Portfolio Manager Optical Interconnect 

Introduction - imec Optical Interconnect research program

Imec is the world’s leading independent nanoelectronics R&D hub. The combination of our talent, infrastructure, and partner network enables breakthroughs towards microchips that are smaller, faster, more affordable, and more sustainable. We combine that nanotech expertise with data and AI to create and support applications for a smarter, better future. imec’s main 200mm and 300mm cleanroom facilities are located at Leuven (Belgium), with significant presence in Ghent (Belgium), Eindhoven (Netherlands), and further abroad for example in the US (Florida).

In collaboration with its industrial and government partners, imec conducts significant research in the area of Optical Interconnects, as part of its offering in the Connected Compute sector. The research program covers basic materials, optical devices and circuits, their integration into platforms, all the way up to complex system demonstrators. It is supported by leading players in the datacom and telecom industry, ranging from equipment and tool vendors, foundries and integrated device manufacturers, as well as fabless companies and system integrators.

The ambition of the program is to be the world-recognized leader, by bringing innovative platforms and technologies to a readiness level where it can be adopted by its industrial partners, or alternatively spun out as a high-tech start-up. imec is in particular widely recognized as a leading innovator in the domain of Silicon Photonics, having established for example 200mm manufacturing and 300mm R&D pilot fabrication capabilities. The focus over the next 5 to 10 years is to further augment these platforms to meet the needs of demanding applications including but not limited to Optical Interconnect for new generations of large-scale compute facilities and adjacent segments.

Your job as portfolio leader - Optical Interconnect

You are responsible to define and help realize imec’s strategy towards maximum impact for its Optical Interconnect portfolio, part of imec’s Connected Compute sector. The portfolio encompasses the stack from materials, over processing, devices, and their integration into photonic and electronic integrated circuits and systems. The role spans the journey from market analysis, over requirement and roadmap definition, business plan creation to its realization by managing the selected investments. Your main responsibilities are:

1. Shape imec’s offering for this portfolio, driving research investments and solution roadmaps from market needs, in close collaboration with imec’s management, technology teams and your colleagues in the business development team:

• Create a good understanding of the needs for potential users of the technologies.
• Identify, assess, and synthesize market trends and gaps relevant towards imec’s roadmap and offering definition for its Optical Interconnect portfolio.
• Articulate unique selling points of imec technologies from an application perspective and how they fit in potential customers’ value chains.
• Analyze competitive and intellectual property landscapes.
• Assess financial impact and potential of proposed investments to support go/no-go decisions and prioritization.
• Define business models and collaboration approaches bridging imec’s offering to the needs and capabilities of the customers. This may involve building partnerships with 3rd parties or spin-offs to turn imec’s technologies or solutions in actual products.
• Validate the above and empathize with imec partners’ needs through effective Voice-of-Customer insight collection.

2. Manage the investments towards new assets in the portfolio by taking up the business lead role for them:

• Develop, monitor and update the strategic vision and business case behind the investment decision.
• Derive high-level specifications and plans coherent with the stated product-market fit and market timing.
• Monitor execution and market risks and help manage potential barriers such as IP situation and regulatory approvals
• Sign off investment milestones and requests for specification changes in view of the (updated) business case.
• Set release-to-market conditions and lead hand-over towards field and business development teams.

3. Support the commercial phase for collaborations within the portfolio:

• Assist with customer discovery.
• Assist with strategy alignment efforts with your colleagues from the technology office and imec’s expertise centers.
• Support business development teams towards the execution of the portfolio business plan (and to analyze deviations).
• Evangelize the portfolio in relevant industry conferences, congresses, or customer meetings.
• Make portfolio offering and business case adjustments based on market feedback.

In particular, you will follow up and further build out close collaborations with the Dutch eco-system in the broad area of Optical Interconnect applications. Indeed, imec with its location at the Holst Centre (Eindhoven) is one  of the leading participants of the PhotonDelta consortium. Under the scope of PhotonDelta, the ambition is to come to a joint R&D offering leveraging complementary capabilities in the areas of III-V and SiN manufacturing as well as integration and assembly. The platform capabilities thus enabled should further serve the Dutch and Belgian eco-systems at the application level.

Are you interested in this position, and do you want to learn more about it? Then you can connect with Frank Wolfs. You can reach Frank at Frank.wolfs.ext@imec.nl. If you wish to apply, then please submit your full resume and a cover letter.