Quantum Test Architect

Mesa Quantum; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Mesa Quantum in Albuquerque, NM is building a dedicated pre-shipment testing site to certify quantum photonic devices. The Quantum Test Architect will define, own, and standardize qualification standards, SOPs, and equipment infrastructure to enable repeatable qualification across product generations.

You will lead the development of test methodologies, diagnosis of signal integrity issues, and collaboration with Colorado R&D to align qualification with device development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's; Master's or PhD in EE/Physics/Photonics or related field.
• 5–12 years of experience in quantum devices, advanced photonics or related testing.
• Proven ability to define qualification criteria, validation strategies, or test methodologies.
• Strong understanding of optical and/or electrical measurement systems.
• Hands-on experience with precision instrumentation and measurement challenges.

Responsibilities

• Own SOP development and maintenance for pre-shipment qualification.
• Establish pass/fail criteria and performance thresholds based on device needs.
• Design and standardize test equipment architecture and measurement infra.
• Ensure alignment between R&D validation and production qualification.
• Lead bring-up, debugging, and optimization of precision test systems.
• Review qualification outcomes and identify process improvements.
• Drive refinement of qualification methodologies as products evolve.
• Translate characterization results into actionable recommendations.
• Represent the technical side in discussions with collaborators and customers.
• Support scalable, robust, and traceable qualification infrastructure.

Skills

Qualification criteria definition

Test methodology design

Signal integrity

Technical communication

Fast-paced hardware understanding

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master's or PhD in Physics/Photonics or related field

Tools

Oscilloscopes

Source Measure Units

Network Analyzers

Signal Generators

Python

MATLAB

LabVIEW

Job description

Location: Albuquerque, NM (on-site) Reports to: CTO

About The Role

Mesa Quantum is establishing a pre-shipment testing and qualification site in Albuquerque, NM to support a portfolio of quantum photonic products. The Quantum Test Architect will define, own, and standardize the methodologies, qualification criteria, and equipment infrastructure used to evaluate devices prior to shipment. This role serves as the technical authority for test definition and qualification standards, ensuring that measurement approaches remain scientifically rigorous while supporting reliable, scalable execution. The role partners closely with Colorado-based R&D teams to align qualification standards with device development.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for pre-shipment device qualification.
• Establish qualification philosophy, pass/fail criteria, and performance thresholds based on quantum photonic device requirements.
• Design and standardize test equipment architecture and measurement infrastructure to enable repeatable qualification across future product generations.
• Ensure alignment between R&D validation approaches and production qualification workflows.
• Lead the bring-up, debugging, and optimization of precision electronic test systems by diagnosing signal integrity issues, mitigating electrical noise, and resolving complex measurement challenges.
• Lead structured reviews of qualification outcomes and nonconformance trends, identifying opportunities for process improvement.
• Drive continuous refinement of qualification methodologies as products, technologies, and customer requirements evolve.
• Influence engineering decisions by translating characterization results into actionable technical recommendations.
• Serve as a technical representative in discussions with collaborators, partners, and prospective customers.
• Support the long-term scalability, robustness, and traceability of qualification infrastructure.

Requirements

• Bachelor\'s, Master\'s, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, or a related field.
• 5-12 years of experience in quantum devices, advanced photonics, semiconductor validation, precision hardware testing, or related industries.
• Demonstrated experience defining qualification criteria, validation strategies, or test methodologies.
• Strong understanding of optical and/or electrical measurement systems and performance metrics, including diagnosing electrical noise and signal integrity issues.
• Experience translating device-level physics into repeatable test procedures.
• Hands-on experience with precision instrumentation (oscilloscopes, source measure units, network analyzers, signal generators, or similar).
• Strong technical communication skills and experience collaborating across multidisciplinary teams.
• Comfort operating in a fast-paced, scaling hardware environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with automated test development using Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or similar tools.
• Experience with hardware characterization, design verification, or production validation.
• Understanding of measurement uncertainty, repeatability, and statistical data analysis.
• Experience with semiconductor, photonics, VCSEL, atomic sensing, or quantum technologies.
• Experience supporting manufacturing scale-up or qualification infrastructure.

What Success Looks Like

• Clear, rigorous qualification standards aligned with product performance requirements.
• Stable, scalable, and repeatable test infrastructure.
• Effective alignment between Colorado R&D and New Mexico qualification workflows.
• Qualification decisions trusted by engineering, manufacturing, partners, and customers.
• Structured documentation supporting traceable qualification decisions.