Senior Automation Engineer, PsiQuantum
$182.2-214.1k
+ Equity
Office located in Milpitas, CA
Quantum computer builder
Open for applications
Quantum computer builder
501-1000 employees
Open for applications
$182.2-214.1k
+ Equity
Office located in Milpitas, CA
501-1000 employees
Company mission
To build and deploy useful, fault tolerant quantum computers.
Role
Who you are
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Mechatronics, Electrical Engineering, or related fields
- 8+ years of experience in automation software engineering with a focus on motion control or hardware integration
- Strong programming skills in Python, C++, or C#, with a focus on real-time systems or hardware interfacing
- Hands-on experience working with nano-positioning systems (e.g., PI, Aerotech, Newport), motion controllers, or precision actuators
- Deep understanding of control systems, sensor integration, and closed-loop feedback
- Familiarity with laboratory instrumentation, optics, and high-precision metrology
- Experience developing and integrating with software tools for data acquisition, automation (e.g., LabVIEW, MATLAB, or custom platforms), and visualization
Desirable
- Experience with image processing and computer vision
- Experience with optical alignment techniques (active/passive), beam steering, or interferometry
- Familiarity with image processing libraries (e.g., OpenCV) for vision-guided alignment
- Knowledge of automation frameworks for system-level testing and validation
- Experience with high-vacuum or cleanroom-compatible automation systems
- Strong debugging, documentation, and cross-disciplinary communication skills
- Experience with Jira for project and task tracking
- Experience with Arena PLM
What the job involves
- We are seeking a highly experienced and motivated Senior Automation Engineer to lead the design, development, and deployment of automation solutions across our precision systems
- In this role, you will play a pivotal part in enabling automated control of high-precision optical alignment systems, including those using nano-positioners to accelerate R&D, manufacturing, and testing processes
- This is a key technical position within a multidisciplinary team that bridges software engineering, optics, hardware, and robotics
- Architect and implement automation software for real-time control of precision hardware, including optomechanical alignment systems and nano-positioning stages
- Develop algorithms and motion sequences for sub-micron optical alignment, calibration, and measurement routines
- Integrate motion control systems (e.g., piezoelectric nano-positioners) with cameras, sensors, and software platforms to automate complex alignment workflows
- Design and maintain scalable automation frameworks for functional testing, system validation, and performance monitoring
- Collaborate with mechanical, optical, and systems engineers to define software interfaces for precision hardware
- Guide junior team members and lead code reviews, architecture discussions, and technical decision-making
- Ensure high standards of software quality, reliability, and repeatability in both lab and production environments
Our take
Quantum computing will change the world more than any other imminent technological development, and PsiQuantum sits at the forefront of the charge to build the first quantum computer that will actually work.
The company is unique for the scale of their ambitions. Rather than focusing on what they term “intermediate milestones” like building smaller proof of concept systems, PsiQuantum builds the first large-scale, error-corrected computer, using photonics to deliver over 1,000,000 qubits (current quantum machines have yet to cross the 1,000 qubit mark).
There are plenty of companies building quantum computers, including the likes of IBM and Google, but these prototypical machines lack the size to correct errors, making them exponentially less useful than what PsiQuantum aims for. While other companies operate in the same sphere, PsiQuantum is unequivocally a leader in its field, founded by world-class academics and recently securing $1B in funding, making it the largest funding round for a quantum computing startup.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
16% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 8 rounds)
Jun 2025
$1bn
GROWTH EQUITY VC
Apr 2025
$0.6m
GRANT
Total funding: $2.7bn
Company benefits
- Financial & Retirement: 401(k) with company match, equity grants, and access to financial wellness tools and planning resources.
- Health: Competitive health coverage for you and your dependents that go beyond your standard medical, dental & vision.
- Wellness: $200 quarterly health reimbursement, 12 therapy + 6 coaching sessions with Modern Health for you and depndents, and annual membership to Care.com.
- Time Off: Discretionary Time Off (DTO) for full-time employees in addition to federal holidays and an end-of-year company shut-down.
- Family Leave: 12 weeks of paid parental leave with the support of a dedicated leave consultant.
- Flexible WOrk: Work in office, hybrid, or remote depending on your team and location.
Company HQ
Palo Alto, CA
Leadership
Jeremy O'Brien
(Co-Founder & CEO)Prior to founding PsiQuantum, researched and taught at universities across the world, including Bristol, Stanford, Osaka, Sydney and Queensland.
Mark Thompson
(Co-Founder & Chief Technologist)Previously worked as an R&D Engineer at Toshiba and was a research fellow at the University of Cambridge. Is currently a Professor of Quantum Photonics at Bristol University as well as Chief Technologist at PsiQuantum.
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