Senior Laser Scientist — Build Ground-Up Laser Platforms

Monarch Quantum; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k) with 4% employer matching

20 PTO days per year

13 holidays per year

9/80 work schedule

Job summary

Monarch Quantum in San Diego, CA, is seeking a Senior Laser Scientist for New Laser Development to architect and build cutting‑edge laser platforms from concept through prototype and early productization. You will lead laser design across multiple architectures and collaborate closely with engineering and manufacturing teams in a dynamic startup environment.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD with 10+ years of hands‑on laser system experience, deep expertise in external cavity, fiber, or

Qualifications

• PhD in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or related field; exceptional MS candidates considered.
• 10+ years of hands-on experience designing and building laser systems.

Responsibilities

• Architect and develop new laser platforms from concept through prototype and early productization.
• Lead laser design across multiple architectures: external cavity lasers, fiber lasers and amplifiers, semiconductor lasers.
• Define optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical requirements for new laser systems.
• Perform optical design and modeling; cavity design, mode control, linewidth and noise optimization.
• Design experiments to characterize linewidth, phase noise, SMSR, tuning range, power, and environmental sensitivity.
• Drive technology trade studies and down-select architectures based on performance and manufacturability.
• Collaborate with photonics integration, electronics and control systems engineers, reliability and manufacturing teams.
• Mentor engineers; author documentation and publications; support transition to production including design for test/manufacturability.

Skills

External cavity laser architectures

Fiber lasers and fiber amplifiers

Semiconductor laser design and physics

Education

PhD in Physics / Electrical Engineering / Optical Engineering

Job description

Monarch Quantum in San Diego, CA, is seeking a Senior Laser Scientist for New Laser Development to architect and build cutting‑edge laser platforms from concept through prototype and early productization. You will lead laser design across multiple architectures and collaborate closely with engineering and manufacturing teams in a dynamic startup environment.

The ideal candidate holds a PhD with 10+ years of hands‑on laser system experience, deep expertise in external cavity, fiber, or