We are seeking an Optics Engineer in our Broomfield, CO location to join our engineering and manufacturing team. In this role, you will be responsible for designing, assembling, aligning, integrating, characterizing, and testing optical systems used in Quantinuum's quantum computers. This role supports research and development, prototype builds, optical characterization, system integration, documentation development, and production readiness activities. You will ensure that optical systems meet technical specifications, performance requirements, and quality standards. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in optical system design and integration, laser characterization, optical metrology, precision alignment, and opto-mechanical assembly.
All applicants for placement in safety-sensitive positions will be required to submit a pre-employment drug test
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Key Responsibilities:
- Design, build, assemble, align, and characterize complex, high-precision optical subassemblies and optical systems.
- Integrate prototype and proof-of-concept systems involving lasers, optics, fiber optics, electronics, software, and precision mechanical assemblies.
- Perform optical characterization and metrology, including measurements of optical power, phase, frequency, polarization, stability, and noise.
- Troubleshoot optical and opto-mechanical systems and perform root cause failure analysis to support product improvements and manufacturing readiness.
- Develop, execute, and document optical test plans, characterization procedures, and engineering work instructions.
- Collect, analyze, graph, interpret, and present experimental and production data to support engineering decisions.
- Collaborate with Optical, Mechanical, Electrical, Systems Engineering teams and Scientists to develop, validate, and transition new optical technologies into production.
- Support prototype development, sustaining engineering activities, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Maintain detailed engineering documentation, test reports, and design records in accordance with production standards.
- Package completed optical assemblies and ensure products meet commercial manufacturing quality requirements.
- Follow laboratory safety procedures, equipment guidelines, and quality standards during all engineering activities.
- Perform other duties as assigned
YOU MUST HAVE:
- Bachelor's degree minimum
- 1+ years of experience in optics, physics, electrical engineering, or a closely related technical discipline
- 1+ years of hands-on experience with optical systems, laser systems, and optical laboratory environments.
- 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:
- Strong knowledge of optical and electrical laboratory equipment, including lasers, fiber optic components, acousto-optic and electro-optic modulators, precision optical instrumentation, and test equipment such as spectrum analyzers, phase noise analyzers, and frequency counters.
- Experience designing, integrating, aligning, and testing free-space and fiber-coupled optical or electro-optical systems, including optical subassemblies, fiber fusion splicing, optical fiber handling, and precision opto-mechanical assembly.
- Broad understanding of optical engineering principles, including optical frequency noise reduction, active optics, and closed-loop control techniques, with demonstrated application to complex engineering challenges.
- Experience using optical design and mechanical CAD software such as Zemax, SolidWorks, or equivalent tools.
- Experience creating and maintaining engineering documentation, including work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), test plans, engineering change documentation, and configuration management records.
- Experience working from engineering drawings, schematics, wiring diagrams, and assembly documentation.
- Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary engineering teams and technicians to support research and development, prototype builds, manufacturing readiness, and continuous production improvements.
- Knowledge of product lifecycle management (PLM) and engineering change processes.
- Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to troubleshoot complex optical and electro-optical systems.
- Knowledge of sustaining engineering, continuous improvement methodologies, Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or 5S principles.
- Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and technical documentation skills.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced research and manufacturing environment.
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$80,800 - $101,000 a year
Compensation & Benefits
The pay range for this role is $80,800 – $101,000 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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TECHNICAL & MARKET ANALYSIS | Appended by Quantum.Jobs
The necessity for specialized Optics Engineers in the quantum hardware sector stems directly from the architectural requirements of atomic and trapped-ion quantum computing modalities. As the global deep-tech value chain transitions from laboratory prototypes to commercially viable systems, the reliability of optical control subsystems has become a primary bottleneck for hardware scalability. This engineering function operates at the critical juncture of physical qubit manipulation and industrial systems engineering, translating abstract quantum protocols into deterministic physical infrastructure. Sector-wide workforce data highlights a severe deficit in talent capable of executing high-precision optical alignment alongside industrial product lifecycle workflows. Consequently, this role type serves as a fundamental stabilization point within the hardware layer, directly impacting the industrial timeline for achieving fault-tolerant quantum operations.
The trapped-ion and neutral-atom quantum computing sectors are undergoing a structural pivot toward commercial manufacturing readiness, demanding a shift from empirical laboratory setups to standardized, reproducible physical subassemblies. Within this ecosystem, optical engineering acts as the primary enabling layer for qubit initialization, state manipulation, and high-fidelity readout operations. The macro challenges confronting the sector have shifted from basic scientific validation to physical layer integration, where thermal management, beam stability, and component degradation impose severe constraints on overall system coherence.
Furthermore, national quantum strategies emphasize the urgency of mitigating supply chain dependencies and engineering vulnerabilities in high-precision components, such as ultrastable laser sources and modulated fiber systems. Because the industry relies heavily on specialized, low-volume components, minor manufacturing variations can introduce mid-spatial frequency errors that jeopardize multi-qubit gate fidelities. The availability of engineering talent capable of bridging these physical constraints with standardized manufacturing processes determines whether hardware providers can successfully scale their physical qubit counts.
As public and private capital flows prioritize commercial deployment over pure academic exploration, the optimization of the hardware-software interface becomes critical. The engineering layer must ensure that complex optical delivery networks maintain phase and frequency stability under continuous operational cycles. This requirement elevates the optical engineering function from an isolated design task to a key determinant of ecosystem-level platform reliability and cross-platform benchmarking viability.
The capability architecture for this hardware discipline centers on the synchronization of electro-optical subassemblies with rigorous configuration management and industrial validation protocols. Competence within this domain requires a systematic understanding of laser characterization, active frequency stabilization, and closed-loop control techniques to mitigate systemic phase noise across the optical paths. These proficiencies are essential for managing the tight tolerances required by advanced packaging frameworks, where free-space and fiber-coupled elements converge within high-vacuum environments.
Mastery of specialized design and mechanical integration tools serves as a vital bridge between theoretical physics models and commercial manufacturing environments. By establishing standardized testing methodologies and comprehensive failure analysis frameworks, this technical capacity directly accelerates the development of repeatable production workflows. This structural enablement reduces the cross-functional translation friction between physics research teams and systems engineering units, ensuring that multi-layered hardware designs conform to the strict quality standards demanded by the emerging quantum-as-a-service market infrastructure. - Accelerates the transition of trapped-ion quantum hardware from experimental prototypes to reproducible commercial computing systems
- Mitigates physical-layer execution risks by integrating high-precision optical delivery subassemblies into scalable systems architectures
- Enhances multi-qubit gate fidelity through the reduction of optical frequency noise and phase instability within the control path
- Minimizes manufacturing cycle times by establishing rigorous metrology and standardized engineering change protocols for optical components
- Drives cross-functional alignment between fundamental physics research groups and industrial systems engineering production teams
- Reduces hardware development bottlenecks by executing systematic root-cause failure analysis on complex electro-optical subassemblies
- Maximizes capital efficiency in hardware fabrication through the early implementation of production readiness verification frameworks
- Promotes ecosystem-level hardware standardization by contributing to repeatable, documented assembly and characterization workflows
- Optimizes physical space utilization within scalable quantum processor chassis via advanced opto-mechanical integration techniques
- Shields critical technology deployment roadmaps from supply-chain volatility through the validation of alternative component architectures
- Supports the execution of complex hybrid classical-quantum workloads by ensuring the structural stability of the physical control layer
- Strengthens long-term enterprise trust in deep-tech platforms by shifting systems development toward industrial quality standardsIndustry Tags: Quantum Computing Hardware, Trapped-Ion Modality, Optical Systems Engineering, Laser Metrology, Precision Opto-Mechanics, Product Lifecycle Management, Systems Integration, Deep Tech Manufacturing
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