Director of NPI Operations, Lightmatter
$248-277k
+ Equity Grants
3+ days a week in office (Mountain View, CA)
Light-powered AI computing
Be an early applicant
Light-powered AI computing
201-500 employees
Be an early applicant
$248-277k
+ Equity Grants
3+ days a week in office (Mountain View, CA)
201-500 employees
Company mission
To build an engine that will power discoveries, drive progress, and redefine what computers and human beings are capable of.
Role
Who you are
- BS in Mechanical, Electrical, or Systems Engineering, or a relevant field
- 10+ years of experience in Hardware Operations or NPI, specifically within the semiconductor, networking, or High-Performance Computing (HPC) industries
- Deep understanding of semiconductor fabrication, advanced packaging (2.5D/3D), or optical assembly
- Proven track record of managing cross-functional teams and external manufacturing partners in a high-growth, fast-paced environment
Desirable
- An MBA or MS in Supply Chain/Operations is a significant plus
- Direct experience managing supply chains for silicon photonics, co-packaged optics (CPO), or highly complex advanced packaging (e.g., TSVs, interposers, wafer-on-wafer)
- Experience building supply chains for AI hardware accelerators, HPC clusters, or enterprise datacenter servers
- Proven ability to thrive in a high-growth, ambiguous environment, toggling seamlessly between tactical execution and high-level executive strategy
- Familiarity with the III-V materials ecosystem and external laser source procurement
What the job involves
- We are seeking a strategic and hands-on Director of NPI (New Product Introduction) Operations, who will lead the transition of our next-generation hardware products from design completion through mass production
- You will serve as the strategic bridge between Engineering, Product, and the Global Supply Chain, ensuring that revolutionary technology is manufacturable, scalable, and delivered with uncompromising quality to our data center partners
- Lead the cross-functional NPI Core Team to ensure Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Test (DFT) requirements, specifically related to optical assembly and hybrid integration, are integrated early in the product design phase
- Drive the Stage-Gate process from Proto to EVT (Engineering Validation), DVT (Design Validation), and PVT (Production Validation), with a focus on critical 3D CPO and laser manufacturing steps
- Partner with Strategic Sourcing to identify and qualify specialized OSAT partners with expertise in Silicon Photonics packaging (e.g., fiber attach, lidding), wafer-level processing, and active/passive optical alignment
- Manage high-tech component vendors (e.g., DFB lasers, specialized optical substrates) and high-level relationships with Tier 1 manufacturers to ensure capacity and capability align with the product roadmap
- Own the "Ramp to Volume" strategy, identifying manufacturing bottlenecks in the pilot line, specifically related to laser burn-in and optical coupling, and implementing solutions to ensure a smooth transition to High-Volume Manufacturing (HVM)
- Monitor and report on First Pass Yield (FPY) focusing on end-of-line electro-optical performance metrics, and drive continuous improvement initiatives for wafer-level yield and module assembly yield
- Develop and own the Master NPI Schedule, factoring in long-lead times for specialized foundry runs (e.g., Silicon Photonics wafers) and custom laser components
- Proactively identify supply chain risks (e.g., single-source long-lead materials for CPO substrates or specialized laser drivers) and develop robust contingency plans, including alternate sourcing strategies for key optical components
- Manage the Bill of Materials (BOM) cost targets through the development lifecycle, focusing on cost reduction
- Ensure products meet aggressive margin targets required for global deployment at the point of launch
Our take
Neural networks and CPUs are vital to AI solutions, but manufacturers have largely failed to maintain innovation in recent years. Lightmatter solves this problem by offering a next-generation computing platform powered by photonics (light waves).
Lightmatter offers a forward-facing platform for AI-building that acts as an alternative to traditional solutions. It works by replacing wired CPUs with a combination of photonics and new algorithms. Lightmatter's solution is not only faster, but it is considerably more sustainable, and it has the potential to drive the next generation of AI development.
As of early 2026, Lightmatter had raised $850 million across six funding rounds and grown to a staggering valuation of $4.4 billion. This showcases the growing demand for faster, more effective AI-building solutions. With products already on the market and a roadmap to tackle even more components in the years ahead, the future for Lightmatter certainly looks bright.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Company
Funding (last 2 of 6 rounds)
Oct 2024
$400m
SERIES D
Dec 2023
$155m
SERIES C
Total funding: $822m
Company benefits
- Commuter benefit
- Happy hour -Spend time together and build friendships
- Generous vacation policy and holidays
- 401(K)
- Opportunity to learn from your peers and teach them what you know across electronics, photonics, machine learning, and more
Company HQ
Old Mountain View, Mountain View, CA
Leadership
Nicholas Harris
(CEO & Co-Founder)Previously worked as an R&D Product Engineer at Micron Technology, and as a Postdoctoral Fellow at MIT.
Thomas Graham
(Head of ML & Co-Founder)Was an M&A Analyst at Morgan Stanley, and worked as an Agency Business Development Manager at Google.
Darius Bunandar
(Chief Scientist & Co-Founder)Worked as a Research Collaborator at Caltech, and was a PhD Candidate at MIT.
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