The posting
Senior Project Manager, Global Supply Chain (LiDAR & Optical Circuit Switches)
About us:
Voyant Photonics builds silicon photonic chips that steer and switch light at high speed. They power next generation, chip-scale FMCW LiDAR for robotics and autonomy, and optical circuit switches (OCS) for AI data centers. Based in NYC, we’re a hands-on team designing, building, and deploying frontier hardware to solve problems that matter, from how machines see to how AI scales.
About the role
We're looking for a Senior Project Manager dedicated to supply chain to build and run the global supply chain behind both of our product lines, LiDAR and OCS. You'll own supply chain projects from prototype sourcing through high-volume manufacturing. That means coordinating wafer foundries, packaging and test partners, component suppliers and contract manufacturers across North America, Asia and Europe. You'll work closely with engineering, operations, quality, finance and our customers to make sure we can build what we design, on time, at target cost and at scale. As an early member of a growing startup, you'll set the strategy and also do the day-to-day work yourself, from placing purchase orders to getting parts through our receiving dock.
What You'll Do:
Supply chain project ownership: Lead end-to-end supply chain projects for LiDAR and OCS, covering sourcing strategy, supplier selection, capacity, cost targets and delivery schedules, all aligned to product NPI milestones.
• Hands-on procurement and logistics execution: In our startup environment, roll up your sleeves and own the daily work of procurement and shipping and receiving. That means placing and expediting purchase orders, issuing RFQs, tracking deliveries, receiving and inspecting incoming material, managing inventory and stockroom accuracy, and packing and shipping prototypes, samples and customer orders. You will build these processes from the ground up and scale them as the team grows.
• Global supplier and partner management: Manage relationships with silicon photonics foundries, OSAT/packaging partners, contract manufacturers and key component suppliers (lasers, photodetectors, fiber arrays, micro-optics, MEMS, ASICs and PCBAs). Run quarterly business reviews and supplier scorecards, and lead commercial and contract negotiations.
• Demand and capacity planning: Run the sales and operations planning (S&OP) process. Translate customer forecasts from very different markets, such as robotics and industrial customers for LiDAR and hyperscalers for OCS, into wafer starts, assembly and test capacity, and inventory plans that account for long lead times.
• NPI-to-volume transition: Drive manufacturing transfers, line qualification, yield ramps and second-source qualification as products move from prototype through EVT/DVT/PVT into mass production.
• Supply risk and resilience: Identify and mitigate single-source, capacity, geopolitical and tariff risks. Build dual-
sourcing strategies, buffer inventory plans and business continuity plans for critical parts.
• Cost management: Own BOM cost roadmaps, should-cost models and cost-down programs. Track landed cost, including freight, duties and yield loss, against product cost targets.
• Supplier quality and change control: Partner with quality engineering on supplier qualification, PPAP-style releases, product change notifications (PCNs), corrective actions (SCARs) and engineering change control across the supply base.
• Logistics and trade compliance: Oversee global logistics, Incoterms, customs and country-of-origin requirements, and make sure export control and trade compliance obligations are met for both product lines.
• Systems, metrics and process: Build and scale supply chain processes and tools (ERP/MRP, BOM management,
supplier portals). Define and report KPIs such as on-time delivery, lead time, inventory turns, supplier yield and cost versus plan.
• Executive and stakeholder communication: Give clear, concise status, risk and decision briefings to executives, the board, customers and cross-functional teams
Core Values We Look For
• Respect: We operate with humility and integrity, and we treat feedback as a gift.
• Ownership: We own our achievements and our failures, and we step in to solve problems before anyone asks.
• Simplicity + Clarity: We solve complex problems by building elegant, simple products and communicating clearly.
.What We're Looking For
Education: Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Operations or a related technical field. MBA or Master's degree preferred.
• Experience: 8+ years in supply chain, procurement, operations or project management for hardware products. At least 5 of those years should be spent scaling complex hardware to volume production with global suppliers.
• Semiconductor and photonics supply chain: Direct experience with wafer foundries, OSATs and contract manufacturers, ideally in photonics, optoelectronics or semiconductors.
• Global supplier management: A proven record managing suppliers in multiple regions, including Asia, and leading commercial and technical negotiations.
• Planning and analytics: Strong command of demand and capacity planning, S&OP and ERP/MRP systems, with the ability to build data-driven models and turn them into decisions.
• Project management rigor: Mastery of schedule, budget and risk management for cross-functional projects that span engineering, operations and external partners.
Nice to Have
• Automotive and industrial supply chains: Experience with automotive or industrial quality and supply standards such as IATF 16949, AEC-Q qualification and APQP/PPAP, which are relevant to LiDAR customers.
• Data center supply chains: Familiarity with hyperscaler supply requirements, customer supply agreements and data center qualification standards (e.g., Telcordia GR-468), which are relevant to OCS customers.
• Optical component sourcing: Experience sourcing lasers, photodetectors, fiber assemblies, micro-optics, MEMS or other optoelectronic components.
• Manufacturing quality systems: Hands-on use of PFMEA, control plans, change control and PCN management to keep a multi-tier supply base stable.
• Trade compliance: Working knowledge of export controls, tariffs, country-of-origin rules and multi-region manufacturing footprints.
• External test partners: Experience managing contract test houses, including test transfer, correlation and capacity planning.
• Certifications and mindset: APICS/ASCM (CPIM or CSCP) or PMP certification is a plus. Comfort with ambiguity, a bias toward action and a willingness to do whatever it takes in a fast-moving startup.
Life at Voyant
We build frontier hardware & systems from our lab and office in Midtown Manhattan, where optical tables, lab benches and electronics sit alongside traditional office space. Our work is hands-on and primarily in person, but we don’t run on a rigid 9-to-5. We partner with customers across time zones, so some calls start early or run late, and we adjust schedules around them. We run a high-trust, high-accountability environment: you’ll own meaningful work, move quickly and often wear more than one hat. Voyant provides catered lunch every day at HQ, and we’re a diverse group of food lovers from around the world who enjoy sharing food, culture and technical ideas around the lunch table.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Voyant Photonics is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, marital or partnership status, age, national origin, citizenship, veteran or military status, disability, medical condition, genetic information, caregiver status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
