{"id":3007639,"url":"https://alion.io/job/quera-computing-laser-systems-engineer","title":"Laser Systems Engineer","company":{"id":179594,"name":"QuEra Computing","domain":"quera.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/quera-computing","size_band":"11-50","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":77,"open_postings":72,"ghost_share":0.306,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":88,"computed_at":"2026-10-27T05:46:45Z"}},"role":"Semiconductors","role_family":"Semiconductors","seniority":"senior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Albuquerque, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":118000,"max_usd":216000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":83},"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-03-25T19:51:17Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-06-28","last_verified_at":"2026-10-27T04:42:06Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":215,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":["company_stale"],"days_open":215},"description":"Summary\nQuEra Computing is seeking a Laser Systems Engineer to support the development and evaluation of laser subsystems used in neutral-atom quantum computing platforms. This role will serve as a key technical liaison for vendor collaboration and test and evaluation activities.\nThe engineer will work closely with QuEra’s Laser Systems and Quantum Systems teams to support subsystem testing, qualification, and scaling efforts. A core responsibility of this role is coordinating with vendors and partners to ensure that laser and photonic subsystems meet performance, reliability, and integration requirements as QuEra’s quantum computing systems scale.\nThis position will also serve as the on-site technical interface for test and evaluation activities associated with DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) and related programs. The role involves coordinating subsystem evaluation, test protocols, and milestone documentation.\nThe ideal candidate combines hands-on experience with advanced laser systems, strong experimental troubleshooting skills, and the ability to work effectively with external partners and multidisciplinary engineering teams.\n~20% travel to partner facilities and vendor sites is required.\nResponsibilities\nLaser System Scaling and Architecture Development\nWork closley with our Laser System team on supporting the development and scaling of QuEra’s laser infrastructure as quantum systems grow in size and complexity.\nExplore approaches for increasing optical power, stability, and scalability across multi-wavelength laser systems together with the laser system and quantum hardware team.\nEvaluate potential architectures, technologies, and vendor solutions that support higher-power and more scalable laser subsystems.\nContribute to technical discussions and experiments aimed at improving laser system performance, reliability, and manufacturability as systems transition from experimental prototypes toward larger-scale deployments.\nVendor Collaboration and Subsystem Qualification\nServe as the technical point of contact for vendors developing laser and optical subsystems.\nCoordinate subsystem testing, qualification, and integration activities with external partners.\nSupport vendor evaluation, component qualification, and performance verification for critical optical hardware.\nQBI Testing and Evaluation Liaison\nServe as the on-site technical interface for Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) test and evaluation activities.\nCoordinate with QuEra’s Laser Systems team to define subsystem test procedures, instrumentation requirements, and evaluation protocols.\nSupport milestone documentation, technical reporting, and data collection for federal research programs.\nAdditional Responsibilities\nCollaborate with photonics, optics, and quantum systems teams to define subsystem interface requirements and integration workflows.\nAssist with development of test infrastructure for evaluating laser performance, stability, and reliability.\nSupport procurement, documentation, and lifecycle management of laser and optical components.\nContribute to development of operational procedures, safety practices, and technical documentation for laser systems.\nParticipate in cross-site coordination with QuEra engineering teams and external research partners.\nQualifications\n5+ years of hands-on experience operating or maintaining advanced laser systems.\nExperience working with free-space optics, fiber optics, and optomechanical assemblies.\nStrong skills in optical alignment, beam diagnostics, and troubleshooting complex optical systems.\nFamiliarity with laser control electronics, feedback systems, or instrumentation used in optical experiments.\nExperience working in laboratory or prototype environments with uptime or experimental reliability requirements.\nSolid understanding of laser safety practices for high-power optical systems.\nPreferred Qualifications\nMaster’s or Ph.D. in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Photonics, or a related field.\nExperience with AMO systems, cold-atom experiments, or photonics platforms for quantum technologies.\nFamiliarity with laser stabilization techniques (familiarity with laser characterization and performance verification techniques).\nExperience collaborating with external vendors or research partners on photonic or optical subsystems.\nPrior experience working on DARPA, DOE, or other federally funded R&D programs and preparing milestone documentation.\nStrong technical communication and documentation skills.\nQuEra is committed to cultivating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We highly value diversity in our current and future employees and do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.","description_format":"text","description_chars":4951,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"master","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Quantum Science & Computing","Quantum Computing Hardware"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-21T14:20:19Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 10","filings_12m":10,"filings_prev_12m":8,"green_card_filings_12m":0,"median_offered_wage_usd":177500,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-15T11:24:14+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":12,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.426,"p_room":0.28,"age_days":215,"expected_fill_days":88,"reasons":["conf:1","velocity","win:tail","crowd:"],"computed_at":"2026-10-27T05:46:45Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/quera-computing-laser-systems-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/quera-computing-laser-systems-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-27T07:11:39Z","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":7600,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-28T00:00:00Z"}},"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":179594},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=179594"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fquera-computing-laser-systems-engineer"},{"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%2Fquera-computing-laser-systems-engineer"},{"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%2Fquera-computing-laser-systems-engineer"},{"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/quera-computing-laser-systems-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fquera-computing-laser-systems-engineer"}]}