Senior Hardware Engineer - QPU Packaging

OQC; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

OQC is seeking a Senior Hardware Engineer to own the thermal simulation and optimisation of the cryogenic hardware surrounding our quantum processors. You will turn simulation results into practical design rules to scale QPU packaging for future Titan and Athena programmes.

This senior R&D role requires deep expertise in thermal and mechanical behaviour at millikelvin temperatures, collaboration across engineering disciplines, and the ability to translate data into engineering decisions that

Qualifications

• Strong experience performing thermal simulations using Ansys Mechanical or equivalent.
• Experience developing hardware in a demanding engineering or R&D environment.
• Understanding of thermal and mechanical behaviour and material interfaces.
• Ability turning simulation and experimental data into practical engineering decisions and documentation.
• Ability to communicate complex technical findings across multidisciplinary teams.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering or equivalent experience.
• Willingness to own open-ended technical challenges from investigation to implementation.

Responsibilities

• Own cryogenic thermal simulation and optimisation of OQC's QPU packaging, coupling system thermal budgets with quantum hardware requirements.
• Develop and validate thermal models at millikelvin temperatures.
• Explore material behaviour, thermal contraction, heat flow and interface performance to improve package performance.
• Translate simulation and engineering insight into design rules, specifications, material boundaries, dimensions and tolerances.
• Work across mechanical, electrical and thermal interfaces, including DC/RF requirements and the integration with wider cryogenic systems.
• Partner with Quantum Test Engineers to interpret measurement data and feed back into package design.
• Develop novel technologies and processes to scale QPU hardware for future generations.

Skills

Thermal simulations

Ansys Mechanical

Cryogenic engineering

Materials interfaces

Engineering documentation

Python coding

Cryogenic hardware

Quantum computing familiarity

PhD in engineering or physics

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Engineering or relevant technical discipline

Tools

Ansys Mechanical

Job description

At OQC, we aren't just theorising about the future; we're building it. Born from a philosophy of bold innovation, we've successfully transitioned quantum computing from an academic dream into a commercial reality. The most exciting thing is that we're just getting started and we've recently closed our £260 million Series C funding round - the largest fundraise ever completed by a quantum computing company in Europe.

The Purpose

As a Senior Hardware Engineer within our QPU Packaging team, you'll own the thermal simulation and optimisation of the cryogenic hardware surrounding our quantum processors. Your work will help us understand, predict and engineer how complex materials and interfaces behave at millikelvin temperatures - directly enabling the next generation of OQC's quantum computing technology.

This is a senior R&D role with real technical ownership. You'll turn simulation, experimental data and deep engineering insight into the design rules and technologies that allow us to scale our QPU packaging for future systems.

The Role

You'll sit at the intersection of thermal, mechanical, materials and quantum engineering, working closely with Mechanical Design Engineers, Material Scientists, nanofabrication specialists, Cryogenic specialists and Quantum Test Engineers.

Your primary focus will be thermal simulation and optimisation. You'll model how materials, components and interfaces behave as they move into the cryogenic regime, tackling challenges such as thermal contraction, material mismatch and heat flow. You'll then translate those insights into practical specifications and design decisions.

You'll support both our existing QPU packages and the development of future architectures, with particular focus on creating the technologies and approaches needed to scale our Titan and Athena programmes.

What You'll Be Working On

• Own cryogenic thermal simulation and optimisation of OQC's QPU packaging, coupling system thermal budgets with quantum hardware requirements.
• Develop and validate thermal models at millikelvin temperatures.
• Explore material behaviour (e.g. superconductivity), thermal contraction, heat flow and interface performance to identify opportunities to improve package performance.
• Translate simulation and engineering insight into design rules, specifications, material boundaries, dimensions and tolerances for our design teams.
• Work across mechanical, electrical and thermal interfaces, including DC/RF requirements and the coupling between the QPU package and wider cryogenic system.
• Partner with Quantum Test Engineers to interpret measurement data and feed real-world performance back into package design and optimisation.
• Develop novel technologies, approaches and processes that enable OQC to scale its QPU hardware for future generations of quantum computers.

What We're Looking For

• Strong experience performing thermal simulations using Ansys Mechanical or an equivalent simulation package, ideally within a cryogenic or low-temperature environment.
• Demonstrable experience developing complex, high-quality hardware in a technically demanding engineering or R&D environment.
• A strong understanding of thermal and mechanical behaviour, including the material parameters and interfaces that influence hardware performance.
• Experience turning simulation and experimental data into practical engineering decisions, requirements and technical documentation.
• The ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams and communicate complex technical findings clearly to engineers from different specialisms.
• A Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering or a relevant technical discipline, or equivalent industry experience.
• The confidence and experience to take ownership of an open-ended technical challenge and drive it from investigation through to engineering implementation.

The 'Nice-to-Haves'

• Direct experience with cryogenic thermal simulation and hardware operating at very low or millikelvin temperatures.
• Experience within quantum computing, superconducting hardware, cryogenic instrumentation or another low-temperature technology environment.
• Python or other coding experience for engineering analysis and automation.
• A PhD or research background in a relevant engineering, physics or instrumentation discipline.

Why Join OQC

You will join a world-class team at the forefront of the next computational era. We offer a culture of bold innovation, the chance to work with unique lab infrastructure, and the opportunity to see your work redefine the limits of computation.

Learn more about our benefits and positive work culture here: https://oqc.tech/company/careers-at-oqc/