Manager, Pilot Line Technician

Job Description

Job Title: Manager, Pilot Line Technician Team. Location: British Columbia, Canada

Responsibilities:

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of test and assembly technicians.
• Set daily priorities, balance workloads across test stations, and manage shift coverage to maximize lab utilization.
• Recruit, onboard, and performance-manage technicians in partnership with HR.
• Provide cross-training and support internal career development.
• Build a high-performance, results-driven, and inclusive team culture;
• Develop 30/60/90-day onboarding frameworks and manage technician qualification for each station.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, performance reviews, and career development discussions.
• Own day-to-day test and assembly operations and ensure technicians follow SOPs precisely.
• Maintain technician qualification records, training logs, and certification status.
• Work with Test and Device Engineering to convert new test methods into clear SOPs, work instructions, and checklists.
• Coordinate equipment calibration, preventive maintenance, and qualification schedules with Engineering and Facilities.
• Act as the first escalation point for station issues and route complex troubleshooting and failure investigations to the appropriate Engineering team.
• Champion lab safety, cleanliness, PPE requirements, and proper handling of sensitive materials;
• Enforce change-control procedures for recipes, processes, and station configurations.
• Maintain accurate test-run, anomaly, and station records for traceability and root-cause analysis.
• Track technician-team KPIs including throughput, yield, cycle time, station uptime, and SOP compliance.
• Work with Test Engineering on failure-analysis feedback and process improvements.
• Identify opportunities to simplify, standardize, and automate repetitive tasks.
• Collaborate with Device, Hardware, Software, and Operations Engineering teams on requirements, schedules, and deliverables.

Qualifications:

• 3+ years of experience leading technician, operator, or junior-engineer teams in a semiconductor, photonics, optics, or cryogenic R&D or pilot-manufacturing environment.
• Experience operating a lab or pilot line according to SOPs, including shift scheduling, station qualification, and change control.
• Working knowledge of semiconductor, optical, or cryogenic test environments.
• Diploma, BSc, or higher in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Photonics, Mechatronics, or a related discipline.
• Deep hands-on photonic expertise is not required. The role focuses on leading skilled technical teams.
• Experience writing and maintaining SOPs, work instructions, training programs, and qualification records.
• Strong commitment to personnel safety, equipment protection, and risk mitigation;
• Ability to track KPIs such as yield, throughput, uptime, and OEE and use data to drive improvements.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to determine when to troubleshoot issues directly and when to involve Engineering.
• Demonstrated ability to attract, motivate, coach, and retain technical talent.
• Experience building inclusive, high-performing teams with people from different backgrounds and experience levels.
• Strong stakeholder-management skills across Test Engineering, Device Engineering, Hardware, and Operations.
• Excellent interpersonal, written communication, and teamwork skills.
• Ability to translate technical direction into clear, actionable instructions.

Benefits and Compensation:

• Base annual salary of $105,900 to $145,600 CAD.
• Equity and benefits for full-time employees.
• Relocation assistance for global talent.
• Extended health and dental benefits.
• Life insurance and long-term disability coverage.
• Employee assistance program;
• Parental leave top-ups.
• Flexible spending account.
• Regular social events and team activities.
• Opportunity to work with leading innovators developing scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computers and quantum networks.

Other Information:

• Photonic develops commercial-scale quantum computers and quantum networks using optically linked silicon spin qubits.
• The company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, with operations in the United States and United Kingdom;
• Candidates whose experience is close to the requirements are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every qualification.
• AI tools may assist with reviewing applicant profiles, but hiring decisions are made by people.
• Photonic is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.