Thorlabs

Engineering Manager

• Thorlabs is pleased to play a role in advancing science through the components, instruments, and systems we design and manufacture. We believe that science and innovation have great potential to improve the world around us and are committed to advancing photonics (i.e., light-based) technologies that positively impact our customers, employees, and communities. Via educational outreach and more sustainable business practices, we continuously invest in a brighter future. We recognize that each of our employees is a unique individual with the ability to contribute to our success and seek to find great people who will thrive in our fun, fast-paced culture.
• The Security Engineering Manager will lead the evolution of our cybersecurity engineering, architecture, and operations. This role bridges strategic and tactical domains – collaborate cross-functionally with IT and business stakeholders, oversee enterprise security architecture (both Cloud and on-prem), manage security engineering team, and optimize security operations (including an outsourced SOC).
• This is a strategic role designed for a seasoned security expert with a proven ability to manage teams, architect complex solutions, and influence across departments. The successful candidate must be strategic while also comfortable at tactical level, with both leadership and hands-on responsibilities.
• Although the location of the position is in Newton, NJ, from time to time it may be required to undertake duties at other Thorlabs locations.
• Essential Job Functions include the following, but are not limited to:
• Leadership & Strategy:
• Serve as a strategic advisor to the IT leadership team on emerging threats, investment priorities, and security posture.
• Set and track KPIs, KRIs, OKRs, and metrics to ensure effectiveness and continuous improvement.
• Collaborate closely with Infrastructure and Operations, Enterprise Applications, Application Development, and Enterprise Data teams to embed security into their processes.
• Present to executive stakeholders and help translate technical risk into business impact.
• Serve as the security SME in enterprise projects and technology investments, including tool evaluations, acquisitions, and divestitures, including strategic planning, budgeting, and cross-functional alignment.
• Security Architecture & Engineering:
• Define and drive the enterprise security architecture roadmap across infrastructure, cloud, applications, and Operational Technology (OT).
• Lead the design and implementation of security controls, frameworks, and reference architectures.
• Oversee architecture reviews, and secure-by-design practices across the organization.
• Ensure baseline security measures are implemented and monitored (e.g., hardening, patching, zero trust, segmentation).
• Manage integration and ongoing optimization of security tools (e.g., CSPM, CNAPP, IAM, PKI, DLP).
• Identity & Access Management (IAM):
• Lead the Security Engineering function responsible for Identity and Access Management
• Architect and enhance enterprise IAM strategy including RBAC, PAM, MFA, SoD, and JML lifecycle.
• Drive IAM policy creation and enforcement across service, privileged, and user accounts.
• Guide the definition of IAM operating models, access certification processes, and automation of identity governance.
• Security Operations & Incident Response:
• Oversee day-to-day security operations including SOC management (outsourced), SIEM/SOAR (Microsoft Sentinel), EDR/XDR, and threat detection and response.
• Collaborate with the SOC to improve detection rules, reduce false positives, and ensure robust incident detection and response capabilities.
• Plan and oversee penetration testing, forensic analysis, and incident investigations.
• Governance, Risk, & Compliance:
• Align security architecture and operations with regulatory frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, CMMC, PCI-DSS, and GDPR.
• Partner with the GRC and Audit teams to ensure technical controls support broader compliance and risk.
• Coordinate with the GRC team to support policy development, risk assessments, and business continuity/disaster recovery planning.

Security Engineering Manager

Human Resources

• Thorlabs is pleased to play a role in advancing science through the components, instruments, and systems we design and manufacture. The Human Resources Business Partner assists in aligning Thorlabs’ people strategy with the business strategy. They are a key link to the leaders and employees within their client groups to drive culture, talent, and employee engagement. Build and maintain influential relationships by being a strategic partner with management and a resource and support for the employees. Ensure HR policies, procedures, tactics, and methods in support of the company’s overall HR strategy are communicated and implemented properly and consistently throughout the assigned site/business unit and at all stages of the employee life cycle. Act as an advisor or coach to all employees including leadership. Coordinate and implement services, policies, and programs through the direction of the HR Manager. Occasional duties at other Thorlabs locations may be required.

Human Resources Business Partner

Full-stack Engineer

• Design, implement, optimize and test embedded firmware in C for various electronic devices and systems.
• Debug and resolve issues in existing firmware.
• Collaborate with electronic design engineers, embedded and PC software engineers and mechanical engineers to ensure firmware compatibility and integration with the target hardware platform.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation for firmware designs, code, and development processes.
• Perform code reviews and develop and execute firmware test plans to ensure robustness under various operating conditions.
• Look to unify code across products where applicable by abstracting to libraries.
• Continually improve development best practices and codebase quality.
• Ensure that firmware complies with industry standards, safety regulations, and quality standards.
• Provide technical support to cross-functional teams, including troubleshooting and debugging firmware-related issues.
• Work collaboratively with other departments to ensure complete knowledge transfer of products into production is effective.
• Stay up to date with new development technologies and tools for the role.

Security Engineering Manager

Human Resources Business Partner

Embedded Software Engineer