{"id":3258381,"url":"https://alion.io/job/photonic-inc-vp-hardware","title":"VP, Hardware","company":{"id":697,"name":"Photonic Inc.","domain":"photonic.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/photonic-inc","size_band":"51-200","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Pinpoint","truth_index":null},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"head","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Coquitlam, Canada"],"countries":["CA"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":280000,"max":395000,"currency":"CAD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":282135},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"Copilot","optional":false},{"name":"LLM","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-25T03:13:05Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-25","last_verified_at":"2026-11-01T16:05:03Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":7,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":7},"description":"Photonic is building first-of-their-kind quantum computing capabilities at the intersection of photonics, silicon spin qubits, and large-scale technical integration.\nAs VP, Hardware Engineering, you will own the strategy, structure, and execution of a deeply multidisciplinary organization spanning hardware controls, mechanical, electrical, optical/photonics, FPGA, RF, and cryogenics. You will align these capabilities into a coherent hardware architecture and drive them toward integrated, production-ready technical outcomes. This role demands urgency, technical depth, and the ability to operate effectively where architecture and requirements are still evolving.\nPlease include a cover letter with your resume (in one file) describing how you would be a great fit at Photonic and what attributes you could bring to our growing team.\nWHAT WE NEED YOU TO DO\nBuild, structure, and scale a world-class hardware organization across multiple deep technical domains, establishing strong leadership bench and clear accountability\nDrive hardware architecture and roadmap in alignment with critical engineering and science milestones\nIntegrate mechanical, electrical, optical/photonics, FPGA, RF, cryogenics, and related disciplines into cohesive, high-performance hardware capabilities\nEstablish execution discipline, program rigor, and delivery predictability without slowing innovation or technical exploration\nPartner tightly with engineering, chips, software, and science teams to ensure end-to-end alignment from component development through technical integration\nMake fast, high-quality technical and organizational decisions in an environment with incomplete data and evolving constraints\nIdentify and mitigate hardware-level risks early, ensuring readiness for technical integration and build cycles\nDrive buy-build decisions for key components and partner with procurement team to ensure secure supply chain\nLead the evolution of Photonic's hardware platforms from experimental systems toward scalable, repeatable, and manufacturable architectures\nWHAT YOU BRING TO OUR TEAM\nProven experience leading large, multidisciplinary hardware organizations delivering complex, first-of-a-kind hardware platforms\nTrack record of shipping integrated hardware platforms in environments where requirements and architecture evolved during development\nDeep technical credibility across multiple domains (mechanical, electrical, optical/photonics, FPGA, RF. cryogenics, or controls), with the ability to drive alignment across experts\nDemonstrated experience delivering complex, system-level products that require integration across multiple engineering disciplines\nExperience building technical leadership teams and developing high-performing engineering organizations through periods of rapid growth and increasing technical complexity\nStrong operational mindset-able to translate ambitious R&D into executable hardware programs with clear milestones and ownership\nExperience using AI/LLM-assisted analytics features (e.g., Copilot, natural-language querying, AI-supported narrative summaries) with an understanding of limitations, validation steps, and data governance.\nStrong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable presenting insights to both technical teams and executives.\nHighly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple requests with competing deadlines.\nAN EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATE WILL BRING\nExperience in quantum computing, photonics, semiconductors, or similarly complex, high-performance deep-tech environments\nHistory of building organizations from early stage through scale, including hiring, structuring, and leadership development\nDeep understanding of hardware/software co-design and its impact on performance, scalability, and manufacturability\nWHY YOU SHOULD WORK WITH US\nWork closely with some of the brightest innovators in quantum technologies to drive breakthroughs that redefine computing\nEnjoy a fast-paced and fun environment where you can try new things while solving innovative challenges every day\nInclusive company culture that values collaboration\nRegular social events and fun activities keep our global team connected\nCompetitive compensation package including base salary, stock options, and relocation assistance for global talent\nComprehensive benefits including extended health, dental, life, long term disability, an employee assistance program, parental leave top-ups, and a flexible spending account\n\nThe description above is what we think an ideal candidate would look like for this role. At Photonic, we understand that everyone has a different work and life journey. If you feel your experience is close to what we've described, but you might not meet all the requirements, please still apply! All roles listed are for current vacancies. While artificial intelligence (AI) tools may be used to assist in reviewing applicant profiles, they do not determine candidate outcomes. Our hiring decisions are made by people, not algorithms. We are committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences, knowing that these very differences inspire innovation and build better teams. If there are any accommodations our team can make throughout our hiring process, please let us know.","description_format":"text","description_chars":5332,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Parental leave","Relocation assistance","Stock options"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"Canada","iso":"CA","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":["Science & Engineering","Quantum Science & Computing","Quantum Computing Hardware"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-26T03:13:05Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"CA","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"Positions approved through LMIA in 12 months: 6","filings_12m":6,"filings_prev_12m":7,"green_card_filings_12m":null,"median_offered_wage_usd":null,"route":"High Wage; Global Talent Stream","cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-03T21:10:52+00:00","sources":["ESDC: employers issued a positive LMIA"],"filings_for_role_12m":6}],"liveness":{"score":90,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.898,"p_room":1,"age_days":7,"expected_fill_days":30,"reasons":["conf:2","velocity","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-11-01T06:10:25Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":282135,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/photonic-inc-vp-hardware","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/photonic-inc-vp-hardware.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-01T19:19:26Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":29574,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-02T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":697},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=697"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fphotonic-inc-vp-hardware"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fphotonic-inc-vp-hardware"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fphotonic-inc-vp-hardware"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/photonic-inc-vp-hardware\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fphotonic-inc-vp-hardware"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3258381}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"photonic.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3258381},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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