Senior Mechanical Technician — Hardware Engineering

About QuEra

QuEra Computing builds neutral-atom quantum computers that change the world. They are composed of precision optics, custom electronics, liquid-cooled electronics racks, and ultra-high-vacuum systems. The Hardware Engineering group designs, builds, and delivers that platform. We are moving towards repeatable, production-quality machine builds, and we need who know how to build.

The role

We're hiring a Senior Mechanical Technician to be the hands-on backbone of our Hardware Engineering team. You'll fabricate, assemble, test, and troubleshoot the mechanical and fluid systems inside our quantum computers - and you'll help us turn tribal knowledge into procedures and fixtures that contract manufacturers can execute.

This is a senior, high-autonomy role. You'll work directly with mechanical, electrical, and optical engineers and with physicists on live machines. You'll be a first call when something needs to be built or fixed right now, and be a driver in making our builds measurable, repeatable, and safe.

What you'll do

Machine and module assembly

• Build and integrate mechanical subassemblies for our machines: electronics racks, enclosures and frames, cold plates and liquid-cooling manifolds, cable management, and opto-mechanical module hardware.
• Perform precision assembly to documented procedures - torque specs, cleanliness requirements, fastener control, serialization.
• Support installation and rework on operating machines, coordinating carefully with the scientists and engineers who run them.

Test, inspection, and troubleshooting

• Execute pressure and leak tests, flow checks, and mechanical inspections; record results and flag anything out of spec.
• Diagnose mechanical and fluid-system problems on the floor and drive them to a fix, escalating design issues to engineering with clear evidence.
• Support root-cause investigations with hands-on teardown, measurement, and recreation of failure modes.

Fabrication and prototyping

• Run and own the mechanical development room and machine shop: manual/CNC-assist mill, saws, drill press, hand tools, and layout/inspection equipment.
• Machine fixtures, brackets, adapters, and one-off parts from engineering drawings or sketches; make sound judgment calls on tolerances, materials, and finish.
• Keep the shop organized, tooled, stocked, and safe; train engineers and co-ops on safe tool use.

Manufacturing and contract-manufacturer support

• Turn engineer intent into build-ready work instructions, travelers, and fixture designs; red-line drawings when the part doesn't match the print.
• Perform incoming inspection and first-article inspection on parts and assemblies from suppliers and contract manufacturers.
• Travel occasionally to contract manufacturers to train their technicians, qualify processes, and troubleshoot builds.

Lab infrastructure and safety

• Maintain lab mechanical infrastructure: chillers and cooling loops, racks and tables, compressed gas and utilities.
• Follow and help improve our safety practices - lockout/tagout, liquid-cooling shutoffs and leak detection, laser-lab conduct.
• Mentor junior technicians and engineering co-ops.

What we're looking for

Required

• 7+ years as a mechanical technician or mechanical assembler in a precision hardware environment (data center, telecom, scientific instruments, semiconductor equipment, aerospace, optics, medical devices, or similar).
• Comfortable on mill; able to hold ±0.010" when needed
• Hands-on experience with fluid systems - fittings, tubing, manifolds, pumps or chillers - and with pressure and leak testing.
• Comfortable working around sensitive optics and electronics: cleanliness, ESD, and "measure twice" habits.
• Able to lift 50 lb, work on ladders and under tables, and spend most of the day on your feet in a lab.
• Clear written and verbal communication; you document what you did and tell people what you found.

Nice to have

• Soldering and cable construction
• CNC programming (conversational or CAM) and experience standing up a small shop.
• Basic CAD (SolidWorks or Inventor) to model fixtures or fix a drawing.
• Experience writing work instructions or SOPs, or training others to a procedure.
• Familiarity with vacuum hardware, opto-mechanics, or cleanroom practice.
• Experience supporting a transition to contract manufacturing (FAI, supplier visits, process qualification).
• Welding, brazing, or sheet-metal fabrication.

Why this role

You'll be building machines that very few people in the world know how to build, on a team small enough that your work is visible every day. You'll have real ownership of a shop and a process, a direct line to the engineers designing the hardware, and a chance to shape how QuEra manufactures its next generation of quantum computers.

The salary for this role is $125,000+. We 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.  In addition to our base salary offerings, we also provide equity grants for all new hires.

QuEra 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.