual): $125,000-$165,000

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Employment-based visa sponsorship for this position will not be provided, now or in the future.

Job Overview

The Montana Photonics and Quantum Alliance (MPQA) is hiring a Project Lead for PhotonIQ, its integrated photonic product development program. Customer projects will use PhotonIQ’s internal and partner network’s capabilities to create commercial products incorporating integrated photonics.

The Project Lead will own an assigned customer project portfolio. The role requires fluency in project management, systems engineering, and photonics. The successful candidate will be expected to start as soon as possible.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for an assigned portfolio of customer projects.
• Work with customers and program leadership to create clear requirements and specifications, statements of work, work breakdown structures, schedules, budgets, resource plans, and deliverables.
• Build and maintain project schedules; manage critical-path dependencies, supplier lead times, risks, issues, decisions, action items, and scope changes across multiple organizations.
• Lead regular customer and project-team meetings, document and communicate decisions and commitments, and provide status reporting.
• Identify and coordinate the development partners needed to execute the work in collaboration with leadership; monitor partner performance.
• Ensure that technical deliverables are completed on time and to budget.
• Identify and coordinate project-specific requirements involving confidentiality, intellectual property and data rights, conflicts of interest, export controls, quality systems, safety, and regulatory compliance.
• Identify manufacturability, supply-chain, and qualification requirements.
• Support public communication of projects.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, physics, applied science, or a related field.
• At least one year of relevant experience in project management, product development, R&D, systems engineering, hardware development, advanced manufacturing, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience successfully executing hardware or similar projects.
• Working knowledge of photonics, sensors, or similar hardware systems.
• Proven ability to manage budgets, schedules, contractors, vendors, risks, changes, and competing priorities across multiple concurrent projects.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to work directly with technical staff, contractors, suppliers, and leadership.
• Ability to create and maintain accurate project documentation.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-moving environment.
• Ability to travel (estimated <10%).
• Ability to work in person 5 days per week.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in engineering, physics, applied science, or a related field.
• Five years of relevant experience in project management, product development, R&D, systems engineering, hardware development, advanced manufacturing, or a closely related field.
• Formal project management training and/or credential.
• Experience with integrated photonics system development, including one or more of the following: PIC design, foundry selection, tapeout, wafer or die testing, PIC packaging, optical, mechanical, or electrical interfaces.
• Demonstrated expertise developing photonic products such as LIDAR, biophotonic sensors, spectrometers, lasers.
• Experience with product development, including V&V, DFx, reliability, supply chain.
• Experience with Agile development.
• Experience working on federally-funded projects.
• Experience working with academic user facilities and industry-sponsored projects.
• Experience handling confidential technical information.
• Experience with export-controlled work.
• Familiarity with AI tools.
• Familiarity with Google Suite.

Work Environment and Travel

This is a 5-day per week in-person position based in Bozeman, Montana. Work occurs primarily in an office setting, with regular visits to laboratories, production areas, partner facilities, and customer sites. Occasional domestic travel is required, with an estimated time of <10%. The employee may periodically stand, walk, inspect equipment, and move materials or equipment weighing up to 30 pounds. MPQA will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

About MPQA and PhotonIQ

MPQA is building a globally recognized integrated photonics product development capability in Montana. PhotonIQ turns PIC-enabled technologies into commercialized products. This work is supported by a federal Economic Development Administration award.

How to Apply

Please email a cover letter and resume to careers@mpqa.org with “PhotonIQ Project Lead” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed as received until the position is filled.

MPQA is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.

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