Vice President of Engineering

About Us:

Voyant Photonics is redefining machine perception with compact, high-performance LiDAR devices that fit in the palm of your hand. Leveraging cutting-edge silicon photonic chips, our sensors deliver unparalleled accuracy in range, velocity, and reflectivity—at a fraction of the cost of traditional LiDAR systems. By transforming high-precision sensing into an accessible technology, we are enabling new applications in robotics, autonomous systems, industrial automation, and beyond.

At Voyant, we are not just building products—we are advancing an industry. Our breakthrough technology bridges the gap between research and real-world deployment, making high-performance LiDAR scalable and commercially viable.

The Role:

Voyant is seeking a Vice President of Engineering to lead the development, scaling, and manufacturing of our cutting-edge LiDAR hardware. As the senior engineering leader, you will drive the transition from prototype to mass production, ensuring our products are not only innovative but also manufacturable, reliable, and scalable.

This role requires a deep technical background in hardware and systems engineering, a track record of shipping high-volume precision-engineered products, and experience scaling production through contract manufacturing and supply chain partnerships. You will lead a multidisciplinary team spanning mechanical engineering, electronics, optics, firmware, and software while working closely with the leadership team to align technology development with business objectives. This is a unique opportunity to define and lead the engineering vision at Voyant Photonics, building the next generation of LiDAR technology.

Location: NYC strongly preferred, remote acceptable with frequent monthly travel to NYC

Key Responsibilities:

• Own and drive hardware engineering across electronics, mechanical assembly, optics, and embedded systems to deliver scalable, high-performance LiDAR solutions.

• Lead the transition from R&D and prototyping to full-scale mass production, ensuring reliability, cost-effectiveness, and manufacturability.

• Develop and implement best-in-class engineering processes, including requirements management, design validation, and rigorous product lifecycle management.

• Manage production ramp-up, scaling from low-volume sample assembly to 1,000+ units per month through contract manufacturing.

• Establish and optimize supply chain partnerships to ensure cost-efficient and scalable manufacturing.

• Build and mentor a high-performing, cross-disciplinary engineering team.

• Drive technical alignment with the product roadmap, balancing innovation with execution and delivery timelines.

• Collaborate with leadership across product, sales, and operations to ensure alignment between technical and business objectives.
  

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience leading engineering teams in hardware product development.

• Proven track record of shipping complex electronic hardware at scale.

• Experience in high-volume product development at an established company (consumer electronics, automotive, robotics, or similar).

• Expertise in contract manufacturing and offshore supply chains.

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire, mentor, and grow a world-class engineering team.

• Deep technical knowledge in system architecture, hardware design, and embedded software.

• Experience driving New Product Introduction (NPI) and scaling production lines.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering or a related field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with high-reliability or extreme-environment design (e.g., automotive, aerospace, defense).

• Familiarity with functional safety standards (ISO 26262, IEC 61508, or similar).

• Background in photonics, optics, or semiconductor-based sensing technologies.

• Prior experience leading engineering at an early-stage startup, scaling from prototype to mass production.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Competitive salary and meaningful equity package

• Comprehensive health benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision)

• Unlimited PTO and paid company holidays

• Flexible work environment (Hybrid or remote with travel)

• Team events and company meetups