Senior Mechanical Engineer

Oxford Ionics; Oxford; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Oxford Ionics, now part of IonQ, is building the first practical quantum computer with ion trap technology in Oxford. We are seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to own mechanical design from requirements to manufacture and integration, focusing on cryostat, cooling, vacuum and support structures.

You will create CAD designs, BOMs and assembly drawings, manage documentation in PLM, and collaborate with scientists, technicians and suppliers to ensure designs are manufacturable and robust in

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Around five years of relevant industry experience.
• Proactive, autonomous, and able to collaborate with scientists and engineers across disciplines. Quantum experience not required.

Responsibilities

• Mechanically integrate multiple subsystems into one complete system, driving the overall mechanical layout.
• Produce 3D designs of system assemblies and infrastructure, with detailed 2D drawings and bills of materials.
• Design systems for vacuum pump down, gas handling and coolant management lines.
• Plan the routing of cables, optical fibre and other physical services throughout the system.
• Gather and scope requirements with scientists and engineers, then roll out upgrades and variations to system builds.

Skills

SolidWorks

Assembly design

Multidisciplinary systems

Cryogenic systems

Vacuum systems

GD&T

PLM systems

Thermal analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field

Job description

IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum platform and merchant supplier - delivering integrated quantum solutions across computing, networking, sensing, and security. IonQ’s newest generation of quantum computers, the IonQ Tempo, is the latest in a line of cutting‑edge systems that have been helping customers and partners including Amazon Web Services, and AstraZeneca achieve 20x performance results and accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. In 2025, the company achieved 99.99% two‑qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance.

Headquartered in College Park, Maryland, IonQ has operations in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Washington, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Our quantum computing services are available through all major cloud providers, while we also meet the needs of networking and sensing customers across land, sea, air, and space. IonQ is making quantum platforms more accessible and impactful than ever before.

Role

At Oxford Ionics, now part of IonQ, we are building the first practical quantum computer. Our systems are based on ion traps, which hold individual atomic ions tens of microns above the surface of a chip, and we design and build them in house, bringing together optomechanics, vacuum and cryogenic technology, electronics and system infrastructure.

We are looking for a Senior Mechanical Engineer to join our Systems team and take ownership of mechanical design from first requirements through to manufacture and integration. You will work on the hardware that surrounds the quantum processor, including cryostat requirements, cooling equipment, vacuum chambers and supporting structures, often in areas where the requirements are not yet fully defined.

Responsibilities

You will work alongside scientists, technicians and the wider hardware design teams to bring new systems through to manufacture. That means producing CAD designs, bills of materials and assembly drawings, managing documentation in our PLM system and working with suppliers and our manufacturing team.

Our manufacturing team handles most assembly, but you will support technicians in the lab, investigate problems when they arise and make sure your designs can be built in practice. The work ranges from complex system layout to simple brackets and documentation, and you will see each piece through to completion.

Key responsibilities include:

• Mechanically integrate multiple sub systems into one complete system, driving the overall mechanical layout.
• Produce 3D designs of system assemblies and infrastructure, with detailed 2D drawings and bills of materials.
• Design systems for vacuum pump down, gas handling and coolant management lines.
• Plan the routing of cables, optical fibre and other physical services throughout the system.
• Gather and scope requirements with scientists and engineers, then roll out upgrades and variations to system builds.

Requirements

You will be a mechanical engineer with a strong design background and a practical understanding of how things are assembled and manufactured. A degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field, or equivalent experience, and around five years of relevant industry experience will give you the grounding the role needs.

We want someone proactive who asks questions, gathers requirements, spots the missing details and sees a job through. You will be comfortable working independently with a high degree of autonomy, while collaborating closely with scientists and engineers across disciplines. Quantum experience is not required.

You’d be a great fit with:

• Established CAD ability, ideally in SolidWorks, with a focus on assembly structure.
• Experience of complex multidisciplinary systems and good assembly practice.
• Experience with cryogenic or vacuum systems.
• Familiarity with GD&T and preparing drawings for manufacture and inspection.
• Experience of PLM systems or thermal analysis.