Optical Engineer

Physics World; Broomfield (CO); On-site; USD 117,000 - 152,000; Full time

Job summary

Skyloom, an IonQ company, seeks an Optical Designer and Analyst to design and optimize optical systems for space‑based communication. You will work with multidisciplinary teams to deliver efficient, manufacturable solutions for spacecraft or ground‑based platforms.

Requirements include a bachelor’s in optics or related field and extensive use of optical design tools like ZEMAX, with experience in high‑precision instruments and space applications. Hybrid readiness and travel may apply.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Optics or related field and hands‑on optical design experience.
• Proven track record with space‑based or high‑precision optical instruments.
• Strong skills in optical software and mechanical design tools.

Responsibilities

• Lead full lifecycle of optical systems from concept to prototyping for space platforms.
• Perform analyses focusing on tolerances, wavefront error, and fiber coupling efficiency.
• Collaborate across mechanical, electrical, software and control teams for integration.
• Develop and validate optomechanical designs and perform structural‑thermal‑optical analyses.
• Prepare technical docs and mentor peers on design practices.

Skills

Optics design

Space-based systems

ZEMAX

SolidWorks

Education

Bachelor's degree in Optics/related field

Tools

ZEMAX

SolidWorks

Siemens NX

Job description

About IonQ

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.

Job Details

About IonQ. 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.

About Skyloom

Skyloom, an IonQ company, is a telecommunications company founded with the mission to develop, deploy, and operate one of the fundamental pieces of tomorrow's space communication infrastructure to provide data transport services on a planetary scale. If you have a strong sense of purpose, focus, urgency, and willingness to compete, or if working on space lasers excites you, join our team to develop the future generation of space communication technology.

Skyloom is building the orbital infrastructure for the next renaissance in global connectivity. As Earth's first space‑based telecommunications company, we deliver fiberless, planetary‑scale data transport that dramatically increases bandwidth, availability, and resiliency‑while reducing latency and total cost of operations.

Our proprietary optical technology enables secure, ultra‑high‑capacity connections across our end‑to‑end, multi‑orbit network or within your own infrastructure, unlocking a new standard for global communications.

Location: This role will be onsite in our Broomfield, Colorado office. Travel: Up to 5%

Job ID: 1706

The Role

The Optical Designer and Analyst will be responsible for designing, analyzing, and optimizing optical systems for space‑based communication technologies. This role requires hands‑on experience with optical design software, a strong background in optics, and the ability to collaborate across disciplines to deliver optical designs that are both innovative and capable of cost‑effective mass production.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full lifecycle of optical systems, including conceptualization, simulation, detailed design, and prototyping. Focus areas include free‑space optical communication systems and high‑speed laser applications.


• Conduct in-depth analysis using optical design software to optimize system performance, focusing on aspects such as manufacturing and alignment tolerances, wavefront error, radiometric analysis, free‑space far‑field propagation and fiber coupling efficiency.


• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, software and control engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of optical subsystems into spacecraft or ground‑based platforms.


• Develop and implement optomechanical design and analysis strategies to validate design requirements, including Structural‑Thermal‑Optical Performance analysis to ensure robustness for space environments.


• Write and maintain technical documentation on designs, analyses, and test procedures. Mentor and transfer knowledge to other team members and cross‑functional peers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Optics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.


• Proven experience in optical system design, particularly for space‑based or high‑precision optical instruments.


• Extensive experience with optical design software (e.g., ZEMAX) and mechanical design tools (e.g., SolidWorks, Siemens NX).


• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Skyloom employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or the U.S. Department of Commerce, as applicable. Learn more about ITAR here.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with optical design in the context of space‑flight systems or astronomy is highly desirable.


• Experience working in a cleanroom environment (ISO 5 to ISO 8).


• Spanish speaking is a plus.

Compensation

The approximate base salary range for this position is $116,736 - $152,250. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity, and a range of benefit options found on our career site.

Benefits will be provided by Skyloom, Inc., an IonQ Company, and will differ from the benefits listed on the IonQ website.

Compensation will vary based on individual factors such as education, qualifications, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location, and calibration against relevant market data and internal team equity. Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. Our benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, matching 401(k), unlimited PTO and paid holidays, parental/adoption leave, legal insurance, and a home technology stipend. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment.

At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all while striving to identify and eliminate barriers. We empower employees to thrive by fostering a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.

We are committed to equity and justice. We welcome different voices and viewpoints and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

US Technical Jobs.

The position you are applying for will require access to technology that is subject to U.S. export control and government contract restrictions. Employment with IonQ is contingent on either verifying \"U.S. Person\" (e.g., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum) status for export controls and government contracts work, obtaining any necessary license, and/or confirming the availability of a license exception under U.S. export controls. Please note that in the absence of confirming you are a U.S. Person for export control and government contracts work purposes, IonQ may choose not to apply for a license or decline to use a license exception (if available) for you to access export‑controlled technology that may require authorization, and similarly, you may not qualify for government contracts work that requires U.S. Persons, and IonQ may decline to proceed with your application on those bases alone. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.

US Non‑Technical Jobs.

Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.