Senior Electrical Engineer

Physics World; Pleasanton (CA); On-site; USD 142,000 - 186,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Platinum-level health coverage

Health FSA

401(k) contributions

20 days PTO + 11 holidays

Parental leave

Fully stocked kitchen

Job summary

IonQ is hiring a Senior Electrical Engineer to develop innovative electronic solutions for quantum instruments. You will oversee the lifecycle of complex circuits from concept to production, shifting between intricate design challenges and hands-on debugging in a fast-paced environment.

The role requires 6+ years of experience in mixed-signal PCBA design, strong SI/PI focus, and excellence in cross-functional collaboration at the cutting edge of quantum technology.

Qualifications

• Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (or related field) with 6+ years, OR Master's with 3+ years.
• Technical Design Expertise: 3+ years in complex mixed-signal PCBA design using advanced ECAD tools.
• Layout Proficiency: HDI, fine-pitch BGAs, and controlled impedance structures.
• Circuit Knowledge: Experience with modern FPGAs, MCUs, and precision analog circuits.
• Hardware Debugging: Proficiency with oscilloscopes, DVMs, and spectrum analyzers.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication for cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• System Design & Collaboration with cross-functional teams to translate requirements into schematics.
• Full-Lifecycle PCBA Development for high-speed digital, precision analog, mixed-signal, and RF boards.
• Establish and enforce PCB layout standards including stack-ups and EMI/EMC strategies.
• Optimize component selection, routing for SI/PI, thermal, and manufacturability.
• Design POL power supply circuits with strict sequencing and ripple specs.
• Collaborate with fabricators to ensure DFM/DFA and define test procedures.
• Maintain design data and ECOs in a cloud PLM system.
• Hands-on hardware debugging and verification with lab equipment.

Skills

System design

PCB design

HDI layouts

FPGAs/MCUs

Hardware testing

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Master's degree

Tools

Altium Designer

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

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 Vector Atomic

Vector Atomic, an IonQ company, is building quantum technology to transform navigation, timing, geophysical exploration, and telecommunications. Our team of engineers, scientists, software developers, and operations professionals works together to solve complex challenges and turn bold ideas into real-world solutions. We value collaboration, curiosity, and diverse perspectives, and we give every team member the opportunity to make an immediate impact while growing their skills. If you're excited to work on breakthrough technology in a fast-paced, hands-on environment, we'd love to hear from you.

Location

This role is based onsite at our office in Pleasanton, CA. Travel: Up to 5%

Job ID

1645

The Role

As a Senior Electrical Engineer, you will serve as a key contributor in developing innovative electronic solutions for groundbreaking quantum instruments. You will be responsible for overseeing the entire lifecycle of complex circuits, from initial concept through implementation and production. The ideal candidate is an agile, creative engineer who thrives in high-paced environments, possessing the unique ability to shift seamlessly between intricate design challenges and immediate hardware troubleshooting while maintaining uncompromising quality standards.

Responsibilities

• System Design & Collaboration: Partner with cross-functional teams of physicists and mechanical/optical engineers to translate system requirements into innovative schematic designs.
• Full-Lifecycle PCB Development: Lead the complete PCBA journey for high-speed digital, precision analog, mixed-signal, and RF boards.
• Design Standards & Integrity: Establish and advocate for PCB layout standards, including stack-ups, impedance profiles, and EMI/EMC-aware strategies.
• Optimization: Drive component selection and routing to optimize signal integrity (SI), power integrity (PI), thermal efficiency, and manufacturability.
• Power Management: Design and develop Point-of-Load (POL) power supply circuits with stringent sequencing, ripple, and efficiency requirements.
• Manufacturing & Test: Ensure DFM/DFA compliance by collaborating with fabricators to improve yields, address support issues, and define test procedures.
• Documentation: Maintain accurate design data, revisions, and Engineering Change Orders (ECOs) within a cloud-based PLM system.
• Laboratory Support: Perform hands-on hardware debugging and verification using standard laboratory test equipment.

Requirements

• Education & Experience: * Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (or related field) with 6+ years of professional experience; OR * Master's degree with 3+ years of professional experience.
• Technical Design Expertise: At least 3 years of experience in complex, mixed-signal PCBA design using advanced ECAD tools.
• To comply with the US export control laws, Vector Atomic employees must be U.S. citizens (born or naturalized), lawful U.S. permanent residents (i.e. green card holders), and certain categories of refugees, and asylees.
• Layout Proficiency: Demonstrated expertise in high-density layouts (HDI), fine-pitch BGAs, and controlled impedance structures (microstrip/stripline).
• Circuit Knowledge: Proven experience designing with modern FPGAs, MCUs, and precision analog circuits.
• Hardware Debugging: Hands-on skill with oscilloscopes, digital voltmeters, and spectrum analyzers.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional collaboration.

Preferred Qualifications

• Altium Mastery: Advanced experience in Altium Designer, including schematic capture, library management, and constraint-driven layouts.
• Systems Integration: Proven ability to integrate PCB designs with PLM/ERP systems and manage component lifecycles.
• Advanced Electronics: A background in defining, simulating, and verifying ASIC designs.
• Specialized Design: Previous experience in low-power design and familiarity with RoHS/CE, EMI/EMC, and UL compliance standards.

Benefits

Vector Atomic values teamwork, open and honest discourse, and work-life balance. We offer competitive compensation and benefits including:

• Platinum-level family health coverage (medical, dental, vision)
• Health and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Employer 401(k) contributions
• 20 days of paid time off & 11 paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Fully stocked kitchen

The approximate base salary range for this position is $142,113 to $186,063 per year. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity and benefits. It's atypical to be hired at the top end of this range for the role, as actual pay is based on several factors, including job-related knowledge, skills, and experience level.

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.