CLO: Chief Laser Officer

Role mandate

Build the capability for the era ahead.

This team member will combine subject-matter depth, sound judgment and disciplined execution to move the mission from architecture to measurable results.

Responsibilities

• Own the Laser & Photonics Systems workstream for Chief Laser Officer and deliver measurable technical or operating outcomes.
• Set the strategy, operating priorities and measurable outcomes for the function.
• Design and analyze optical links, terminals, photonic components and supporting control systems.
• Own performance budgets covering power, loss, pointing, noise, availability and environmental effects.

Required qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in a technically complex or regulated organization.
• Engineering experience with lasers, optics, photonics, optical networking or free-space communications.
• Ability to use modeling, test equipment and data analysis to validate performance.

Preferred experience

• Experience with space-qualified optical terminals, coherent communications or QKD.
• Familiarity with acquisition, pointing and tracking systems.
• Experience building a new function, business unit or company from an early stage.

Operational tools used in the role

Chief positions are evaluated on practical command of the operating systems, evidence and decision tools used to run the function—not on performing the staff engineer's daily calculations.

• Quantum/optical program portfolio, link-budget and readiness dashboards, technical-risk register and standards tracker.
• Laboratory and field-test summaries covering QBER or BER, optical margin, pointing performance, reliability and safety.
• Requirements/traceability, supplier qualification, configuration control and executive milestone reporting.

The hiring sequence will follow operating milestones and project requirements. The position may begin through advisory, consulting or project-based work before moving into a full-time role.

Send Your Resume ↗