Senior Fiber Assembly Process Engineer

PsiQuantum; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

PsiQuantum in Milpitas, California, is seeking a Senior Fiber Assembly Process Engineer responsible for developing advanced assembly instrumentation for high-performance fiber splicing. The role involves addressing fiber reliability and partnering with industry leaders.

Qualified candidates should have an MSc or PhD in relevant fields, alongside over 5 years of fiber optics experience. The position offers competitive compensation, including a U.S. base pay range of $110,000—$160,000.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in fiber optics and assembly.
• Strong understanding of optical fibers and splicing equipment.
• Experience with mechanical and/or optical instrumentation automation.

Responsibilities

• Study and root-cause sources of fiber splice losses.
• Develop advanced fiber processing equipment.
• Use optical modeling for fiber behavior and performance.

Skills

Fiber optics

Optical system development

Opto-mechanical packaging

Python proficiency

Education

MSc or PhD in photonics, optics, physics, engineering

Tools

Optical simulation tools

JMP

Job description

PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deploy million‑qubit, fault‑tolerant quantum systems.

Quantum computers harness the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that even the most advanced supercomputers or AI systems will never reach. Their impact will span energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials, and other foundational industries.

Our architecture and approach is based on silicon photonics. By leveraging the advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry—including partners like GlobalFoundries—we use the same high‑volume processes that already produce billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics. Photonics offers natural advantages for scale: photons don’t feel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber‑optic infrastructure.

In 2024, PsiQuantum announced government‑funded projects to support the build‑out of our first utility‑scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition that quantum computing will be strategically and economically defining—and that now is the time to scale.

PsiQuantum also develops the algorithms and software needed to make these systems commercially valuable. Our application, software, and industry teams work directly with leading Fortune 500 companies—including Lockheed Martin, Mercedes‑Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical—to prepare quantum solutions for real‑world impact.

Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. It represents a fundamental shift—and a path to mastering challenges that cannot be solved any other way. The potential is enormous, and we have a clear path to make it real.

Job Summary

The Senior Fiber Assembly Process Engineer will be responsible for the development of advanced assembly instrumentation for high‑performance and high-throughput fiber splicing, and study and address fiber and splice reliability at the scale of datacenters. This role combines fiber engineering, opto‑mechanical automation, optical assembly manufacturing and semiconductor process development.

Responsibilities

• Study and root‑cause sources of fiber splice loss and loss variability.
• Develop and deploy advanced fiber processing equipment working with industrial partners.
• Develop advanced measurement methodologies for validating fiber and fiber splice losses at datacenter scale.
• Use optical simulation tools to model behavior & performance of fiber‑fiber interfaces for a wide range of advanced fiber designs.
• Assess modal properties, loss mechanisms, dispersion, coupling, and other key fiber characteristics relevant to demanding optical applications, through optical modeling and experimental validation, model closure.
• Work with the optical packaging and assembly validation teams to develop and deliver test methods for the performance and reliability of fiber interfaces.

Experience / Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in photonics, optics, physics, engineering, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• 5+ years of experience in fiber optics, optical system development and assembly.
• Strong understanding of optical fibers and fiber splicing & measurement equipment.
• Familiar with key opto‑mechanical packaging and assembly equipment.
• Proficiency in Python and JMP.
• Experience with mechanical and/or optical instrumentation automation and control.
• Familiarity with back‑end semiconductor packaging is a plus.

Equal Employment Opportunity

PsiQuantum provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. PsiQuantum does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable laws.

Compensation

U.S. Base Pay Range: $110,000—$160,000 USD

Bay Area Pay Range: $150,000—$177,000 USD