Principal Mechanical Design Engineer - Cryo Vacuum Systems - 1055/1124

Quantinuum; Broomfield (CO); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Quantinuum in Broomfield, CO is seeking a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer for Cryo Vacuum Systems. You will lead mechanical design for cryogenic, UHV environments and precision optics in a trapped-ion quantum computing platform.

The role requires hands-on design with 7+ years of experience, strong CAD/engineering analysis, and collaboration with scientists and engineers to de-risk complex hardware. A US-based candidate is expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical field is required.
• Advance degrees preferred for higher responsibility and leadership.

Responsibilities

• Design mechanical hardware for cryogenic and UHV trapped‑ion quantum computing systems.
• Support ion-trap package and cryogenic assemblies, vacuum structures, thermal interfaces, optical alignment features, and precision mounting hardware.
• Develop designs managing parasitic heat loads, thermal contraction, CTE mismatch, stability, vibration, vacuum compatibility, and assembly tolerances.
• Design prototype hardware and de-risk test fixtures for lab validation of materials, interfaces, and subsystems.
• Support test planning for materials, adhesives, interfaces, coatings, cryogenic assemblies, and vacuum components.
• Collaborate with lab engineers to evaluate outgassing, cryogenic performance, stability, alignment repeatability, and failure modes.
• Perform mechanical, thermal, and tolerance analyses to guide decisions.
• Generate CAD models, drawings, assemblies, interface definitions, and design docs.
• Partner with vacuum, cryogenic, optical, electrical, trap fabrication, and systems teams to mitigate interface risks.
• Communicate design trades, risks, test results, and recommendations to teams and leadership.

Skills

3D CAD

Mechanical design

Tolerance analysis

FEA

Thermal modeling

UHV vacuum systems

Cryogenic systems

AMO physics

Trapped-ion hardware

Vacuum compatibility

GD&T

Design-for-assembly

Vendor management

Test fixtures

Materials selection

Thermal management

Education

Bachelor’s degree minimum

Advanced degree preferred (Mechanical/Aerospace/Applied Physics/Materials Science)

Tools

CAD software suites

FEA software

Job description

Principal Mechanical Design Engineer - Cryo Vacuum Systems - 1055/1124 at Quantinuum, US Broomfield, CO. A lead-level full time position in the Quantum Computing Hardware team, listed under hardware engineering.

We are looking for a Principal Mechanical Design Engineer – Cryo Vacuum Systems in our Broomfield, CO location to help design and de-risk next‑generation trapped‑ion quantum computing hardware. This role will work closely with research scientists, system architects, design engineers, and lab engineers to develop mechanical systems compatible with cryogenic operation, UHV/XHV environments, precision optical alignment, and scalable quantum computer architectures. The ideal candidate is a hands‑on mechanical designer who can turn ambiguous technical risks into practical designs, prototype tests, and clear engineering recommendations.

We Value

• Advanced degree or higher in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, applied physics, materials science, or a related technical field preferred
• Experience designing mechanical components or assemblies requiring precision tolerancing, thermal management, and structural stability.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools and mechanical drawing release practices.
• Demonstrated ability to design hardware that can be fabricated, inspected, assembled, tested, and iterated.
• Ability to use analysis, test data, and engineering judgment to make mechanical design decisions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including clear documentation of design intent, risks, assumptions, and recommendations.
• Experience with cryogenic systems, UHV vacuum systems, lasers and precision optics, AMO physics experiments, trapped‑ion systems, or semiconductor packaging.
• Experience with material selection for vacuum, cryogenic, low‑magnetic environments
• Experience with thermal modeling, parasitic heat‑load estimation, FEA, tolerance analysis, modal analysis, or structural analysis.
• Experience designing test fixtures, prototype assemblies, or validation experiments for complex mechanical systems.
• Experience with GD&T, vendor management, machined parts, and design‑for‑assembly practices.

Responsibilities

• Design mechanical hardware for cryogenic and UHV trapped‑ion quantum computing systems.
• Support the design of ion‑trap packages, cryogenic assemblies, vacuum‑compatible structures, thermal interfaces, optical alignment features, and precision mounting hardware.
• Develop designs that manage parasitic heat loads, thermal contraction, CTE mismatch, mechanical stability, vibration sensitivity, vacuum compatibility, and assembly tolerances.
• Design prototype hardware and de‑risk test fixtures that lab engineers can build and operate to validate new materials, interfaces, and subsystem concepts.
• Support test planning for new materials, adhesives, thermal interfaces, coatings, cryogenic assemblies, and vacuum‑compatible components.
• Work with lab engineers to evaluate outgassing, cryogenic thermal performance, mechanical stability, alignment repeatability, and failure modes.
• Perform mechanical, thermal, and tolerance analyses to guide design decisions.
• Generate CAD models, drawings, assemblies, interface definitions, and design documentation.
• Partner with vacuum, cryogenic, optical, electrical, trap fabrication, and systems teams to identify interface risks and develop practical solutions.
• Communicate design trades, assumptions, risks, test results, and recommendations to technical teams and program leadership.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree minimum
• Minimum of 7+ years (Masters and PhD inclusive) of hands‑on mechanical design experience with complex hardware systems.
• Due to Contractual requirements, must be a U.S. Person. defined as, U.S. citizen permanent resident or green card holder, workers granted asylum or refugee status
• Due to national security requirements imposed by the U.S. Government, candidates for this position must not be a People's Republic of China national or Russian national unless the candidate is also a U.S. citizen.