We are seeking a Senior Advanced Photonics Scientist at our Broomfield, CO or Albuquerque, New Mexico Location.
All applicants for placement in safety-sensitive positions will be required to submit to a pre-employment drug test.
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Key Responsibilities:
- Participate in a team of physicists and optical engineers supporting the development of commercial and research systems for quantum computing
- Design and develop integrated photonic components and systems in novel ways to deliver and manipulate light across the spectrum
- Collaborate across disciplines (architecture, physics, photonics, fabrication, mechanical engineering) to define systems and requirements to support quantum computing and demonstrate systems meeting performance requirements
- Gather technical requirements, turn them into action plans, and ensure the components and systems meet the requirements
- Design novel integrated photonic components to meet challenging specifications
- Layout test PICs and work closely with fabrication and test teams to validate photonic component performance
- Lead and work with PIC development team and external vendors to ensure timely development and delivery of key demonstrators
YOU MUST HAVE:
- PhD Degree minimum
- Minimum 6+ years of experience (advanced degree inclusive) with photonic integrated circuits (PIC) design using photonic simulation tools (Lumerical, RSoft, or similar guided mode and FDTD solvers) and layout tools (Klayout, GDSFactory, or similar)
- Minimum 4+ years’ experience (advanced degree inclusive) using and maintaining optical/photonic systems
- Due to Contractual requirements, must be a U.S. Person. defined as, U.S. citizen permanent resident or green card holder, workers granted asylum or refugee status
- Due to national security requirements imposed by the U.S. Government, candidates for this position must not be a People's Republic of China national or Russian national unless the candidate is also a U.S. citizen.
WE VALUE:
- PhD Degree minimum (in Optics, Physics, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field)
- Experience with design-for-manufacturing
- Experience with photonics fabrication processes and metrology
- Experience with materials used in visible photonics circuits and optics
- Experience in product development regarding photonic design, fabrication and/or packaging of PIC systems
- Experience working with cross-disciplinary teams (architecture, physics, fabrication, mechanical engineering, photonics) to develop solutions
- Experience leading and mentoring small teams
- Broad understanding of optical principles and practices and experience applying this knowledge to projects
- Programming experience in Matlab, Python, C
- Experience with testing and data analysis (taking, plotting, analyzing, fitting and interpreting relevant data from optical testing experiments)
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$148,000 - $185,000 a year
Compensation & Benefits:
Non-Incentive Eligible
The pay range for this role is $148,000 – $185,000 annually. Actual compensation within this range may vary based on the candidate’s skills, educational background, professional experience, and unique qualifications for the role.
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Quantinuum is the world leader in quantum computing. The company’s quantum systems deliver the highest performance across all industry benchmarks. Quantinuum’s over 650 employees, including 400+ scientists and engineers, across the US, UK, Germany, and Japan, are driving the quantum computing revolution.
By uniting best-in-class software with high-fidelity hardware, our integrated full-stack approach is accelerating the path to practical quantum computing and scaling its impact across multiple industries.
By joining Quantinuum, you’ll be at the forefront of this transformative revolution, shaping the future of quantum computing, pushing the limits of technology, and making the impossible possible.
What’s in it for you?
A competitive salary and innovative, game-changing work
Flexible work schedule
Employer subsidized health, dental, and vision insurance
401(k) match for student loan repayment benefit
Equity, 401k retirement savings plan + 12 Paid holidays and generous vacation + sick time
Paid parental leave
Employee discounts
Quantinuum is an equal opportunity employer. You will be considered without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, sex, or veteran status. Know Your Rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal
TECHNICAL & MARKET ANALYSIS | Appended by Quantum.Jobs
The transition of the global quantum industry from experimental setups to integrated commercial systems has created a structural necessity for specialized photonics expertise to manage light delivery and manipulation at the component level. Within the quantum hardware value chain, this role serves as the essential interface between physical qubits and the optical control layers required for high-fidelity operations. Market signals indicate that as trapped-ion and photonic quantum processors move toward modularity, the complexity of Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) design becomes a critical determinant of system scalability. Furthermore, the emergence of multi-spectral light manipulation requirements necessitates a robust architecture to maintain operational coherence while mitigating signal loss across complex optical paths. This role effectively bridges the gap between fundamental optics and industrial-grade hardware, ensuring that the optical foundations of the ecosystem are as resilient as the computational logic they enable.
The quantum technology sector currently operates at a critical juncture where the focus is shifting from laboratory-scale experiments to the creation of standardized, high-performance computing (HPC) environments. This evolution is characterized by a move toward hybrid classical-quantum workflows and the integration of specialized hardware into existing data center infrastructures. Within this value chain, the photonics function acts as a primary enabler of hardware maturity by resolving the inherent friction between complex light-matter interactions and the necessity of reproducible, scalable component manufacturing. As the market moves toward a projected multibillion-dollar valuation by 2030, the optical frameworks governing these interactions must be both flexible enough to accommodate rapid technological shifts and stable enough to support continuous uptime.
Macro constraints such as the scarcity of talent with combined expertise in PIC design and quantum physics, alongside the fragmentation of fabrication standards, create significant bottlenecks for firms seeking rapid hardware expansion. Ongoing ecosystem initiatives aim to accelerate readiness for practical quantum applications by standardizing how photonic components are integrated across different material platforms, including lithium niobate and silicon nitride. This is particularly relevant as the industry faces a transition from bulky free-space optics to miniaturized, integrated solutions, a phase that requires massive capital expenditure and complex multi-disciplinary coordination. Without sophisticated optical orchestration, the risk of signal decoherence or thermal instability could severely impede the TRL progression of key hardware technologies.
Moreover, the reliance on specialized supply chains for high-purity materials and precision fabrication tools introduces a layer of institutional dependency that requires careful management of vendor relationships and technical specifications. As global powers prioritize quantum sovereignty, the hardware architecture within organizations like Quantinuum must evolve to manage the interplay between performance optimization and national security requirements. This structural oversight ensures that the global quantum value chain remains interoperable and efficient despite increasing macro-level pressures and vendor fragmentation.
The capability architecture for this role centers on the intersection of advanced PIC design, multi-spectral simulation, and cross-disciplinary systems engineering. Mastery of these domains is essential for establishing the structural throughput required for high-volume hardware production in the deep-tech sector. Expertise in using finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) solvers and layout tools provides the necessary leverage to facilitate component optimization while maintaining strict control over optical performance metrics. This is critical for ensuring that photonic and electronic layers can be seamlessly integrated without creating downstream noise barriers or thermal management disputes. Furthermore, a sophisticated understanding of design-for-manufacturing (DFM) principles acts as a primary mechanism for maintaining global supply chain stability. These capabilities enable the transition from isolated prototypes to modular, reproducible processing units that can be deployed across diverse environmental conditions. By codifying standardized testing procedures, this role creates a scalable framework that supports the cross-functional coupling of physics and engineering operations.
Accelerates the architectural transition from free-space optics to integrated photonic platforms
Mitigates systemic risks associated with optical signal loss in high-fidelity quantum processors
Facilitates the deterministic scaling of hardware via standardized photonic integrated circuit layouts
Harmonizes multi-disciplinary requirements across physics, fabrication, and mechanical engineering domains
Reduces integration friction between quantum processing units and classical optical control layers
Strengthens the reliability of the global quantum supply chain through design-for-manufacturing rigor
Enhances the performance throughput of commercial quantum systems via optimized light manipulation
Shortens the cycle from laboratory breakthrough to industrial deployment through robust PIC validation
Supports the structural maturation of trapped-ion and photonic quantum computing architectures
Improves the interoperability of optical components through the development of sector-standard PIC designs
Safeguards the integrity of system-level performance within highly complex hardware environments
Optimizes the alignment of internal hardware roadmaps with emerging global quantum infrastructure standards
Industry Tags: Quantum Photonics, Photonic Integrated Circuits, PIC Design, Trapped Ion Hardware, Optical Engineering, Deep Tech Scalability, Quantum Computing Infrastructure, Integrated Optics, FDTD Simulation, Design for Manufacturing
Keywords:
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