Quantum Team Hardware Engineering Technical Leader
About The Position
The Outshift by Cisco team is one of Cisco’s most visible innovation organizations, driving the next generation of transformative technologies and business opportunities. You will collaborate with some of the company’s most forward-thinking researchers, engineers, and technology leaders. Within the Outshift Quantum Research team and Quantum Labs, we are pioneering the design and development of practical, scalable, and efficient quantum networking technologies — foundational building blocks for the future Quantum Internet. Our multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers is dedicated to advancing the state of the art in quantum networking, distributed quantum systems, and quantum-enabled applications. Cisco Quantum Research is seeking a skilled System Engineer to support our Quantum Experimental Team in a role that is central to the physical realization of Cisco's deployable quantum hardware platforms.
Requirements
- Bachelors +12 years of related experience or Masters +8 years of related experience or PhD 5+ years of related experience.
- 7+ years experience designing, integrating, and deploying high-density electro-mechanical, optoelectronic, or telecom rack.
- Experience with 3D CAD software (SolidWorks, Creo, or Inventor) with experience in rack layout design (EIA-310 standard), structural enclosures, and cable management routing.
- Experience with AC/DC power distribution (PDUs, grounding schemes, safety isolation), thermal/airflow management inside enclosed racks, and environmental interlocks.
- Experience with standard optical telecommunication components and architecture, as well as designing or operating optical data center rack systems.
Nice To Haves
- Experience defining and performing Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) and Site Acceptance Testing (SAT), including authoring site-readiness specifications for enterprise or research customer facilities.
- Experience reading, interpreting, and producing engineering drawings, schematics, and assembly procedures, with demonstrated ability to provide structured design feedback based on assembly and test findings.
- Exposure to quantum optics, quantum communication, or quantum networking hardware.
Responsibilities
- Build and architect multi-chassis, rack-level quantum systems tailored to customer and data center requirements, including rack-level power distribution (PDUs, UPS integration, grounding, and electrical isolation), while ensuring compliance with EIA-310, UL, CE, and IEC standards.
- Optimize rack layouts and integrate RF/microwave signal routing to ensure structural stability, thermal performance, serviceability, and reliable, low-noise system operation.
- Develop robust fiber optic routing, slack management, and connector management strategies to ensure low insertion loss, high reliability, and protection against mechanical stress.
- Serve as the primary technical authority responsible for delivering coordinated, rack-mounted quantum systems directly to customer data centers and research facilities, directly driving customer satisfaction and site-acceptance timeline success.
- Unify disparate engineering domain outputs—including precision control electronics, RF/microwave distribution, thermal management, optical/photonic routing, and fiber management—into a cohesive, manufacturable, and serviceable rack architecture.
- Play a key role in establishing the assembly and test infrastructure that will support the scaling of Cisco's quantum hardware platform delivery.
Benefits
- medical, dental and vision insurance
- a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution
- paid parental leave
- short and long-term disability coverage
- basic life insurance
- grants of Cisco restricted stock units
- 10 paid holidays per full calendar year
- 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees
- 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday
- paid year-end holiday shutdown
- 4 paid days off for personal wellness
- 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year (non-exempt employees)
- flexible vacation time off program (exempt employees)
- 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter
- up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward from one calendar year to the next
- Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members
- Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer
- annual bonuses (for non-sales roles)
- performance-based incentive pay (for sales roles)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
