Senior Staff Electrical Engineer

IonQ; San Francisco, Louisville (CA, CO); Hybrid; USD 167,808 - 219,704; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Home technology stipend

401(k) matching

Paid holidays

Parental/adoption leave

Job summary

IonQ Capella is seeking a Senior Staff Electrical Hardware Design Engineer to own end-to-end PCBA design for spaceflight hardware. You will collaborate with RF, mechanical, software, FPGA/SoC, and operations teams to deliver high‑reliability electronics for orbit.

Lead reviews, drive DFM/DFT improvements, and mentor engineers. You will guide cross‑disciplinary teams, shape test strategies, and ensure flight readiness while scaling manufacturing from prototype to production.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or related field.
• 10+ years designing and debugging PCBAs.
• Proficiency in Altium Designer.
• Hands-on with lab instruments (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power analyzers).
• Strong understanding of digital buses (I2C, SPI, UART, RS422, CAN, USB, PCIe, Ethernet).
• Familiarity with board bring-up, test planning, and design verification workflows.
• Experience interacting with contract manufacturers, supporting DFM reviews, and resolving production issues.
• To conform to ITAR, US citizenship or eligible status is required.

Responsibilities

• Own the full electrical design lifecycle for complex spaceflight hardware from concept to in‑orbit debug.
• Develop robust analog/digital designs for mission‑critical systems.
• Lead hardware requirements and process improvements (Altium, DFM, DFT).
• Lead board‑level bring‑up and debugging, integrating firmware/software/FPGA with embedded systems.
• Define test plans and verification strategies meeting flight readiness requirements.
• Mentor engineers and collaborate across mechanical, RF, software, and systems teams.

Skills

Digital buses (I2C, SPI, UART)

Lab instrumentation

Schematic skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or related field

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

Altium Designer

Oscilloscopes

Logic analyzers

Power analyzers

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, has helped customers and partners such as Amazon Web Services and AstraZeneca achieve 20× 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. IonQ is headquartered in College Park, Maryland, with 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.

Capella

Capella is an IonQ company that spans national security, advanced sensing, and next‑generation compute to deliver secure, mission‑ready intelligence. Its culture is built on collaboration, rigorous engineering, and a shared commitment to delivering solutions that strengthen global stability and security. Team members work side‑by‑side with some of the most innovative minds in space systems, quantum‑enabled technologies, and mission‑critical operations.

Location: This role can be based at our Louisville, Colorado or San Francisco office with the option to work a few days a week remotely. Travel: Up to 10% domestic or international. Job ID: 1742

The Role

As a Senior Staff Electrical Hardware Design Engineer, you will take ownership of full‑cycle PCBA designs, from early concept to flight readiness and in‑orbit debug. You will work cross‑functionally with RF, mechanical, software, FPGA/SoC, and operations teams to bring high‑reliability, space‑ready electronics to orbit. You will guide the Electrical Engineering team on special areas and drive projects across disciplines to help facilitate ideas, product readiness, and conduct reviews.

Responsibilities

• Own the full electrical design lifecycle for complex spaceflight hardware: concept of operations, requirements engineering, schematic capture, layout, bring‑up, test, manufacturing handoff, and in‑orbit debug
• Develop robust analog/digital designs for mission‑critical systems under environmental and performance constraints
• Organize collaborative cross‑disciplinary design reviews sharing feedback and shaping solutions with a team of experienced engineers
• Provide critical input to schedule planning as well as mission and system requirements
• Lead hardware requirements and process improvements (Altium, DFM, DFT)
• Lead board‑level bring‑up and debugging, integrating firmware/software/FPGA with embedded systems
• Define test plans and verification strategies that meet flight readiness requirements
• Play a key role in scaling up our manufacturing facility, bringing hardware from prototype to low‑volume production
• Lead collaboration across teams – mechanical, harness, RF, software, FPGA/SoC, and systems to ensure seamless integration
• Mentor early‑ and mid‑career engineers contributing to internal process improvements and elevating the overall quality of the team
• Engage with external vendors and contract manufacturers, ensuring delivery quality, resolving DFM/DFT issues, and ensuring on‑time delivery
• Drive failure analysis and root‑cause investigations across flight or test anomalies

What Success Looks Like

• Consistently deliver flight‑quality hardware on schedule with minimal oversight
• Get things done, align with stakeholders, and document concisely
• Proactively identify and articulate system‑level risks and drive mitigations early
• Communicate across hardware/software and cross‑functional gaps with confidence and clarity
• Make thoughtful trade‑offs in constrained environments and justify them with data
• Show curiosity about advanced areas such as architecture optimization or radiation mitigation, even if those areas are outside your scope for now
• Exhibit advanced, wide‑ranging experience in electrical engineering, using in‑depth professional knowledge

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or related field
• 10+ years of experience designing and debugging PCBAs
• Proficiency in Altium Designer (or similar ECAD tools)
• Hands‑on experience with lab instruments (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, power analyzers, etc.)
• Solid understanding of digital buses (I2C, SPI, UART, RS422, CAN, USB, PCIe, Ethernet, etc.)
• Familiarity with board bring‑up, test planning, and design verification workflows
• Experience interacting with contract manufacturers, supporting DFM reviews, and resolving production issues
• Strong documentation habits and organizational skills
• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, Capella employees must be a U.S. citizen, lawful U.S. permanent resident, or otherwise eligible for required authorizations under ITAR.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in electrical engineering or related field
• Experience designing for harsh environments (thermal, vacuum, vibration, radiation)
• Familiarity with high‑speed design or impedance‑controlled layouts
• Basic scripting or automation in Python or C for hardware test workflows
• Exposure to radiation effects and mitigation in electronic design
• Familiarity with EMI/EMC design practices and validation
• Familiarity with satellite electrical systems engineering (propulsion, EPS, GNSS, ADCS, space robotics, etc.)

Compensation

The approximate base salary range for this position is $167,808 – $219,704. Benefits may 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. Detailed benefit participation will be provided upon offer.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all while striving to identify and eliminate barriers. We foster a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are committed to equity and justice, welcoming diverse voices and viewpoints and not discriminating on any basis protected by law. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.