Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer

Role Overview

• Owning opto-mechanical subsystems within an established hardware architecture and identifying technical risks, trade-offs, and long-term scalability constraints.
• Executing on defined mechanical design and integration of precision components and assemblies supporting lasers, optics, vacuum-integrated components, state-of-the-art sensors (SPAD, EMCCD, sCMOS), high-speed photodetectors, DMDs, SLMs, AODs, EOMs, metasurface-based optics, and photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
• Using emerging optical technologies from academia and industry and contributing to their physical implementation within Infleqtion’s next-generation neutral-atom quantum computing architectures.
• Generating stability, tolerance, and error budgets for opto-mechanical systems to ensure performance across environmental and operational conditions.
• Collaborating closely with physicists and optical, mechanical, electrical, software, and systems engineers to support the full experimental and hardware development lifecycle, from early research demonstrations through integrated, scalable, multi-generation systems.
• Advancing design-for-manufacturing and design-for-assembly considerations early in the product lifecycle using data-driven methodologies, including model-based and hands-on root-cause investigations, corrective actions, and improved design and laboratory practices.
• Using high-fidelity opto-mechanical simulations and executing on experimental strategies to characterize optical stability, drift, noise sources, and scaling limits, ranging from back-of-the-envelope calculations to detailed finite element analysis (FEA) encompassing tolerance stack-ups, thermal behavior, structural stiffness, and vibration sensitivity.
• Providing technical leadership and mentorship support to developing opto-mechanical engineers through design reviews and hands-on coaching.
• Supporting the transition of opto-mechanical subsystems from research-grade configurations to repeatable, maintainable, and scalable hardware suitable for increased atom counts.
• Advancing current best practices for optical design workflows, laboratory procedures, documentation, and version control.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in optical engineering, mechanical engineering, physics, or a related field with at least 5 years of relevant industry experience. A Master’s degree or PhD may substitute for some experience.
• Extensive ownership-driven experience designing, modeling, and validating laser-based opto-mechanical systems for high-performance hardware backed by a strong hands-on laboratory track record.
• Proficiency with SolidWorks for complex scalable system design and analysis.
• Working knowledge of Zemax (OpticsStudio) sufficient to collaborate on optical layouts and component selection validation.

WE HIGHLY VALUE:

• Background in atomic physics, quantum optics, or photonics research environments.
• Experience in low-volume, high-complexity hardware programs with demanding performance.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to bridge physics and engineering perspectives.
• A hands-on, detail-oriented mindset with a strong sense of ownership and technical accountability.
• Positive, collaborative working style and enthusiasm for mentoring and developing engineers.

Tech Stack

• Assembly

Benefits

• 100% company-paid medical, dental, vision, short/long-term disability
• Employer-funded Health Savings Account
• Unlimited PTO
• 401(k) match
• Company-paid Life and AD&D Insurance
• Flexible Savings Account
• Paid FMLA, Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Employee Assistance Program
• Student Loan Repayment
• Equity Package