Optical Systems Design Engineer, PsiQuantum
$145-170k
+ Equity
Office located in Palo Alto, CA
Quantum computer builder
Be an early applicant
Quantum computer builder
201-500 employees
Be an early applicant
$145-170k
+ Equity
Office located in Palo Alto, CA
201-500 employees
Company mission
To create the world’s first useful fault tolerant, error corrected quantum computer that will solve otherwise impossible problems.
Role
Who you are
- M.S. or PhD in Physics, Optical or Electrical Engineering with 2+ years industry experience preferred
- Experience working with Photonic Integrated Circuits and electro-optic systems
- Experience working with and generating optical and electrical netlists
- Experience working with instrumentation used in the photonics and/or the electronics industry
- Experience with software controls in Python
- Strong organizational skills, excellent communication skills, attention to detail and ability to multitask
- Strong critical thinking, creative, innovative, analytical, and detail oriented problem-solving skill
- Ability to work independently with limited direction
What the job involves
- The Optical Systems Design Engineer supports design and execution of current and future generation systems
- This role is responsible for developing, validating and supporting optical I/O and fiber mapping in system designs for the purpose of putting complete working systems together
- Works cross-functionally with System Architecture, PIC, Packaging and Quantum System Validation (QSV) teams to design and map optical system I/O
- Owns System Optical I/O, PIC I/O, FAU design requirements and outline requirements for current and next generation systems
- Owns optical system netlist for current and future systems, working with QSV SW team to define system requirements for both optical and electrical netlist
- SW development to validate system design and functional connectivity
- Work with SW teams on first stage SW development, interpreting HW design to machine-readable netlist
- Python scripting, calling Controls SW APIs / drivers to control lab equipment and proprietary systems
- Write and maintain design documentation and system schematics, fiber mapping
- Adapt to new challenges and develop new skills to suit the task at hand
- Other duties and responsibilities as assigned
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, Google and Honeywell, 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 raising hundreds of millions in funding to reach unicorn status.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
16% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (last 2 of 7 rounds)
Jun 2025
$750m
GROWTH EQUITY VC
Jun 2024
$125m
CONVERTIBLE
Total funding: $2.4bn
Company HQ
Palo Alto, CA
Leadership
Jeremy O'Brien
(CEO)Prior to founding PsiQuantum, researched and taught at universities across the world, including Bristol, Stanford, Osaka, Sydney and Queensland.
Mark Thompson
(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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