Laser Systems Engineer

Entangled Future; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

QuEra Computing is seeking a Laser Systems Engineer to support development and evaluation of laser subsystems for neutral-atom quantum computing platforms. You will coordinate with external partners and QuEra’s Laser Systems and Quantum Systems teams to ensure performance, reliability, and integration.

The role includes on-site collaboration with hardware and engineering teams, plus involvement in DARPA Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) activities and milestone documentation as systems scale.

Qualifications

• 5+ years hands-on experience with advanced laser systems.
• Experience with free-space and fiber optics.
• Strong optical alignment and beam diagnostics skills.
• Familiar with laser safety for high-power systems.
• Experience in lab/prototype environments focusing on uptime.
• Excellent technical documentation and communication.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with laser and quantum hardware teams to define subsystem interfaces.
• Develop test infrastructure to evaluate laser performance and reliability.
• Coordinate with vendors and partners on subsystem testing and qualification.
• Document procedures, safety practices, and test results.
• Support scaling of laser subsystems for larger deployments.

Skills

Laser operation

Optics expertise

Beam diagnostics

Optomechanics

Laser safety

Education

Masters/PhD in Optics/Photonics/EE

Tools

Laser control electronics

Optical instrumentation

Job description

Laser Systems Engineer at QuEra Computing, Albuquerque, NM, USA. A mid-level full time position in the Technology Strategy team, listed under hardware engineering.

Summary

QuEra Computing is seeking a Laser Systems Engineer to support the development and evaluation of laser subsystems used in neutral-atom quantum computing platforms. This role will serve as a key technical liaison for vendor collaboration and test and evaluation activities.

The engineer will work closely with QuEra’s Laser Systems and Quantum Systems teams to support subsystem testing, qualification, and scaling efforts. A core responsibility of this role is coordinating with vendors and partners to ensure that laser and photonic subsystems meet performance, reliability, and integration requirements as QuEra’s quantum computing systems scale.

This position will also serve as the on-site technical interface for test and evaluation activities associated with DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) and related programs. The role involves coordinating subsystem evaluation, test protocols, and milestone documentation.

The ideal candidate combines hands-on experience with advanced laser systems, strong experimental troubleshooting skills, and the ability to work effectively with external partners and multidisciplinary engineering teams.

~20% travel to partner facilities and vendor sites is required.

Laser System Scaling and Architecture Development

• Work closley with our Laser System team on supporting the development and scaling of QuEra’s laser infrastructure as quantum systems grow in size and complexity.
• Explore approaches for increasing optical power, stability, and scalability across multi-wavelength laser systems together with the laser system and quantum hardware team.
• Evaluate potential architectures, technologies, and vendor solutions that support higher-power and more scalable laser subsystems.
• Contribute to technical discussions and experiments aimed at improving laser system performance, reliability, and manufacturability as systems transition from experimental prototypes toward larger-scale deployments.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with photonics, optics, and quantum systems teams to define subsystem interface requirements and integration workflows.
• Assist with development of test infrastructure for evaluating laser performance, stability, and reliability.
• Support procurement, documentation, and lifecycle management of laser and optical components.
• Contribute to development of operational procedures, safety practices, and technical documentation for laser systems.
• Participate in cross-site coordination with QuEra engineering teams and external research partners.

Requirements

• Serve as the technical point of contact for vendors developing laser and optical subsystems.
• Coordinate subsystem testing, qualification, and integration activities with external partners.
• Support vendor evaluation, component qualification, and performance verification for critical optical hardware.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience operating or maintaining advanced laser systems.
• Experience working with free-space optics, fiber optics, and optomechanical assemblies.
• Strong skills in optical alignment, beam diagnostics, and troubleshooting complex optical systems.
• Familiarity with laser control electronics, feedback systems, or instrumentation used in optical experiments.
• Experience working in laboratory or prototype environments with uptime or experimental reliability requirements.
• Solid understanding of laser safety practices for high-power optical systems.

Nice to Have

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Photonics, or a related field.
• Experience with AMO systems, cold-atom experiments, or photonics platforms for quantum technologies.
• Familiarity with laser stabilization techniques (familiarity with laser characterization and performance verification techniques).
• Experience collaborating with external vendors or research partners on photonic or optical subsystems.
• Prior experience working on DARPA, DOE, or other federally funded R&D programs and preparing milestone documentation.
• Strong technical communication and documentation skills.