A Canadian sovereign defence and advanced optics manufacturer is standing up a dedicated thin film coating services business and is hiring a Director of Thin Film Coating Services to build it and lead it. The new organization will supply advanced optical coatings into defence, aerospace, space, quantum technology and high performance commercial optics. Target applications span military EO/IR systems, SWIR, MWIR and LWIR optics, laser systems, precision imaging, hyperspectral imaging, night vision, space optics, directed energy, semiconductor inspection and quantum technologies.

The client is named once a candidate reaches interview stage. You will build the coating services organization from the ground up and then run it. The role combines executive leadership, business development, advanced thin film engineering, manufacturing leadership and direct customer engagement.

You will set the technical roadmap, recruit and mentor the technical team, own production operations, expand coating capability and build the customer base across the defence and commercial optics industries. Unlike a traditional coating manager, this role carries full responsibility for technology development, business growth, profitability and organizational leadership. Develop the long term strategic roadmap, annual business plans, budgets and growth strategies for the thin film services business Establish the business as a recognized supplier of advanced optical coatings worldwide and build strategic partnerships with major OEMs Identify emerging defence and commercial market opportunities and generate profitable coating services revenue Lead customer technical discussions, develop quotations and pricing strategies and support proposal preparation Maintain expert knowledge across magnetron sputtering, PARMS,



ion beam sputtering, ion assisted deposition, electron beam evaporation, PECVD, DLC, reactive sputtering, optical interference coatings, thin film stress control, coating durability, optical contamination and vacuum technology Monitor KPIs and lead continuous improvement across productivity, quality and process efficiency Oversee the full coating process from customer intake through cleaning, fixturing and loading, and drive throughput, first pass yield, scrap reduction and equipment uptime Lead the metrology function across spectrophotometry, ellipsometry, profilometry, reflectometry, microscopy, film stress analysis, optical scatter measurement, surface roughness analysis, environmental testing and MIL qualification testing Maintain accurate coating documentation, production records and technical databases PhD or MSc in Physics, Optical Engineering, Materials Science, Engineering Physics, Applied Physics or Chemical Engineering ~5+ years of thin film coating experience ~5+ years of management experience ~ Optical metrology and film characterization ~ Statistical process control and lean manufacturing ~ Eligible for registration under the Canadian Controlled Goods Program ~ Able to work on site in the Greater Toronto Area Infrared coating development for defence EO/IR programs Experience standing up a current production line, coating shop or business unit Optical coating experience gained in a defence or photonics manufacturer A competitive base salary with a quarterly performance bonus that is not capped, tied to the division results.

You own the technology, the team, the P and L and the customer base, reporting directly to the President of a growing Canadian manufacturer, with support for conferences and professional development. #

📌 (Confidential) Director of Thin Film Coating Services (Toronto)
🏢 moreng
📍 Toronto