Photonics Engineer

Entangled Future; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 128,000 - 208,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grants

Competitive base salary

Job summary

QuEra Computing in Boston, MA seeks a mid-level Photonics Engineer to join the hardware engineering team. You will lead photonic IC development and automation efforts to accelerate tapeouts.

The role combines design, simulation, layout, and test across photonics workflows, with collaboration across quantum scientists to integrate components into full systems. A strong background in PICs and Python is expected.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Electrical Engineering or Physics, or 4+ years of photonics IC experience.
• Strong hands-on experience across PIC workflows from simulation to layout, fabrication, and testing.
• Proven ability to automate engineering tasks with Python and AI tools.
• Interest in photonic design automation, large-scale layout, high-volume testing, or photonics systems control.
• Publications, patents, or shipped products demonstrate impact.

Responsibilities

• Lead tapeouts of high-performance photonic and optoelectronic components and circuits.
• Own and build out AI-driven component development pipelines, starting with the layout pipeline.
• Collaborate with foundry partners through design–fab–test cycles, translating PDK constraints into faster convergence.
• Contribute across photonics workflow: device design, simulation, layout, test, and system-level experiments.
• Work with interdisciplinary team to integrate photonic components into complete quantum computing systems.

Skills

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs)

Python programming

Automation of engineering workflows

AI/ML for device design or layout

Education

Master's or PhD in Electrical Engineering or Physics

Tools

Lumerical

Tidy3D

gdsfactory

KLayout

gdspy

IPKISS

Job description

Photonics Engineer at QuEra Computing, Boston, MA, USA. A mid-level full time position in the Photonics team, listed under hardware engineering.

Summary

QuEra Computing, a frontrunner in the quantum computing industry, is seeking a highly motivated and experienced full-stack Photonic Engineer to help build the AI-driven component development pipelines that will accelerate next-generation photonic chip development. You will explore state-of-the-art optimization workflows, directly improving how quickly our engineers can iterate and tape out novel photonic components for large-scale fault-tolerant neutral-atom quantum computers.

The approximate base salary range for this position is $128,000 - $208,000.

• In addition to our base salary offerings, we also provide equity grants for all new hires.

Responsibilities

• Lead tapeouts of high-performance photonic and optoelectronic components and circuits.
• Own and build out our AI-driven component development pipelines, with early focus on the layout pipeline.
• Collaborate with foundry partners through iterative design–fab–test cycles, translating PDK constraints and fab feedback into faster convergence on working devices.
• Contribute across photonics workflow: device design, simulation, layout, test, and system-level experiments.
• Work closely with a multidisciplinary team of engineers and quantum scientists to integrate photonic components into complete quantum computing systems.

Requirements

• Master's or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field, or 4+ years of experience with photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
• Deep understanding and practical experience across PIC workflows, from simulation and layout to experimentation and control.
• Strong Python skills and a demonstrated track record of automating engineering work, including with AI tools.
• Enthusiasm for at least one of: photonic design automation, large-scale layout design, high-volume photonics testing, or photonic systems control.
• Proven technical impact, evidenced by publications, patents, or shipped products.

Nice to Have

• Experience with commercial PIC simulation tools such as Lumerical, Tidy3D, and layout tools such as gdsfactory, KLayout, gdspy, or IPKISS.
• Applied ML or AI for device design or layout optimization, such as inverse design, Bayesian optimization, or LLM-assisted design or layout workflows.
• Direct experience with a specific foundry PDK and its design-rule constraints.
• Experience with the development of optical components and systems for atomic physics, such as high-power visible/near-IR light, AOM/EOM control, beam delivery for atom trapping or Rydberg excitation.
• Prior work in quantum computing, quantum sensing, quantum communication, or another physics-heavy hardware environment.