Opportunity Snapshot

This position offers you the opportunity to help shape the future of a financially stable high tech company, focusing on next generation III-V semiconductor materials. Kopin pioneered high-volume GaAs HBT production in 1996 and has led the market since, leveraging the most advanced HBT technologies and high-volume production facilities in the world. You will help us explore the market for GaN applications, among others. While no one can predict the future, there is good reason to expect growing demand for new product development in this area, given the emphasis on green technologies and the availability of stimulus money.

To be a good fit for this opportunity you will have a PhD in Engineering, Applied Science, or other relevant field, and significant experience generating new ideas and technologies in III-V materials and then translating them into viable products, including offsetting development costs from government and/or private funding sources. We're looking for a technical leader with a successful track record of influencing customers and securing government funding. You also will need the entrepreneurial spirit to recognize market opportunities and translate them into viable products that can scale up.

Kopin, Inc. is an R&D-driven company with more than 200 patents in the fields of heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) and lightweight, power-efficient, ultra-small liquid crystal displays (LCDs). This passion for innovation is backed by a solid financial position: as of June 27, 2009, we had $105.8 million in cash and marketable securities with no long-term debt. While our preference is that this position be based in Taunton, MA, a candidate with the right mix of technical expertise and entrepreneurial savvy could be based anywhere in the US.

What Else You'll Bring to the Table

In addition to the qualifications detailed above, you'll need:

• The ability to demonstrate clear technical leadership through publications, conference presentations and customer interactions within the III-V community.
• An understanding of III-V materials and epitaxial growth (preferably MOCVD) with extensive experience in their relationship to electronic and opto-electronic semiconductor devices.
• Experience with government contracts, including developing and submitting proposals, selling the organization's capabilities, negotiating terms, and overseeing execution and delivery.
• The ability to recognize technology trends, set strategy and provide direction, perform in-house training, and exhibit leadership in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-motivation, solid organizational skills, and the ability to prepare and deliver effective presentations, white papers, reports and business plans to corporate level executives, among others.
• The ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 20% of the time; your actual travel may be less.
• Experience with GaN product development in the commercial or military sectors is a strong plus.

Note on citizenship/immigration status: As a federal government contractor, we are subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and therefore you must be a US citizen to hold this position.

What's in It for You

A template for success -- you will drive the same processes that built Kopin from an idea in the research labs of MIT in 1984 to a global semiconductor leader. Our GaAs HBT products command the majority of the merchant market and we are the largest US manufacturer of microdisplays. You'll be able to take advantage of established clients and contacts, but you'll also have the opportunity to showcase your own initiative.

Broad exposure, diverse products -- we continue to be amazed at the wide range of innovative applications we discover for our technologies and products. You will lead the charge regarding GaN and, as you well know, the applications range from solar cells and hybrid vehicle electronics to several military applications.

Great work environment -- in addition to partnering with some of the best and brightest professionals in our industry, you enjoy a culture that is results oriented but also fun and casual. People love to come to work here, and our turnover is very low. Almost all of our senior leaders come from technical backgrounds, and they maintain "open door" policies in our flat, agile structure, meaning decisions are made quickly.

Excellent compensation -- in addition to a competitive salary and discretionary bonus potential, we offer a comprehensive benefits package.

More About Your Role

If you're a good fit for this position, you already know most of what this job entails. However, to be sure we're providing a complete picture, here are some details.

Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Operations, you will provide direction to a PhD supporting your efforts. You'll interact extensively with our HBT Technology group regarding techno-collaborations and with Engineering on the production side.

In a nutshell, your mission will be to leverage and expand Kopin's expertise in advanced semiconductor materials into new products and businesses, including: Generating a stream of new product ideas and technologies culminating in quality patent applications. Offsetting development costs with revenue from government funding sources and/or private funding from licensing fees, acquisitions, and joint product development arrangements.

We have some development ideas and, of course, you'll track and respond to RFP releases from government agencies, but we'll also look to you to pursue unsolicited projects, presenting white papers and developing network relationships. This functional area is well established and running smoothly, although your good ideas will be welcome in our culture of continuous improvement.

A typical project may start as a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract and might involve developing III-V materials or layering techniques for high efficiency solar cells. Or you might land a contract to develop a GaN device for use in high power electronics applications. If you're the person we're looking for, you already know that the ultimate goal is to develop products that will scale up to high volume commercial production.

Keys to Success

To excel in this role you will have both the technical expertise and the business sense to identify and take advantage of opportunities. You'll also need to continue the reputation Kopin has established not only for maintaining trust-based relationships with decision-makers, but also for delivering on our commitments. In addition, in order to be an outstanding Director of New Business and Product Development, you will:

• Leverage strong interpersonal skills in managing relationships and expectations with funders, customers, and partners.
• Utilize a collaborative approach within Kopin; a big ego or heavy hand won't be effective here.
• Demonstrate initiative and resourcefulness in a lean, results-oriented culture without a lot of layers.

If this sounds like the right mix of challenge and opportunity for you, and you meet the minimum qualifications, we want to hear from you!

Who We Are

Kopin Corporation produces lightweight, power-efficient, ultra-small liquid crystal displays (LCDs) and heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) that are revolutionizing the way people around the world see, hear, and communicate.

Kopin has shipped more than 20 million displays for a variety of consumer and military applications including digital cameras, personal video eyewear, camcorders, thermal weapon sights, and night vision systems. The company's unique HBTs, which help to enhance battery life, talk time, and signal clarity, have been integrated into billions of wireless handsets as well as into WiFi, VoIP and high-speed Internet data transmission systems.