Silicon Photonics Design Engineer

PsiQuantum•Palo Alto, CA

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 creative and innovative Silicon Photonics Design Engineer to help push the boundaries of high-performance fiber-to-chip coupling for quantum photonic integrated circuits. This role sits at the intersection of device physics, packaging, and experimental validation, and offers ownership across the full development cycle – from concept and simulation to tapeout support, testing, and model closure. The ideal candidate is an all-rounder with strong fundamentals in integrated photonics, theoretical and practical knowledge of fiber-chip coupling, and the ability to translate experimental results into clear, data-driven design improvements. You will collaborate closely with photonic design, foundry, packaging, and test teams to deliver robust packaging solutions for next-generation quantum hardware.

Requirements

PhD or equivalent degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, or a closely related field.
~5 years of relevant industrial or academic research experience in integrated photonics.
Strong computational and analytical skills applied to photonic device design and performance evaluation.
In-depth understanding of photonic devices, performance metrics, and experimental characterization techniques.
Demonstrated expertise in fiber-chip coupling concepts and optical packaging.
Proficiency in Python for scientific computing and automation (e.g., NumPy, SciPy, Matplotlib, Pandas).
Experience with commercial photonic and electromagnetic simulation tools (e.g., Lumerical, Tidy3D).
Photonic layout experience using tools such as IPKISS, gdsfactory, or equivalent.
Working proficiency in software engineering best practices, including version control and modular, maintainable code.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across technical and non-technical teams.
Hands-on experience with photonic packaging and assembly.
Familiarity with integrated photonics manufacturing processes.
Exposure to high-performance scientific computing.
You thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative startup environment, enjoy solving open-ended technical problems, and bring a thoughtful, detail-oriented approach to engineering challenges.

Responsibilities

Design, model, and analyze novel fiber-chip coupling concepts suitable for large-scale quantum computing systems.
Own coupling device development across the full lifecycle, including simulation, layout, experiment design, data analysis, and model closure.
Contribute to photonic tapeouts, including hands-on layout, DOE definition, and coordination with cross-functional stakeholders.
Collaborate with test engineers to plan and execute automated, high-volume measurements, and develop new test methodologies as needed.
Analyze measurement data to identify performance trends, limitations, and optimization opportunities, and clearly communicate results to diverse technical audiences.
Work closely with foundry, packaging, and test teams to validate, screen, and continuously improve fiber-chip coupling performance.