Job description

Sr. Staff Engineer, Quality Location: San Jose (on-site) Ayar Labs is shattering AI data bottlenecks by moving data at the speed of light. As pioneers of co-packaged optics (CPO), we are using light instead of electricity to move data faster, further, and with a fraction of the energy needed to fuel the explosive growth of AI models. Backed by industry giants like NVIDIA, AMD and Intel and manufactured in partnership with the world’s leading semiconductor ecosystem, Ayar Labs’ co-packaged optics solution is key to unleashing next-generation AI scale-up architectures. Ayar Labs is seeking a strategic and technical Senior Staff Quality Engineer to lead our Quality Management System. As a fabless semiconductor and module company, our success relies on the seamless orchestration of both our internal design and our external partners. You will be the primary custodian and champion of our existing Quality Management System (QMS), ensuring it evolves alongside our technology and that our Contract Manufacturers (CMs), Foundries, and OSATs adhere strictly to our established standards. Key Responsibilities • Quality Systems • Own and evolve the existing Ayar Labs QMS (ISO 9001 based). Continually refine SOPs and Work Instructions to eliminate bottlenecks and reflect the increasing complexity of optical semiconductor integration. • Further refine and develop various Quality Management Systems including Document Control, Material Review Board, Change Action Board, Calibration, Product Traceability and Product Issue Resolution Systems including 8D’s. • Development Gate & Risk Management • Further define and implement the "Stage-Gate" process for all hardware and software products. Ensure that no product moves from R&D to production without meeting the maturity metrics defined in our QMS. Ensure all “Stage-Gate” documentation including product definition specifications, PRD, ERD, etc., meet Quality Requirements. • Define FMEA processes to be utilized across the company. Ensure both DFMEA (Design) and PFMEA (Process) are followed by all product lines. • Design and Supplier Quality Management • Define necessary procedures to ensure all design and Supplier Supplier Governance: Ensure all external partners (Foundries, OSATs, CMs) are onboarded and managed according to QMS requirements. • IQC/OQC Strategy: Define and enforce Incoming/Outgoing Quality Control requirements. This includes setting inspection criteria for high-precision optical components and establishing "Golden Unit" benchmarks • Ongoing Quality Measures & Monitoring (Desirable) • Mange Product Quality in one or more Ayar Labs Product Lines. Drive Design and manufacturing teams to ensure Quality is built into our products from day one. • Actively Manage FMEA both Process and FMEA. • Yield & SPC Monitoring: Establish real-time data hooks into our partners. Monitor Statistical Process Control (SPC) and First Pass Yield (FPY) to proactively identify trends before they become field issues. Required Qualifications • Experience: 7 to 10 years in Quality/ Engineering or Operations, in the semiconductor and/or electronics industries. • QMS Proficiency: Deep experience managing and auditing an established QMS (ISO 9001 or IATF 16949). Experience with Quality Management Software (e.g., Arena, Propel, or ETQ) is highly preferred. Fabless Expertise: Deep experience managing quality through External Foundries, OSATs, and Tier 1 Contract Manufacturers. • Technical Breadth: Strong understanding of Semiconductor manufacturing and/or advanced packaging. Familiarity with Photonics or Laser Module assembly (ELSFP) and high-precision alignment, is also highly desirable. • Education: BS in Electrical Engineering, Optical Sciences, Physics, or a related technical discipline. Preferred Qualifications • Education: MS in Electrical Engineering, Optical Sciences, Physics, or a related technical discipline. The Ayar Labs Quality Philosophy We don't own the factories, but we own the standard. As Sr. Staff Quality Engineer, you will assist in preparing Ayar Labs Readiness for manufacturing. You must leverage our existing QMS to maintain the uncompromising rigor required by the world’s leading AI and HPC customers while scaling for high growth. Salary Range: $140,000 - $160,000 NOTE TO RECRUITERS: Principals only. We are not accepting resumes from recruiters for this position. Remuneration for recruiting activities is only applicable subject to a signed and executed agreement between the parties. Please don’t send candidates to Ayar Labs, and do not contact our managers. Ayar Labs is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and is strongly committed to all policies which will afford equal opportunity employment to all qualified persons without regard to age, sex, national origin, race, color, ethnicity, creed, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. It is the policy of Ayar Labs to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. Veterans are more than welcome and encouraged to apply.

Requirements

Must-haves

Sr. Staff Engineer, Quality
Location: San Jose (on-site)
Quality Systems
Own and evolve the existing Ayar Labs QMS (ISO 9001 based). Continually refine SOPs and Work Instructions to eliminate bottlenecks and reflect the increasing complexity of optical semiconductor integration.
Further refine and develop various Quality Management Systems including Document Control, Material Review Board, Change Action Board, Calibration, Product Traceability and Product Issue Resolution Systems including 8D’s.
Development Gate & Risk Management
Define FMEA processes to be utilized across the company. Ensure both DFMEA (Design) and PFMEA (Process) are followed by all product lines.
Design and Supplier Quality Management
Define necessary procedures to ensure all design and Supplier Supplier Governance: Ensure all external partners (Foundries, OSATs, CMs) are onboarded and managed according to QMS requirements.
IQC/OQC Strategy: Define and enforce Incoming/Outgoing Quality Control requirements. This includes setting inspection criteria for high-precision optical components and establishing "Golden Unit" benchmarks
Ongoing Quality Measures & Monitoring (Desirable)
Mange Product Quality in one or more Ayar Labs Product Lines. Drive Design and manufacturing teams to ensure Quality is built into our products from day one.
Actively Manage FMEA both Process and FMEA.
Yield & SPC Monitoring: Establish real-time data hooks into our partners. Monitor Statistical Process Control (SPC) and First Pass Yield (FPY) to proactively identify trends before they become field issues.
Experience: 7 to 10 years in Quality/ Engineering or Operations, in the semiconductor and/or electronics industries.
Technical Breadth: Strong understanding of Semiconductor manufacturing and/or advanced packaging. Familiarity with Photonics or Laser Module assembly (ELSFP) and high-precision alignment, is also highly desirable.
Education: BS in Electrical Engineering, Optical Sciences, Physics, or a related technical discipline.

Nice-to-haves

Education: MS in Electrical Engineering, Optical Sciences, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
The Ayar Labs Quality Philosophy

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