An bench assembly alignment apparatus and method provides for precision alignment of the assembly with an alignment feature on a substrate. The bench assembly may comprise, for example, a fiber array to be mounted to, and aligned with, an opto-electronic device within a device package. Passive alignment of the bench position and orientation is achieved in a manner that affords improved device yield and increased precision in an economical process that eliminates the need to fabricate an additional alignment surface on the side wall of the bench.