{"id":3026312,"url":"https://alion.io/job/quera-computing-optical-engineer-co-op","title":"Optical Engineer Co-Op","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":76,"open_postings":72,"ghost_share":0.319,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":88,"computed_at":"2026-10-22T06:10:10Z"}},"role":"Semiconductors","role_family":"Semiconductors","seniority":null,"employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Boston, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":50,"max":60,"currency":"USD","period":"hour","gross":null,"usd_annual":120000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"SolidWorks","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-21T18:57:48Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-21","last_verified_at":"2026-10-22T20:48:10Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":1,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":["company_stale"],"days_open":1},"description":"Optical Engineer Co-Op\nThe Hardware Engineering Group at QuEra Computing is seeking strong candidates for an Optical Engineering Co-Op to serve as an individual contributor to the company’s mission of building state-of-the-art, manufacturable, and deployable neutral atom quantum computers. The Hardware Engineering Group plays a crucial role in accelerating the company’s technology leadership and translating the company’s scientific breakthroughs into products delivered to customers. To accomplish this mission, we are looking to hire a candidate with an undergraduate or graduate-level education in optics, optical engineering, or applied physics, paired with hands-on experience designing, building, and testing optical systems. The ideal candidate will combine a solid fundamental understanding of optics with strong laboratory skills and a desire to grow as an engineer within an enterprise engineering environment.\nKey Job Responsibilities\nCollaborate with senior engineers and physicists to design, build, and test optical sub-systems, modules, and components supporting QuEra’s neutral atom computers through the full development lifecycle (R&D, productization, maintenance, and beyond).\nExecute hands-on laboratory work-assembly, alignment, cleaning, and characterization of optical systems-and contribute to engineering documentation, design reviews, and continuous improvement initiatives.\nCoordinate with the R&D/science team to support cutting-edge R&D and help translate scientific advances into the next generation of products.\nAssist with troubleshooting technical issues at company headquarters and, as needed, support off-site installations at customer locations (in coordination with the local support team).\nQualifications\nWork towards M.S. or PhD in optics, optical engineering, applied physics, or a closely related field (M.S. preferred).\nExperience designing, building, or testing optical and opto-mechanical systems in a non-academic (industry, national lab, FFRDC or similar) environment with enterprise engineering practices.\nStrong system-level design skills including Zemax simulation skills and CAD design skills (e.g. Inventor, Solidworks)\nWorking knowledge in several of the areas of\nFree-space optics\nFiber optics\nModulators\nElectro-optics\nLasers\nOptical system characterization and testing\nStrong hands-on laboratory skills (e.g. assembly, alignment, cleaning, testing)\nExperience contributing to the design of scientific instruments and apparatuses, or to bringing optical systems from concept to production.\nExcellent attention to detail, communication, and documentation skills\nWe consistently monitor external market data and update base salary ranges accordingly. We determine base compensation decisions on several factors, including as geographic placement, role-specific knowledge, skills, and/or experience. Compensation for this role will be between $50/$60 per hour.\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":3359,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"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":"2026-10-21T19:10:48Z"}],"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":90,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":1,"p_active":0.903,"p_room":1,"age_days":0,"expected_fill_days":88,"reasons":["conf:0","velocity","win:early"],"computed_at":"2026-10-22T06:10:10Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":120000,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/quera-computing-optical-engineer-co-op","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/quera-computing-optical-engineer-co-op.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-23T00:50:29Z","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":1389,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-24T00:00:00Z"}},"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-optical-engineer-co-op"},{"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-optical-engineer-co-op"},{"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-optical-engineer-co-op"},{"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-optical-engineer-co-op\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fquera-computing-optical-engineer-co-op"}]}