Laser Systems Engineer

Summary

Laser Systems is QuEra’s laser infrastructure program, owning the full lifecycle of QPU laser systems — architect, design, build, integrate, and sustain — across all machine generations and global sites spanning the US, Japan, and the UK. The team also owns fleet-level infrastructure for management of laser systems at scale.

We are seeking a Laser Systems Engineer to join this team in Boston. Depending on focus area, the role may sit in platform development and R&D, system integration and deployment, or operational reliability — or span all three. In all cases, you will work directly with the laser systems that power our neutral atom QPUs across multiple active laser families, collaborate across internal teams and with external co-development partners, and contribute to a program that is central to QuEra’s technical roadmap.

Responsibilities

Depending on focus area, responsibilities may include:

Laser Platform Development & R&D

Design and develop infrastructure-grade laser systems built for repeatability, modularity, and field serviceability — programmable optical engines with calibration-friendly architectures, integrated modulators, co-packaging approaches, and well-defined interfaces compatible with automated control and monitoring infrastructure

Evaluate emerging laser technologies and co-development partner systems for technical performance, integration readiness, and long-term scalability

System Integration & Deployment

Contribute to architecting the hosting infrastructure for quantum laser systems — meeting stringent requirements for vibration isolation, thermal stability, noise, and QPU integrability — and own build, integration, and validation across optical, electrical, and mechanical interface standards

Own physical installation and commissioning of laser systems within QPU platforms; manage technical handoffs with build, operations, and development teams

Prepare and ship laser subsystems to domestic and international sites, ensuring systems arrive integration-ready

Operational Reliability & Support

Design and implement laser stabilization systems covering intensity, frequency, and phase noise — including servo loop design, locking architectures, and performance characterization

Monitor and sustain uptime for production and development laser systems; lead triage and root-cause analysis for unplanned downtime

Perform precision fiber alignment and implement automated fiber coupling systems

Maintain SOPs, QA documentation, and integration records; coordinate vendor service and RMA processes as needed

Contribute to shaping how laser management scales with fleet growth — reducing per-system overhead through novel automation approaches including AI-powered control agents and LLM-assisted workflows for complex tasks such as autonomous laser locking and heterogeneous hardware orchestration

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with Hardware, Software, Systems Engineering, Build, and Operations teams to ensure seamless integration, manufacturability, and field readiness of laser systems

Contribute to laser system technology roadmaps and platform decisions that span multiple QPU generations

Deliver technical transfer packages and engineering documentation to support productization and new platform design

Qualifications

B.S. or M.S. in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field; equivalent hands-on experience will be considered

Experience with laser systems, optical subsystems, or opto-mechanical integration in a precision or scientific instrumentation context

Strong experimental and troubleshooting skills, with a hands-on approach to engineering challenges in a fast-paced environment

Ability to work independently and collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams, with clear written and verbal communication

Preferred Qualifications

Deep expertise in nonlinear optics, frequency conversion techniques, or high-power photonic systems

Experience with vibration isolation, thermal management, and mechanical integration of precision platforms

Proven vendor co-development experience, from requirements definition through prototype and production

Prior experience in quantum computing, advanced photonics, or scientific instrumentation environments

Background in AMO experiments or quantum systems; familiarity with how laser performance requirements arise from atomic physics constraints is a strong plus

Ph.D. in a relevant discipline (strongly preferred for R&D-focused roles)

The approximate base salary range for this position is $128,000 - $208,000.

We consistently monitor external market data and update base salary ranges accordingly. We determine base compensation decisions on several factors, including as geographic placement, role-specific knowledge, skills, and/or experience. In addition to our base salary offerings, we also provide equity grants for all new hires.

QuEra is committed to cultivating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We highly value diversity in our current and future employees and do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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