Senior Optical Engineer

Senior Optical Engineer

Within Infleqtion's Quantum Computing Product Group, the Hardware Engineering Team is seeking a Senior Optical Engineer to independently design, implement, and validate complex optical subsystems for neutral-atom quantum computing platforms.

The successful candidate will serve as an experienced individual contributor, working closely with physicists and cross-disciplinary engineering teams to translate experimental requirements into robust optical designs. This role is hands-on and laboratory-focused, with increasing responsibility for technical execution, problem solving, and informal mentorship of developing engineers.

Typically, you will be entrusted with:

• Designing, modeling, and validating of optical and laser-based subsystems for neutral-atom quantum computing platforms.
• Integrating and testing scalable atom addressing and control technologies. This includes but is not limited to digital micromirror devices (DMDs), spatial light modulators (SLMs), acousto-optic deflectors (AODs), electro-optic modulators (EOMs), metasurface-based optics, and fast multi-beam steering architectures.
• Collaborating closely with physicists and optical, mechanical, electrical, software, and systems engineers to support the full experimental and hardware development lifecycle, from early research demonstrations to integrated, scalable systems.
• Leading hands-on laboratory efforts, including optical assembly, precision alignment, debugging, and performance characterization of complex, multi-channel optical systems.
• Developing and maintaining high-fidelity optical models using Zemax (Optic Studio), including tolerance analysis, sensitivity studies, and performance optimization informed by experimental data and system-level requirements.
• Executing on the transition within a defined architecture of optical subsystems from research-grade configurations to commercial ready, repeatable, maintainable, and scalable hardware.
• Providing technical guidance, and informal mentorship to optical engineers through design reviews, and hands-on coaching.
• Establishing and improving best practices for optical design workflows, laboratory procedures, documentation, and version control.