2027 Monarch Quantum Summer Internship Program

Monarch Quantum•San Diego, CA

About The Position

The Monarch Quantum Summer Internship Program gives students the opportunity to contribute to engineering projects supporting quantum hardware, software, and system-level development. Depending on their background and interests, interns may work on opto-mechanical design and testing, experimental setups, control or automation software, system performance analysis, or quantum-safe technology integration. Interns collaborate with engineers and researchers in an industry-focused environment. Opportunities are available to bachelor's, master's, and PhD students. Project work may include designing and testing fixtures for opto-mechanical bonds and assemblies; conducting stability experiments; working with optically pumped semiconductor laser systems in an ISO-7 (Class 10,000) cleanroom; characterizing materials and semiconductor lasers; and performing optical or thermal modeling. Other projects involve optical design for laser modules, developing and operating test stations, and validating laser-module design methods. Interns may also develop automated pick-and-place routines for robotic cells, including motion control, path planning, error detection, sensor integration, and automation sequencing. Other opportunities include designing reliability test stations, scripting laser auto-focus calibration routines, supporting electrical systems and prototypes, testing External Cavity Diode Laser products, developing FPGA-based systems, and investigating adhesive performance for precision optical assemblies. Interns receive hands-on experience in design, simulation, laboratory testing, analysis, documentation, and validation, with mentorship from experienced engineers, researchers, and technicians. The position requires access to export-controlled information. Employment is contingent upon the applicant being a U.S. person as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3).

Requirements

Must be a U.S. person as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3), due to the position's access to export-controlled information.
Applicants must be students at the bachelor's, master's, or PhD level.
Relevant fields include Physics, Applied Physics, or related disciplines; Optical Engineering or Optics; Electrical, Electronic, or Systems Engineering; Firmware Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, or Software Engineering; Robotics; Mechanical Engineering; or Mechatronics.

Responsibilities

Design, build, and test opto-mechanical fixtures and experimental setups, and report results.
Conduct material and semiconductor laser characterization, including spectral analysis and power-efficiency measurements.
Perform optical and thermal modeling using tools such as Zemax, COMSOL, SolidWorks, and ANSYS.
Contribute to optical designs for components and lenses used in laser modules.
Develop, build, and operate test stations for components and module assemblies; collect and analyze performance data.
Support development and validation of laser-module design methodologies.
Develop, implement, and test motion-control algorithms and automated pick-and-place routines for industrial robotic cells.
Collaborate on robotic workflows involving path planning, error detection, sensor integration, and automation sequencing; evaluate performance and optimize cycle times.
Design reliability test stations, procure parts, set up experiments, and develop Python or LabView scripts for auto-focus calibration.
Support electrical systems and prototypes through schematic development, PCB documentation, data analysis, test execution, and failure analysis.
Build and test External Cavity Diode Laser products and assemblies; design and execute tests, improve alignment processes, and model laser systems.
Develop FPGA-based systems using hybrid C/C++ and HDL architectures, including interfaces to ADCs, DACs, microcontrollers, and other components.
Support data acquisition and analysis systems, hardware-firmware integration, reviews, verification, and documentation.
Characterize adhesive behavior and performance for bonding precision optics to metal components; develop process parameters and assess optical performance and assembly quality.
Participate in hands-on training and work involving optical alignment, precision motion systems, and robotic automation.