Salary Range: $200,000.00 - $250,000.00

Director of Business Development, Photonic Devices / PIC’s

$200k-$250k package

SoCal preferred, Hybrid ok, Engaged Search

About Our Client:

Our client is an emerging, well-funded early-stage company building transformative non-linear photonic integrated circuits and a platform powered by their proprietary photonics technology. Their goal is to deliver technology that will enable disruptive technical advances to AI, data centers, optical sensing and quantum technologies. Our client seeks passionate accomplished professionals who thrive in a fast paced early-stage environment, where team members have a “can do” mindset and are mission focused on scaling the company.

About the Opportunity:

We are seeking a proven Director of Business Development to lead our client’s efforts in identifying, engaging, and securing partnerships with early customers and strategic collaborators across photonics-driven markets, while shaping and developing the commercial approach as they scale. Your experience and industry network will help you facilitate these relationships for our client. Working closely with the founders, you will translate customer and market insights/requirements into product priorities. You will lead the efforts to build a product road map, while securing pilot projects and building the foundation for long-term customers and technology partnerships. You are ultimately responsible for driving sales and revenue growth as our client develops products.

This role is ideal for someone who combines strong technical fluency in photonics devices, especially PIC’s, with a proven commercial product / market track record. You will drive adoption of our client’s integrated photonics technology and platform and cultivate lasting customer and partner relationships that will accelerate their growth. As one of the company’s early commercial leaders, you will play a central role in bringing their transformative technology to market. This position is well suited for someone who thrives in the early stages of photonics company building, where adaptability, initiative, and vision matter as much as experience.

Responsibilities:

  • Drive customer outreach, build relationships, identify opportunities, and secure POs for our client’s technology across target markets.
  • Manage a qualified pipeline of leads, contacts, inquiries across priority segments; establish pilot programs, and turn them into multi-year partnership agreements, creating steady revenue growth.
  • Track pipeline progress, set growth and revenue metrics, and provide regular updates to the executive team.
  • Translate customer feedback into product development priorities and collaborate with the technology team to align R&D with market needs.
  • Develop strategic partnerships with research institutions and government programs.
  • Prepare and deliver proposals, commercial terms, contracts and technical-commercial presentations to support customer and investor engagements.
  • Own outreach, proposals, and negotiations for NDAs, MOUs, SOWs, MSAs, pricing, supply and other commercial agreements with customers.
  • Define clear metrics for growth and revenue, manage pipeline tracking in a CRM, and provide regular updates to the executive team.
  • Conduct market analysis and contribute to business strategy, including pricing, go-to-market planning, and competitive positioning.
  • Represent our client at conferences, trade shows, and customer meetings; deliver compelling technical-commercial presentations.

Requirements:

  • MS or PhD in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Optics/Photonics, or a related field.
  • 7+ years of experience in business development, product marketing, sales, or applications engineering within the photonics, lasers, optics, or optoelectronics industry.
  • Proven track record of driving early adoption of new technologies and driving revenue growth.
  • Technical fluency in PICs, lasers, Quantum technologies, non-linear optics, or optical systems, with the ability to clearly communicate value to both technical and business audiences.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills, capable of conveying complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders.
  • Strong proposal development and negotiation skills; familiarity with standard commercial agreements.
  • Proficiency with CRM systems and sales forecasting.
  • This role is hybrid, with an expectation of approximately 20% on-site presence at our client's Pasadena office plus an additional 25% travel to customer sites, conferences, and trade shows
  • Enthusiasm for working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

  • Advanced degree: MBA and/or PhD in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Optics, Photonics, or a related field.
  • Experience in early-stage startups or R&D environments with rapid product/technology iteration cycles.
  • Proven track record in negotiating and signing partnerships, licensing deals, and/or sales agreements / contracts.
  • Established network of customer and partner relationships, contacts in photonics-driven markets.
  • Experience with government procurement processes and developing technical-commercial proposals.

Benefits:

  • Exceptional growth opportunity
  • Stock option plan
  • Competitive health care plan (Medical, dental & vision)
  • Retirement plan with company match
  • Paid time off (Vacation, sick & public holidays)
  • Life insurance
  • Short term and long term disability
  • Company-sponsored team outings




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