Photonics Engineer

Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated and skilled Optical and Photonics Lab Technician to join our dynamic team of engineers, physicists, and technicians dedicated to advancing trapped-ion quantum computing technologies in our Broomfield, CO location. You will play a crucial role in setting up and managing an optics and photonics lab, contributing to groundbreaking research and development in the field. You will work alongside engineers, physicists, and other R&D colleagues to drive innovations in trapped-ion quantum computing technologies.

This will include participating in the design, construction, testing, and alignment of optical systems, including lasers and imaging systems, and providing technical support for the planning, development, maintenance, and management of the new lab facility. This is a collaborative environment where you will work closely with colleagues to ensure all systems meet performance and operational standards.

• Characterize individual photonic components, optical output of photonic chips, and overall photonic circuit performance. Develop and use high-sensitivity measurement techniques to evaluate the optical output of photonic chips for suitability.
• Work with photonic designers and fabrication team to verify design performance and understand the consequences of fabrication variation.
• Work with a diverse team, including atomic physicists, engineers, and fabrication experts to validate unprecedented integrated photonic technology.
• Plan, design, and build new optical characterization equipment to target the high-sensitivity requirements for an ion-trap based quantum computer.
• Develop new concepts for metrology testbeds to evaluate active/alternative photonic materials and architecture.
• Communicate ground-breaking results both internally and externally through publications and presentations.

• Bachelor’s degree minimum
• 3 years of experience (degree inclusive) with design and implementation of optical experiments including optoelectronic devices (e.g., lasers and photodetectors), optical fiber, optical components (e.g., lenses, mirrors, and polarize rs), and scientific software.
• 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.
• 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).

• Masters or PhD in physics or engineering
• 3+ year experience with photonic integrated circuit design and/or testing (advanced degree inclusive)
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively and to facilitate the exchange of key details and concepts between team members of diverse technical experience.
• Knowledge of on-chip photonics, fiber-to-chip coupling, and modulation techniques.
• Nanophotonic design using photonic simulation tools such as: FDTD, FEM, or optical mode solver (Lumerical/COMSOL/RCWA/RSoft or similar tools).
• Experience with micro- and nano-fabrication (e.g., electron beam and/or photolithography, wet and dry etching, scanning electron microscopy, wafer and sample handling, and general cleanroom practices).
• Experience with scientific coding and data analysis and visualization; hardware control and automation; familiarity with commonly used software packages (e.g., MATLAB, Python, Mathematica, Origin, Igor, etc.).
• Some knowledge of trapped-ion quantum computers.
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Strong organizational and collaboration skills

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…