Vice President of Business Development

About the Role:

Photonect is seeking an exceptional Vice President of Business Development to join our leadership team and drive strategic growth initiatives in the cutting-edge photonic packaging technology sector. This role requires a visionary leader with deep technical expertise and proven ability to build partnerships, expand market presence, and drive revenue growth in emerging technology markets. 

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership 

• Define and execute comprehensive business development strategy aligned with company vision and growth objectives 
• Landscape, prioritize and pursue new markets and segments in emerging technology sectors including AI infrastructure, data centers, and advanced computing 
• Lead cross-functional initiatives spanning product development, marketing, and sales 

Partnership Development 

• Build a structured pipeline of strategic opportunities that drive revenue and expansion 
• Build and maintain executive-level relationships with key customers, partners, and industry stakeholders 
• Negotiate and structure strategic partnerships with technology companies, research institutions, and industry leaders, building a strong pipeline and securing key deals to accelerate business growth
• Develop ecosystem partnerships to accelerate product adoption and market penetration 
• Manage complex vendor contracts and IP licensing agreements 
• Foster and manage collaborative relationships with foundries, suppliers, and technology partners 

Market Expansion 

• Work closely with customers to understand current and future requirements and translate them into product roadmaps 
• Lead customer engagement initiatives with Fortune 500 companies and hyperscale data center operators 

Technical Product Marketing 

• Bridge technical innovation and market needs through strategic product positioning 
• Collaborate with engineering teams to define product specifications and go-to-market strategies 
• Define and communicate compelling value propositions for complex technical solutions 
• Drive thought leadership through publications, presentations, and industry engagement 

Qualifications:

Education 

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optics, or related field (strongly preferred) 
• Proven academic excellence  

Professional Experience 

• 10 years of progressive experience in technology companies 
• Minimum 5 years in business development, product management, or technical marketing leadership roles 
• Experience in semiconductor, photonics, networking, or AI infrastructure industries 
• Track record of successfully launching and commercializing complex technical products 

Technical Expertise 

• Silicon Photonics, optical interconnects, co-packaged optics 
• High-speed optical communications (25Gbps links, DWDM, PAM4) 
• Semiconductor device physics (III-V materials, CMOS integration) 
• Data center architecture and AI/ML infrastructure 
• Product development lifecycle management 

Industry Experience (Required) 

• AI infrastructure, data center networking, silicon photonics, semiconductor manufacturing, HPC systems 
• Preferred: experience with major tech companies such as NVIDIA, Intel, HP, Meta, Oracle 
• Knowledge of Ethernet, InfiniBand, and AI workload architectures 

Leadership & Business Skills 

• Proven ability to operate effectively in a dynamic, fast-growing startup environment. 
• Cross-functional leadership across engineering, marketing, and sales 
• Demonstrated success in negotiating and closing high-value deals with strong executive communication skills. 
• Ability to translate technical concepts into business value 
• Demonstrated success building and maintaining strategic partnerships 
• Experience working with government agencies and managing funded research projects 
• Ability to collaborate with legal, procurement, and IP teams 
• Strong network within the semiconductor and photonics industry 

Compensation & Benefits: 

• Base salary of $200K  
• Performance-based bonus structure 
• Equity compensation (RSUs/stock options