Technical Buyer - Laser and Optical Systems

Entangled Future; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

QuEra Computing in Boston, MA is seeking a mid-level Technical Buyer to manage the Optical and Laser vendor base within the G&A/Supply Chain team. You will read technical specifications, negotiate, and ensure vendors meet order requirements for state-of-the-art NPI laser and optical components.

This role blends technical and commercial skills, driving supplier KPIs, handling long lead times, and coordinating across regions to balance performance with cost.

Qualifications

• Two or more years hands-on with lasers or optical systems in lab, field or sales.
• Two or more years supplier-facing commercial work in hardware.
• Ability to read a technical specification and enforce it with suppliers.
• Experience with ERP or QMS systems.
• Rigorous documentation: purchase records, serial numbers, configurations.

Responsibilities

• Manage Optical and Laser vendor base and vendor KPI's.
• Read technical specs and hold suppliers to order requirements.
• Balance technical and commercial constraints in sourcing decisions.
• Develop and track supplier KPIs, ensure accountability for non-conforming materials.

Skills

Read specs

Supplier management

ERP systems

Documentation habits

Lasers & optics

Technical sales

Education

Science/Engineering degree

Tools

ERP systems

QMS software

Job description

Technical Buyer - Laser and Optical Systems at QuEra Computing, Boston, MA, USA. A mid-level full time position in the G&A team, listed under business operations.

Summary

QuEra builds neutral-atom quantum computers. Every machine depends on a large and growing set of laser and optical systems, sourced from specialist suppliers worldwide and deployed across our global sites.

The Technical Buyer will report to the head of Supply Chain, but work hand in hand with the Laser and Optical Systems team to manage QuEra’s Optical and Laser Vendor Base. QuEra’s Optical and Laser vendor base is the most critical aspect of the supply chain. The role requires competencies in both the technical and commercial sides of the business.

This is a vendor management role with fundamental technical competences in optics. You will work with Optical Systems Team to establish technical specifications with the vendor based on the latest R&D. You will need enough fluency to read a specification, judge a quotation against it, and hold a supplier to what was ordered. You will also need to operate in technical and commercial spaces that are fluid. You must be able to balance technical requirements and deliverable within commercial constraints.

The hardware purchases you will be managing are often state-of-the-art New Products (NPI) for our vendors. Specifications are not always settled when an order is placed; few suppliers can meet them, and nothing is held in stock. Lead times are long, every unit is verified on arrival before it is deployed. Sourcing spans multiple regions with trade compliance and controlled handling. Your skillset should be able to help develop vendor KPI’s, keep vendors accountable for non-conforming materials, and find opportunities for new relationships.

Focus Areas

• Active components: laser sources, optical amplifiers, modulators, and servo electronics.
• Passive components: optical isolators, nonlinear optical materials, and polarization-maintaining components.
• Custom fiber optics and assemblies, including high-power handling and specialty terminations.

Requirements

• Degree in a science or engineering field, or equivalent hands-on technical training in technical sales, optical engineering or optics quality management.
• Two or more years working hands-on with lasers or optical systems, in a lab, field service, applications engineering, or technical sales role.
• Two or more years in supplier-facing commercial work in a hardware environment.
• Ability to read a technical specification and hold a supplier accountable to it.
• Experience with ERP or QMS systems.
• Rigorous documentation habits: purchase records, serial numbers, and configuration states recorded as a matter of course.
• Experience with laser and optical specifications: power, wavelength, linewidth, polarization, and fiber interfaces.

Nice to Have

• Photonics or precision instrumentation background
• Familiarity with procurement under federal funding
• Multi-site or multi-country operations experience