Staff Fiber Optics System Engineer

black.ai

Milpitas (CA)

On-site

USD 208,000 - 245,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

401(k) with company match

Equity grants

Wellness benefits

Family support programs

Life and disability insurance

Paid leave programs

Company-designated paid holidays

Discretionary time off

Year-end company shutdown

Job summary

PsiQuantum in Milpitas, CA, is seeking a Staff Fiber Optics System Engineer to support the Optical Distribution Network design for quantum systems. You will design, develop, integrate and validate the fiber network and hardware to meet performance thresholds.

You will work cross-functionally with mechanical and electrical engineers, define routing guidelines, and evaluate advanced fiber components, with some Python scripting and lab control tasks.

Qualifications

MS or PhD in Physics, Optical or Electrical Engineering with 5+ years industry experience.
5+ years experience designing, validating and testing fiber networks and fiber optical systems.
Experience with optical test equipment including power meters, optical backscatter reflectometers (OBR), optical spectrum analyzer (OSA).
Experience with software controls in Python.
Experience developing test methods and optimization, tuning algorithms.

Responsibilities

Support end-to-end system fiber link architecture connecting subsystems, PICs and control systems.
Drive link component designs, work cross‑functionally with mechanical and electrical engineers and system technical leads.
Create detailed fiber designs for complex optical distribution networks. This includes routing, splice plans, and overall optical I/O.
Contribute to link budgets and calculations to meet System Architecture requirements for worldline loss.
Define guidelines for fiber routing, splicing, connectorization, cleanliness, and handling to meet quantum performance thresholds.
Work with vendors and evaluate advanced fiber optic components, and qualify such components for use in quantum computing applications.
Some Python scripting, calling Controls SW APIs / drivers to control lab equipment and proprietary systems.
Clear communication and cross functional collaboration.

Skills

Fiber optics design

System engineering

Python scripting

Cross-functional teamwork

Communication skills

Optical testing

Education

MS/PhD in Physics, Optical or Electrical Engineering

Tools

OBR instrument

OSA instrument

Power meters

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.

Come join us.

Job Summary:

The Staff Fiber Optics System Engineer reports into the System Design organization. This role supports the Optical Distribution Network (ODN) design and integration for current and future systems. This includes the design, development, integration and validation of the fiber network and hardware to support the complex fiber network needed in our quantum systems.

Responsibilities:

Support end-to-end system fiber link architecture connecting subsystems, PICs and control systems.
Drive link component designs, work cross‑functionally with mechanical and electrical engineers and system technical leads.
Create detailed fiber designs for complex optical distribution networks. This includes routing, splice plans, and overall optical I/O.
Contribute to link budgets and calculations to meet System Architecture requirements for worldline loss.
Define guidelines for fiber routing, splicing, connectorization, cleanliness, and handling to meet quantum performance thresholds.
Work with vendors and evaluate advanced fiber optic components, and qualify such components for use in quantum computing applications.
Some Python scripting, calling Controls SW APIs / drivers to control lab equipment and proprietary systems.
Clear communication and cross functional collaboration.

Experience/Qualifications:

M.S. or PhD in Physics, Optical or Electrical Engineering with 5+ years industry experience.
5+ years experience designing, validating and testing fiber networks and fiber optical systems.
Experience in fiber optics, including loss mechanisms, dispersion, nonlinear effects, polarization, and phase stability.
Experience designing fiber optic systems, fiber networking and working with advanced splice equipment and optimization, fiber handling and routing.
Experience working with optical test equipment including power meters, optical backscatter reflectometers (OBR), optical spectrum analyzer (OSA).
Experience working with instrumentation used in the photonics and/or the electronics industry.
Experience with software controls in Python.
Experience developing test methods and optimization, tuning algorithms.
Experience in product lifecycles, transitioning from R&D to product development.
Strong organizational skills, excellent communication skills, attention to detail and ability to multitask.
Strong critical thinking, creative, innovative, analytical, and detail oriented problem‑solving skill.

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.

Base pay is one part of the total compensation package. Full‑time roles are eligible for equity and benefits. Our compensation ranges reflect the cost of labor across multiple U.S. geographic markets, and we pay based on defined geographic zones. This position may be filled within one of the following U.S. geographic zones, each with its own salary range.

Actual compensation may vary outside of these ranges and is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, a candidate's qualifications, relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, business needs, and internal equity. Your recruiter can share more details about the salary range applicable to your location during the hiring process.

Zone 1 - Bay Area and NYC
Zone 2 - Examples include Los Angeles and Washington DC
Zone 3 - Examples include Austin, Chicago, and Sacramento
Zone 4 - Examples include Nashville and Phoenix/Tempe and many remote locations

This position includes the following benefits: competitive health coverage for you and your dependents, 401(k) with company match, equity grants, access to financial wellness tools and planning resources, wellness benefits, family support programs, life and disability insurance, paid leave programs, company‑designated paid holidays, discretionary time off (DTO), and an end‑of‑year company shutdown. Some of these benefits have eligibility requirements and may vary based on location, role, or employment status. Many of these benefits are subsidized or fully paid for by the company.

The estimated annual base salary range for this role is: