Associate Characterization and Test Engineer

PsiQuantum; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

PsiQuantum is seeking a Characterization & Test Engineer to evaluate, characterize, and validate photonic devices, packages, and subsystems. You will execute electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical tests and support data-driven reliability and qualification activities.

You will collaborate with product, packaging, reliability, and manufacturing teams to generate high-quality data and drive product development in a fast-paced R&D environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Applied Physics, or related field.
• 0-3 years of engineering characterization, testing, lab operations, or product development.
• Hands-on experience operating characterization equipment including infrared thermography, LDV, Instron testers, and C-SAM.
• Experience analyzing thermal, mechanical, vibration, and package integrity data for product development and failure analysis.
• Familiarity with data analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, JMP.

Responsibilities

• Execute electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical characterization of photonic devices, packages, and assemblies.
• Develop and perform test plans to support product development, process validation, reliability, and failure analysis.
• Operate and maintain lab equipment including optical measurement systems, vibrometers, thermal imaging systems, and mechanical testers.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret test data to identify performance trends and engineering insights.
• Support DOE planning, execution, and data analysis.
• Assist in root-cause investigations by performing characterization and supporting failure analysis.
• Develop automated test scripts and data analysis tools using Python or similar languages.
• Generate clear technical reports and communicate results to cross-functional teams.
• Contribute to development of new characterization methods, fixtures, and lab capabilities.
• Support qualification and reliability testing including thermal, mechanical, and environmental stress testing.
• Maintain lab documentation, procedures, and equipment calibration records.
• Collaborate with product, packaging, reliability, process, and manufacturing engineers to solve challenges.

Skills

Characterization

Data analysis (Python/MATLAB)

DOE

Test planning

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical/ Optical Engineering

Tools

Infrared Thermography

Laser Doppler Vibrometers

Instron Universal Mechanical Testers

C-Mode Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (C-SAM)

Job description

PsiQuantum's mission is to build the first useful quantum computers: machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deploy million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum systems.

Quantum computers harness the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that even the most advanced supercomputers or AI systems will never reach. Their impact will span energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials, and other foundational industries.

Our architecture and approach is based on silicon photonics. By leveraging the advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry, including partners like GlobalFoundries, we use the same high-volume processes that already produce billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics. Photonics offers natural advantages for scale: photons don't feel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure.

That approach has since been tested at the highest level of scrutiny the U.S. government applies to emerging technology, and it has held up. In 2025, PsiQuantum closed a $1 billion funding round that valued the company at $7 billion. In 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce signed a $100 million Letter of Intent under the CHIPS and Science Act, followed by a $125 million agreement with DARPA under Stage C of its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, PsiQuantum's most valuable U.S. government agreement to date. This year, we also broke ground on our utility-scale quantum computer in Brisbane, Australia, and continued building out our Chicago site.

Victor Peng, our CEO, and co-founder Jeremy O'Brien, now Executive Chairman, lead a team and board that reflects how seriously the world is taking this build, joined this year by Intel's Lip-Bu Tan and Atomico's Niklas Zennström.

PsiQuantum also develops the algorithms and software needed to make these systems commercially valuable. Our application, software, and industry teams work directly with leading Fortune 500 companies, including Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical, to prepare quantum solutions for real-world impact.

Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. It represents a fundamental shift, and a path to mastering challenges that cannot be solved any other way. The potential is enormous, and we now have the funding, the government validation, and the sites under construction to make it real.

Job Summary: The Characterization & Test Engineer will support the evaluation, characterization, and validation of photonic devices, packages, and subsystems. This role will be responsible for executing electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical tests, analyzing data, and supporting failure analysis and reliability investigations. The engineer will work closely with product, packaging, reliability, and manufacturing teams to generate high-quality data that enables product development and qualification.

Responsibilities

• Execute electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical characterization of photonic devices, packages, and assemblies.
• Develop and perform test plans to support product development, process validation, reliability testing, and failure analysis activities.
• Operate and maintain laboratory equipment, including optical measurement systems, vibrometers, thermal imaging systems, and mechanical testers.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret test data to identify performance trends and engineering insights.
• Support Design of Experiments (DOE) planning, execution, and data analysis.
• Assist in root-cause investigations by performing characterization and supporting failure analysis activities.
• Develop automated test scripts and data analysis tools using Python or similar programming languages.
• Generate clear technical reports and communicate results to cross-functional teams.
• Contribute to the development of new characterization methods, test fixtures, and laboratory capabilities.
• Support qualification and reliability testing activities, including thermal, mechanical, and environmental stress testing.
• Maintain laboratory documentation, procedures, and equipment calibration records.
• Collaborate with product, packaging, reliability, process, and manufacturing engineers to solve technical challenges.

Experience / Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Mechanical engineering, Optical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related discipline.
• 0-3 years of experience in engineering characterization, testing, laboratory operations, or product development.
• Hands-on experience operating characterization equipment including Infrared Thermography, Laser Doppler Vibrometers (LDV), Instron Universal Mechanical Testers, and C-Mode Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (C-SAM).
• Experience analyzing thermal, mechanical, vibration, and package integrity data to support product development, reliability, and failure analysis activities.
• Experience with laboratory instrumentation and data acquisition systems.
• Basic understanding of optics, photonics, electronics, semiconductor devices, or advanced packaging technologies.
• Familiarity with data analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, JMP, or equivalent.
• Knowledge of Design of Experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis methods.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Self-motivated and able to work effectively in a fast-paced R&D environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with photonic devices, optoelectronics, semiconductor packaging, or advanced manufacturing.
• Familiarity with optical alignment, imaging systems, or optical characterization techniques.
• Experience with automation, scripting, and test development.
• Exposure to reliability testing or failure analysis methodologies.

PsiQuantum provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. PsiQuantum does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable laws. Note: PsiQuantum will only reach out to you using an official PsiQuantum email address and will never ask you for bank account information as part of the interview process. Please report any suspicious activity to [e-mail]. We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies.