Silicon Photonics Engineer

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. 

Job Summary:

We are seeking a creative and hands-on Silicon Photonics Engineer to drive the design and implementation of next-generation photonic integrated circuits. This role spans the full development cycle of silicon photonic devices and subsystems, from device concept generation and electromagnetic simulation to physical layout, tapeout support, and design verification. The ideal candidate is comfortable moving between theoretical modeling and practical implementation, with strong intuition for both photonic device physics and layout realization within foundry process constraints. Particularly, this position is focusing on efforts for complex switching circuit application.

Responsibilities:

• Interacts with device, hardware, and system design teams to assist in overall development of photonic systems and devices.
• Supports foundry tape outs with photonic device design, design of experiments, layout, design verification, PDK development, and software development.
• Develops comprehensive documentation for tapeouts.
• Provides multi-disciplinary support to component and systems teams by resolving technical issues associated with components, parts, or systems.
• Applies quantitative analysis in determining root cause of highly technical problems and proposes, develops, and implements solutions for corrective action.

Experience/Qualifications:

• Education: PhD or equivalent in Electrical Engineering or Physics.
• Experience:
  • 5 years of relevant work or academic research experience in integrated photonics.
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
  • Strong computational and analytical skills applied to photonic device design and performance evaluation.
  • In-depth knowledge of photonic devices, including performance metrics and testing techniques.
  • Extensive experience with photonic design using commercial software platforms such as Lumerical simulation suite.
  • Photonic layout experience using tools such as IPKISS, gdsfactory, or equivalent.
  • Extensive experience with Python for scientific applications and data analysis.
  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across technical and non-technical teams.

PsiQuantum provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. PsiQuantum does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable laws.

Note: PsiQuantum will only reach out to you using an official PsiQuantum email address and will never ask you for bank account information as part of the interview process. Please report any suspicious activity to[email protected] .

We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies.

Base pay is one part of the total compensation package. Full-time roles are eligible for equity and benefits. Our compensation ranges reflect the cost of labor across multiple U.S. geographic markets, and we pay based on defined geographic zones. This position may be filled within one of the following U.S. geographic zones, each with its own salary range.

Actual compensation may vary outside of these ranges and is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, a candidate's qualifications, relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, business needs, and internal equity. Your recruiter can share more details about the salary range applicable to your location during the hiring process.  

• Zone 1 - Bay Area and NYC 

• Zone 2 - Examples include Los Angeles and Washington DC 

• Zone 3 - Examples include Austin, Chicago, and Sacramento 

• Zone 4 - Examples include Nashville and Phoenix/Tempe and many remote locations 

This position includes the following benefits: competitive health coverage for you and your dependents, 401(k) with company match, equity grants, access to financial wellness tools and planning resources, wellness benefits, family support programs, life and disability insurance, paid leave programs, company-designated paid holidays, discretionary time off (DTO), and an end-of-year company shutdown. Some of these benefits have eligibility requirements and may vary based on location, role, or employment status. Many of these benefits are subsidized or fully paid for by the company. 

The estimated annual base salary range for this role is: 

Zone 1

$139,800—$164,300 USD

Zone 2

$125,900—$147,900 USD

Zone 3

$111,800—$131,400 USD

Zone 4

$97,900—$115,000 USD