We are seeking a Laser Technician in our Broomfield, CO location to join our engineering and manufacturing team. In this role, you will be responsible for assembling, aligning, testing, troubleshooting, and maintaining laser and optical systems, including opto mechanical components and subassemblies. This role supports development and manufacturing activities such as laser system setup, precision optical alignment, prototype builds, documentation development, and production support. You will ensure that products meet both technical specifications and quality standards. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in optical alignment, mechanical assembly, optical systems integration, and an understanding of precision tools and equipment.
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Key Responsibilities:
- Align, optimize, troubleshoot, and maintain laser systems and laser-based optical systems, including free-space and fiber-coupled architectures.
- Maintain accurate records including maintenance logs, inspection and test reports, and assembly logs. Provide feedback on design and process and collaborate with engineers on continuous improvement.
- Measure and characterize laser performance (e.g., power, beam quality, pointing stability, mode quality, wavelength) using appropriate diagnostic tools.
- Diagnosing and resolving issues in laser and optical systems, including alignment drift, power loss, and component failures.
- Write test reports, identify gaps in documentation and work with product engineers to create needed documentation.
- Perform prototype assembly and rework in collaboration with engineers; assist in developing, refining, and documenting assembly instructions, travelers, and alignment procedures for development and production use.
- Identify and source COTS parts needed for assemblies and place purchase requests.
- Monitor and maintain tools & supplies at lab workstations.
- Pack optical assemblies for shipping.
- Occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds may be required.
- Follow all safety protocols, equipment guidelines, and environmental regulations in the execution of daily tasks.
YOU MUST HAVE:
- High school diploma or equivalent required
- 2+ years of experience working with laser or optical systems in a laboratory or manufacturing environment preferred.
- 2+ years of experience using precision hand tools, measurement devices such as calipers and micrometers
- 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:
- 2+ years of experience with precision optical alignment
- 2+ years of experience handling optical fibers
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and follow procedures
- Strong attention to detail with the ability to identify and correct defects or inconsistencies
- Effective communication skills, both verbal and written, to collaborate with engineering and other team members
- Fluency in using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel)
- Detail oriented and capable of performing repetitive tasks consistently and accurately
- Certification in optical systems assembly or mechanical assembly
- Associate or bachelor’s degree in physics, Optical Engineering, or closely related field
- Basic electronic test equipment knowledge: skills in soldering may be useful but not required
- Experience with optical alignment tools and specialized tools as needed for assembly
- Understanding of optical alignment techniques.
- Knowledge of quality improvement tools and techniques, e.g. Six Sigma, 5S
- Experience working in a production environment
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$53,000 - $66,000 a year
Compensation & Benefits:
The pay range for this role is $53,000 – $66,000 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 industrialization of quantum computing is fundamentally dependent on the transition from laboratory-scale experiments to robust, repeatable engineering processes within the photonic and trapped-ion hardware segments. Laser technicians serve as the primary conduit for this evolution, ensuring that the precision optics and coherent light sources required for qubit manipulation move beyond theoretical alignment into scalable manufacturing workflows. As the quantum ecosystem faces significant bottlenecks in hardware reliability and system integration, this role type provides the necessary technical throughput to maintain high-fidelity operations. Verifiable market signals from organizations such as the QED-C highlight that the availability of specialized technical talent in photonics is a critical determinant for the successful commercialization of NISQ-era and fault-tolerant systems. By stabilizing the optical interface layer, these professionals directly enable the transition from research prototypes to industrial-grade quantum processors.
The global quantum hardware sector is currently navigating a pivotal shift from proof-of-concept assembly toward high-volume system integration and ruggedization. Within this landscape, the role of a laser technician is situated at the intersection of optoelectronics manufacturing and quantum systems engineering. This segment of the value chain is increasingly characterized by a move toward chip-scale nanophotonics and integrated laser systems to overcome the physical footprint and stability limitations of traditional free-space optical tables.
Macro-level constraints, particularly the global scarcity of technicians skilled in both classical photonics and the stringent requirements of quantum state control, present a significant risk to the roadmap of hardware-centric firms. Furthermore, as the industry matures, there is a growing dependency on establishing standardized documentation and quality control protocols that can withstand the transition to commercial production environments. This shift is essential for mitigating vendor fragmentation and ensuring that optical subsystems can be seamlessly integrated into hybrid classical-quantum infrastructures.
Sector dynamics also reveal a move toward multi-species trapped-ion architectures and sophisticated photonic circuits, which require advanced expertise in fiber-coupling and precision characterization. Public and private funding cycles are increasingly prioritizing "quantum-readiness" in manufacturing, favoring organizations that can demonstrate reliable uptime and performance stability. Consequently, the ability to maintain the integrity of optical pathways is no longer just a laboratory requirement but a strategic necessity for the broader deployment of on-premises and cloud-based quantum systems.
The capability architecture for this role type centers on the mastery of high-precision optical alignment and the characterization of coherent light sources across diverse architectures. These capabilities are essential for ensuring the spatial and temporal control of laser beams, which directly impacts the gate fidelity and error rates of the underlying quantum hardware. Proficiency in using diagnostic tools for power, mode quality, and wavelength stability ensures that the physical layer of the quantum stack remains within the rigorous specifications required for complex algorithmic execution.
Furthermore, these experts facilitate the cross-functional coupling between scientific research and systems engineering by translating high-level design requirements into repeatable assembly procedures. This structural enablement is vital for the development of turnkey laser systems that can operate reliably outside of controlled research settings. By identifying and integrating high-performance commercial-off-the-shelf components, these professionals optimize the hardware supply chain and reduce the iteration friction inherent in prototyping. Ultimately, this expertise supports the interoperability of optical subsystems within the wider quantum-classical hybrid framework, ensuring that hardware advancements translate into tangible computational throughput.
Accelerates the deterministic scaling of photonic and trapped-ion quantum hardware through standardized optical assembly
Mitigates systemic integration risks by ensuring high-fidelity alignment between laser sources and qubit manipulation interfaces
Facilitates the transition of quantum systems from laboratory prototypes to ruggedized, production-ready commercial installations
Reduces iteration cycles in hardware development through the rigorous documentation of precision manufacturing processes
Strengthens the reliability of the quantum hardware value chain by applying industrial-grade quality control to optical subsystems
Optimizes the performance of hybrid quantum-classical architectures by maintaining stable and repeatable laser characterization
Supports the industrialization of quantum technologies by bridging the gap between scientific breakthroughs and engineering execution
Enhances the global competitiveness of the hardware sector by securing specialized talent in precision photonics manufacturing
Shortens the time-to-market for scalable quantum processors through the optimization of fiber-coupled and free-space architectures
Improves the operational uptime of on-premises quantum systems by establishing robust maintenance and troubleshooting protocols
Protects capital-intensive investments in quantum infrastructure by ensuring the longevity and stability of optical components
Enables the strategic progression of technology readiness levels for Quantinuum and the broader quantum computing ecosystem
Industry Tags: Quantum Hardware, Photonics Engineering, Laser Systems, Optical Alignment, Trapped Ion Systems, System Integration, Manufacturing Technology, NISQ Era Hardware, Precision Metrology
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