Team Lead, Test and Reliability

About Dream Photonics

Dream Photonics is a deep-tech startup based in Vancouver, BC, developing advanced manufacturing technology for next-generation photonic systems. Our PICTORTM platform uses precision 3D printing to create high-efficiency, low-loss optical connections for photonic integrated circuits. It addresses a central bottleneck in photonics: connecting light into and out of chips reliably and at scale.

Our technology has applications in AI data centres, optical modules, high-performance computing, quantum technologies, sensing, and defence. As these fields advance, the ability to manufacture optical connections at scale is becoming increasingly important.

Founded as a UBC startup in 2019, Dream Photonics has grown beyond its academic roots. We are venture-backed, engaged with commercial and large enterprise customers, and rapidly growing our team as we move from R&D to commercialization. Our leadership brings together deep photonics expertise and experience developing technology for industry. We recently took first place in the New Ventures BC Competition!

If you are interested in the intersection of optics, semiconductors, 3D printing, and advanced manufacturing, you will have the opportunity to contribute to technology being developed for real-world use.

The Role

We are looking for a Team Lead, Test and Reliability to lead the Test and Reliability team testing and characterizing PICTOR lenses and the photonic components and systems that use them. This is a player-coach role: you will remain hands-on with optical measurements, instrument automation, and data analysis while planning the team’s work and supporting its development.

As Dream Photonics moves from R&D toward commercial products, you will help the team produce reliable measurements that validate designs and inform product decisions. You will work closely with our Senior Project Manager and colleagues in design, packaging, manufacturing, and software to align testing with shared development milestones.

What You Will Do

Contribute to Optical Testing

• Perform and guide the characterization of PICTOR lenses, PICs, lasers, optical fibres, and integrated photonic systems using free-space and fibre-based measurement setups.
• Develop and improve manual and automated test methods, including PIC characterization, beam profilometry, and laser characterization.
• Develop and maintain Python-based scripts for instrument control, data collection, processing, and analysis.
• Define what needs to be measured, assess the quality and reproducibility of results, and distinguish measurement issues from device performance issues.
• Interpret and communicate performance results, including relevant metrics such as insertion loss and bandwidth, to support design validation and product decisions.
• Establish and improve test plans, SOPs, technical reports, and handoffs to design, packaging, manufacturing, and software teams.

Lead the Team

• Work with our Senior Project Manager to translate development milestones into a plan with clear deliverables, ownership, priorities, and realistic estimates.
• Clarify/frame technical problems before assigning work. Break complex work into manageable parts, identify dependencies, and determine what can proceed in parallel.
• Coordinate the team’s day-to-day technical work, set clear expectations, and track progress against agreed deliverables.
• Review results, identify when an approach is not working, and help the team adjust.
• Help resolve technical roadblocks and escalate resource or cross-functional issues when needed.
• Delegate work, review designs, coach team members, and give timely feedback while continuing to contribute technically.
• Encourage team members to raise concerns and discuss technical approaches constructively.
• Reduce reliance on knowledge held by one person through documentation, mentoring, and shared ownership.
• Communicate progress, decisions, risks, capacity, and resource needs to R&D leadership.
• Work with our Talent & HR Partner on hiring, onboarding, and team performance reviews.

Required Qualifications

Technical Experience

• Relevant post-secondary education in engineering, applied physics, photonics, or a related applied science discipline.
• 5-7 years of relevant experience following completion of a bachelor’s degree, which may include time spent completing a PhD. At least 5 years must be industry experience developing technology for commercial products or customer applications.
• Experience taking optical testing beyond research exploration, such as developing methods against product requirements, establishing repeatable measurements, validating designs, investigating performance variation, or delivering results used in product decisions.
• Strong hands-on experience with optical test equipment and free-space or fibre-based measurement setups for photonic components and systems.
• Proficiency in Python for instrument control, automation, data handling, and analysis.
• Ability to define test requirements, develop measurement methods, assess data quality and uncertainty, and troubleshoot test setups.
• Ability to distinguish measurement problems from device performance issues and document methods, results, limitations, and technical decisions clearly.

Team Leadership and Delivery

• Experience planning and leading technical work performed by others, including defining the problem, dividing and assigning work, and taking responsibility for a shared deliverable.
• Ability to estimate difficulty and uncertainty, manage dependencies, and turn project milestones into clear goals for individual team members.
• Ability to review results, track progress toward completion, identify risks, and adjust a plan when the original approach is not working.
• Experience providing technical guidance, mentoring, review, or feedback to colleagues.
• Strong communication and collaboration across design, testing, packaging, manufacturing, software, and project teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct people-management experience, including one-on-ones, performance feedback, development planning, hiring, and onboarding.
• Experience with automated probe stations, beam profilometry, and laser characterization.
• Experience using NumPy, Pandas, and SciPy for measurement data analysis.
• Understanding of silicon photonics packaging and hybrid integration.
• Familiarity with GDSII layout tools, foundry PDKs, or electromagnetic simulation.
• Experience establishing test or validation practices in a venture-backed startup, scale-up, or growing commercial R&D team.

Personal Attributes

• Judgement: Balances technical analysis with timely decisions and anticipates the consequences of technical choices.
• Pragmatism: Applies sound methods to the problem at hand without over-engineering.
• Goal setting: Gives team members clear outcomes and connects their work to product milestones.
• Delegation: Gives others the context and responsibility to deliver while remaining available to support them.
• People development: Helps team members improve through coaching, review, and specific feedback.

Details

• Location: This is an on-site role based in Vancouver, BC.
• We are currently located at UBC’s Point Grey Campus but will be moving to 1750 West 75th Avenue in January 2027.
• Compensation: $125,000-$165,000

Team Building

Equity, diversity and inclusion are essential to our company’s growth. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the BC Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Métis, Inuit, or Indigenous person.