Principal Technical Program Manager

Coherent Corp.

. Lead technical engagement with Microsoft architecture, networking, qualification, and sourcing teams to align product configuration, performance targets, telemetry needs, and sample plans.

Posted 4/21/2026full-timeFremont • California • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $114,375 - $195,875 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead technical engagement with Microsoft architecture, networking, qualification, and sourcing teams to align product configuration, performance targets, telemetry needs, and sample plans.
Drive readiness before customer shipment by coordinating demo hardware or EVB, reference firmware, interoperability coverage, tolerance testing, corner-condition calibration, and proactive system-level verification.
Own cross-functional issue resolution for firmware and system integration, CMIS interpretation, power and thermal limits, optical performance, telemetry, and manufacturing issues; ensure fast response and closure plans.
Coordinate with switch, NIC, and system vendors and internal product lines to remove interoperability blockers and improve first-pass qualification success at Microsoft.
Provide clear executive updates, risk registers, and trade-off recommendations covering schedule, capacity, yield, BOM diversity, and customer commitments.
Build long-term trust with Microsoft engineering leaders through regular onsite and offsite reviews and hands-on support during bring-up, qualification, and ramp.

Requirements

What you’ll need

B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optics, Computer Engineering, or a related field.
7+ years in technical marketing, customer engineering, systems engineering, or technical program management for optical transceivers, networking, or datacenter hardware.
Strong working knowledge of optical module qualification, firmware and system bring-up, CMIS, telemetry or DDM, power and thermal trade-offs, and switch or NIC interoperability.
Proven ability to influence hyperscale customers and lead cross-functional teams across R&D, operations, quality, and external partners to close urgent technical issues.
Excellent communication and program leadership: concise executive updates, clear decision options, and data-driven problem solving.
Experience supporting 800G or 1.6T qualification, or similar high-speed optical products with hyperscale customers, is strongly preferred.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance
401(k) matching
Flexible work hours
Paid time off
Professional development opportunities

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

optical module qualificationfirmware integrationsystem bring-upCMIStelemetrypower trade-offsthermal trade-offsswitch interoperabilityNIC interoperabilityhigh-speed optical products

Soft Skills

communicationprogram leadershipinfluencecross-functional team leadershipdata-driven problem solvingexecutive updatesrisk managementdecision makingtrust buildingcustomer engagement

Certifications

B.S. in Electrical EngineeringM.S. in Electrical EngineeringB.S. in PhysicsM.S. in PhysicsB.S. in OpticsM.S. in OpticsB.S. in Computer EngineeringM.S. in Computer Engineering