Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations

Job description

Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations About Lumilens At Lumilens, we are building the critical photonics infrastructure that powers tomorrow’s AI supercomputing. From chip-to-chip optical interconnects to scalable photonic engines, Lumilens is unlocking a new era of computing—faster, cooler, and massively more efficient. We’re a well-funded startup backed by industry leaders and focused on delivering transformative photonics solutions for AI and high-performance computing applications. Join us as we scale our organization and manufacturing operations to meet the demands of next-generation infrastructure. Position Overview As Senior Director, Manufacturing Operations, you will own and drive the strategy and execution of our manufacturing organization. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for capital management, capital planning, capacity modeling, and logistics, ensuring that Lumilens’ production operations enable the company’s rapid growth and operational excellence. Reporting to executive leadership, you will partner cross-functionally with engineering, supply chain, and external suppliers to seamlessly scale manufacturing capacity. Key Responsibilities - Lead end-to-end manufacturing capital management and strategic capital planning for high-growth AI photonics products. - Develop and optimize capacity models and long-term manufacturing roadmaps to align with business objectives and product launch schedules. - Design and implement scalable logistics strategies, managing global supply chains and ensuring effective distribution and material handling. - Own manufacturing site selection, readiness, and ramp; oversee contract manufacturer (CM) and supplier relationships across geographies. - Drive process improvements, efficiency initiatives, and cost reduction across manufacturing operations. - Collaborate with Engineering, Product, and Supply Chain teams to ensure seamless New Product Introduction (NPI) and transition from prototype to volume production. - Monitor and report on key operational metrics, including throughput, capacity utilization, yield, and quality. - Recruit, lead, and mentor a skilled manufacturing operations team; build an organizational culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement. Required Qualifications - Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Supply Chain Management, or a related field. - 10+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, capital planning, or industrial engineering in high-tech sectors (e.g., semiconductors, photonics, advanced electronics). - Demonstrated experience with large-scale capital and capacity planning, factory operations, and international logistics. - Strong quantitative and analytical skills; expertise in operational modeling, forecasting, and supply chain optimization. - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of leading cross-functional and multi-site teams. Preferred Qualifications - Experience with optical, semiconductor, or electronics products in a rapid-growth startup environment. - Familiarity with PLM systems, lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and process improvement methodologies. - Experience managing global CMs and suppliers in Asia (Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Thailand). What We Offer - Competitive salary and meaningful equity in a high-growth company - Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage - Flexible time off policy - Opportunity to shape world-class manufacturing operations for next-gen technology - Collaborative, entrepreneurial team environment Global travel is required to CM and Supplier sites, especially during capacity ramp and supplier qualification events. Join Lumilens and help us power the future of AI infrastructure through world-class manufacturing excellence!