Senior Photonics Hardware Designer (Electro-Optic)

PsiQuantum; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 177,000 - 207,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

401(k) with company match

Equity grants

Paid time off

End-of-year shutdown

Job summary

PsiQuantum is seeking a senior/staff‑level engineer to own the detailed design, integration, and qualification of electro‑optic hardware modules used in advanced photonic systems. You will collaborate with the Photonic Hardware Architect to deliver rack‑mountable or blade assemblies containing optical amplifiers, attenuators, polarization controllers, and related subassemblies.

You will lead internal design execution, coordinate external development partners, and establish rigorous verification

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ownership of detailed electro-optic/opto-mechanical hardware design through prototype, verification, qualification, and manufacturing release.
• Strong hands-on knowledge of fiber-optic components and subsystems including amplifiers, attenuators, polarization control, optical power monitoring, and photodetection.

Responsibilities

• Own the detailed design and integration of electro-optic modules from requirements through prototype, EVT, DVT, and manufacturing transfer.
• Translate system architecture into complete optical, electrical, mechanical, thermal, firmware-control interfaces for rack-mountable or blade assemblies.
• Lead design trade studies across optical performance, noise, stability, thermal behavior, manufacturability, cost, and schedule; document decisions and risks.
• Design controlled experiments, select instrumentation, analyze data, and make technically defensible decisions.
• Plan and execute module bring-up, characterization, margin testing, environmental testing, fault-injection testing; automate measurements where possible.
• Author verification plans, test procedures, and reports with clear pass/fail criteria and traceability to requirements.
• Lead EVT/DVT for internal and vendor hardware; investigate failures and drive corrective actions.
• Oversee design reviews and configuration control; ensure production-ready drawings, BOMs, and firmware interfaces.
• Collaborate with contract manufacturers and vendors; manage statements of work and supplier qualification.
• Partner with manufacturing to implement design-for-manufacture/test, calibration, and end-of-line acceptance strategies.
• Communicate status and risks clearly across functions with concise executive updates.

Skills

Electro-optic hardware design

Fiber-optic components

System integration

Test automation (Python/LabVIEW)

Education

B.S. or higher in EE/Optical/Physics/Mech

Job description

PsiQuantum is seeking a senior/staff‑level engineer to own the detailed design, integration, and qualification of electro‑optic hardware modules used in advanced photonic systems. You will collaborate with the Photonic Hardware Architect to deliver rack‑mountable or blade assemblies containing optical amplifiers, attenuators, polarization controllers, and related subassemblies.

You will lead internal design execution, coordinate external development partners, and establish rigorous verification