R&D Process Engineer

PsiQuantum•Milpitas, CA

3h•$86,000 - $145,000

About The Position

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. We are seeking a highly motivated, self-driven R&D Process Engineer to support the development of novel silicon-based optical interconnection technologies. This role combines hands-on silicon process engineering in laboratories, fabs, and packaging suppliers with cross-functional coordination across advanced integration, foundry, design, and test teams.

Requirements

BS or MS or PhD in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or related discipline.
1–5 years of experience in semiconductor process engineering, silicon photonics, MEMS, advanced packaging, or related R&D environment.
Experience in wafer processing, process integration, metrology, and semiconductor manufacturing flows, cleanroom practices, packaging technologies.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to interpret engineering data and troubleshoot process issues.
Ability to manage multiple activities and work effectively in cross-functional.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with external fabs, OSATs, or semiconductor manufacturing partners is preferred.
Familiarity with optical bench equipment and measurements is a plus.
Familiarity multi-physics simulation, primarily thermal/mechanical/optical is a plus.

Responsibilities

Conduct hands-on laboratory process experiments involving lithography, etch, deposition, CMP, bonding, and metallization evaluation.
Collaborate with foundries and vendors to execute development at wafer scale.
Review process flows, split plans, process deviations, and fabrication data to ensure compliance with development objectives.
Contribute to optical bench testing to characterize device performance.
Assist with process qualification, yield improvement, and manufacturability assessments.
Track process changes and document lessons learned, process conditions, and engineering results.
Participate in technical reviews and communicate status, risks, and recommendations to project stakeholders.