Back to jobs
New

Head of Photonics

Boston, MA USA

Summary

We are seeking a Head of Photonics to lead the company’s photonics strategy and execution across research, development, and deployment. This role owns the full photonics function within QuEra’s R&D organization and is responsible for defining and delivering next-generation optical systems—including photonic integrated circuits (PICs), hybrid optical platforms, and free-space delivery architectures—to support the scaling of neutral atom quantum processors.

The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in integrated photonics and optical system design with demonstrated leadership of multidisciplinary engineering teams. This is a strategic and hands-on position, requiring close collaboration with system architects, quantum physicists, and fabrication partners to build photonics subsystems that meet the demanding performance, reliability, and scalability requirements of quantum hardware.

Responsibilities

  • Serve as the organizational and technical lead for photonics at QuEra, overseeing strategy, architecture, execution, and team development.
  • Define and own the photonics technology roadmap to enable scalable control of large-scale neutral atom quantum systems.
  • Lead design and development of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for optical beam routing, modulation, and distribution.
  • Architect hybrid optical platforms combining integrated photonics, free-space optics, and fiber delivery systems.
  • Oversee tape-outs, packaging, and bring-up of photonic devices; collaborate with CMOS foundries on PDKs, design flows, and fabrication cycles.
  • Drive system-level integration and validation of optical subsystems, including lasers, beam steering elements, fiber arrays, and opto-mechanics.
  • Establish and refine experimental testbeds for characterization and calibration of photonic components and modules.
  • Analyze and optimize system performance metrics such as loss, fidelity, stability, crosstalk, and latency.
  • Build and lead a high-performing photonics engineering team; define hiring needs, mentor junior engineers, and support technical growth.
  • Coordinate cross-functional collaboration across quantum control, systems engineering, software, and physics groups.
  • Represent the photonics function in company-level planning and technical reviews.

Qualifications

  • Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optics, or a related field.
  • 5+ years of experience in PIC design and development, including modeling, simulation, layout, and fabrication.
  • 5+ years of experience working with quantum systems or complex optical control systems, including test and integration.
  • Demonstrated experience leading R&D programs involving photonic platforms.
  • Strong expertise in simulation and design tools (e.g., Lumerical, COMSOL, KLayout, IPKISS).
  • Proficiency with optical alignment, laser systems, fiber optics, and optical metrology.
  • Programming background in Python for experimental control and automation.
  • Proven leadership experience managing technical teams and delivering complex hardware systems.
  • Strong communication and project management skills across scientific, engineering, and executive stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with scalable optical architectures in neutral atom or ion-based quantum computing platforms.
  • Familiarity with photonics packaging, thermal management, and mechanical alignment at scale.
  • Contributions to commercial photonics toolkits, open-source libraries, or hardware products.
  • Publications, patents, or deployed systems demonstrating technical innovation in photonics or quantum hardware.

QuEra is committed to cultivating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We highly value diversity in our current and future employees and do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

#LI-NB1

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at QuEra Computing, Inc.? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Education

Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in QuEra Computing, Inc.’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.