Principal Module and FA Lead

Job Title

Principal Module and FA Lead

Role Summary

Lead module integration and system-level failure analysis across mechanical, electrical, thermal, firmware, and optical/photonics domains during pre-production and early-volume phases. Act as the technical owner for triage, root-cause investigation, and handoff criteria to NPI prior to transition to contract-manufacturing-driven volume.

Experience Level

Senior. See Education Requirements for detailed years-of-experience guidance tied to degree level.

Responsibilities

Own module integration and system-level failure analysis across domains; lead investigations and build the FA infrastructure required for pre-production to early-volume transition.

• Serve as focal point for system-level failure triage: diagnose cross-domain issues, assign ownership, and convene cross-functional teams to resolve problems quickly.
• Own system-level module integration, resolving fit/interface/tolerance and cross-domain interactions before they become production or field failures.
• Establish module integration procedures and KPIs with NPI, including entry/exit criteria, integration test flows, and integration-health metrics.
• Partner with mechanical, electrical, thermal, firmware, and optical design engineers to evaluate trade-offs and diagnostics that guide failure analysis.
• Lead structured root-cause investigations using fishbone analysis and staged, resource-aware design of experiments to triage candidate variables.
• Perform data analysis to verify hypotheses and drive countermeasures through to implemented design or process changes, tracking closure.
• Design and build FA documentation and trend-tracking systems from scratch; track repeat failure modes and feed learnings into NPI.
• Define and maintain clear handoff criteria to NPI as products move from pre-production/small-volume to CM-driven high-volume manufacturing.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills, behaviors, and experience for immediate success.

• Technical fluency across mechanical, electrical, thermal, and firmware domains; photonics/optical experience strongly preferred.
• Proven experience leading cross-domain root-cause investigations on coupled, multi-variable failure modes.
• Hands-on: personally runs test and measurement setups; uses a repeatable, structured problem-solving method under pressure.
• Practical experience designing and prioritizing DOEs with limited samples, long test cycles, and many candidate variables.
• Ability to build quick first-principles models (thermal, electrical, mechanical) to narrow hypotheses before committing to physical tests.
• Track record of closing the loop from root cause to implemented design or process changes and managing engineering change control.
• Experience standing up processes or infrastructure in early-stage or resource-constrained environments.
• Strong communication and cross-functional coordination skills to drive resolutions to closure.

Nice-to-have:

• Direct photonics/optical packaging experience (fiber coupling, wire-bond/die-attach, epoxy/encapsulation materials).
• Pragmatic judgment on depth vs. speed; collaborative, root-cause-first mindset.

Education Requirements

Degree expectation: BS, MS, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics/Applied Physics, Materials Science, Optical Engineering, or a related technical field. The posting provides years-of-experience guidance tied to degree level: approximately BS +15 years, MS +12 years, PhD +9 years in hardware failure analysis, systems engineering, or related root-cause roles. PhD candidates should have post-degree industry experience spanning multiple engineering domains. Equivalent related industry experience may be considered.

About the Company

Company: Xscape Photonics

Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, United States

Developer of integrated photonics solutions and instrumentation, specializing in photonic circuits, control systems, and test methodologies for optical communication and sensing applications. Works on device integration, control algorithms, and validation of photonic hardware and firmware.