--- title: 'Laser Systems Engineer at QuEra Computing, Inc.' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/laser-systems-engineer-quera-computing-inc-boston-51ze529rfw9a' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-10-20' --- # Laser Systems Engineer at QuEra Computing, Inc. - **Company:** QuEra Computing, Inc. - **Location:** Boston, MA - **Posted:** 2026-05-17 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-20 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/queracomputinginc/jobs/5223167008 ## Job description Summary Laser Systems is QuEra’s laser infrastructure program, owning the full lifecycle of QPU laser systems — architect, design, build, integrate, and sustain — across all machine generations and global sites spanning the US, Japan, and the UK. The team also owns fleet-level infrastructure for management of laser systems at scale. We are seeking a Laser Systems Engineer to join this team in Boston. Depending on focus area, the role may sit in platform development and R&D, system integration and deployment, or operational reliability — or span all three. In all cases, you will work directly with the laser systems that power our neutral atom QPUs across multiple active laser families, collaborate across internal teams and with external co-development partners, and contribute to a program that is central to QuEra’s technical roadmap. ## Responsibilities Depending on focus area, responsibilities may include: - Laser Platform Development & R&D - Design and develop infrastructure-grade laser systems built for repeatability, modularity, and field serviceability — programmable optical engines with calibration-friendly architectures, integrated modulators, co-packaging approaches, and well-defined interfaces compatible with automated control and monitoring infrastructure - Evaluate emerging laser technologies and co-development partner systems for technical performance, integration readiness, and long-term scalability - System Integration & Deployment - Contribute to architecting the hosting infrastructure for quantum laser systems — meeting stringent requirements for vibration isolation, thermal stability, noise, and QPU integrability — and own build, integration, and validation across optical, electrical, and mechanical interface standards - Own physical installation and commissioning of laser systems within QPU platforms; manage technical handoffs with build, operations, and development teams - Prepare and ship laser subsystems to domestic and international sites, ensuring systems arrive integration-ready - Operational Reliability & Support - Design and implement laser stabilization systems covering intensity, frequency, and phase noise — including servo loop design, locking architectures, and performance characterization - Monitor and sustain uptime for production and development laser systems; lead triage and root-cause analysis for unplanned downtime - Perform precision fiber alignment and implement automated fiber coupling systems - Maintain SOPs, QA documentation, and integration records; coordinate vendor service and RMA processes as needed - Contribute to shaping how laser management scales with fleet growth — reducing per-system overhead through novel automation approaches including AI-powered control agents and LLM-assisted workflows for complex tasks such as autonomous laser locking and heterogeneous hardware orchestration - Cross-Functional Collaboration - Partner with Hardware, Software, Systems Engineering, Build, and Operations teams to ensure seamless integration, manufacturability, and field readiness of laser systems - Contribute to laser system technology roadmaps and platform decisions that span multiple QPU generations - Deliver technical transfer packages and engineering documentation to support productization and new platform design ## Qualifications - B.S. or M.S. in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field; equivalent hands-on experience will be considered - Experience with laser systems, optical subsystems, or opto-mechanical integration in a precision or scientific instrumentation context - Strong experimental and troubleshooting skills, with a hands-on approach to engineering challenges in a fast-paced environment - Ability to work independently and collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams, with clear written and verbal communication ## Preferred Qualifications - Deep expertise in nonlinear optics, frequency conversion techniques, or high-power photonic systems - Experience with vibration isolation, thermal management, and mechanical integration of precision platforms - Proven vendor co-development experience, from requirements definition through prototype and production - Prior experience in quantum computing, advanced photonics, or scientific instrumentation environments - Background in AMO experiments or quantum systems; familiarity with how laser performance requirements arise from atomic physics constraints is a strong plus - Ph.D. in a relevant discipline (strongly preferred for R&D-focused roles) The approximate base salary range for this position is $128,000 - $208,000. 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. ## #LI-NB1 ## About QuEra Computing, Inc. ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: QuEra Computing builds and commercializes neutral-atom quantum computers, aiming to deliver fault-tolerant systems for scientific, industrial, and government applications. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series B) - **Headquarters**: Boston, Massachusetts, United States - **Founded**: 2018 - **Founders**: Mikhail Lukin (Chief Scientist, Harvard), Vladan Vuletić (CTO, MIT), and additional Harvard/MIT scientists ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Quantum computing (hardware, software, and cloud services) - **Target customers**: High-performance computing (HPC) centers, public sector agencies, enterprise innovators, and research institutions – primarily B2B - **Mission**: *“A world where quantum computing is a trusted tool for solving high-value problems in science, industry, and society.”* [quera.com](https://www.quera.com/about) ## Products & Services - **Aquila**: A 256-qubit neutral-atom quantum computer that became the first publicly accessible neutral-atom system on Amazon Braket (launched 2023). Used for quantum simulation and research. - **Gemini**: QuEra’s first commercially available gate-based neutral-atom quantum computer, deployed on-premises (first system delivered to Japan in 2023). - **Quantum Innovation Platform**: A full-stack offering combining hardware, software, and co-design services to help partners develop quantum solutions for specific industries. - **Roadmap to Fault Tolerance**: QuEra plans to reach megaquop logical performance with hundreds of logical qubits by 2028, and gigaquop performance with ~1,000 logical qubits shortly after. [quera.com](https://www.quera.com/) ## Market Standing - **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed; raised >$230M in Series B financing (backed by Google, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Valor, and later expanded by NVIDIA’s NVentures). Total known funding: $17M seed (2021) + $230M+ Series B. - **Key Metric**: Total funding ~$247M+ (private company; revenue not publicly available) - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Google, SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Valor Equity Partners, NVIDIA (NVentures), and others. - **Growth Signals**: - Selected by Japan’s AIST for a ~$40M on-premises neutral-atom computer integrated with the NVIDIA-powered ABCI-Q supercomputer. - Chosen for DARPA’s Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI) Stages A and B. - Demonstrated a logical quantum processor with 48 logical qubits (2024 Physics World Breakthrough). - Published first experimental demonstration of magic state distillation for universal logical quantum computing. ## Competitive Advantages - **Neutral-atom technology**: Scalable to thousands of qubits using optical tweezers, offering a path to fault-tolerant quantum computing that is widely recognized as highly promising. - **Strong academic roots**: Built on pioneering research from Harvard University and MIT, with founders who are leading physicists in the field. - **Early ecosystem leadership**: First neutral-atom system on a public cloud (Amazon Braket), first commercially available gate-based neutral-atom system, and active partnerships with major HPC centers and governments. - **Fault-tolerance roadmap**: Clear technical milestones (megaquop by 2028, gigaquop shortly after) backed by published breakthroughs in error correction and logical qubits. ## Strategic Focus - **Scaling toward fault tolerance**: Executing a roadmap to deliver error-corrected logical quantum computers by 2028. - **Commercial expansion**: Deploying on-premises systems to HPC centers and government labs (e.g., AIST in Japan, DARPA). - **Ecosystem building**: Co-designing applications with enterprise and public-sector partners, and integrating with classical supercomputing infrastructure (e.g., NVIDIA GPU clusters). - **International presence**: Establishing QuEra Computing Japan to support the country’s national quantum strategy. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Described as “more science, less fiction” with a focus on real physics, precision engineering, and collaborative learning across disciplines. [quera.com/careers](https://www.quera.com/careers) - **Benefits**: Company-subsidized medical insurance with Health Reimbursement Account, 100% company-paid dental and vision, 401(k) with dollar-for-dollar match up to 5% (immediate vesting), flexible time off, paid holidays, sick leave, free parking, catered lunch-and-learns, stocked kitchens, and employee events. - **Work environment**: Based in Boston, MA. The engineering team develops classical control systems that operate neutral-atom quantum computers, moving quantum from lab experiments to production-grade systems. - **Team**: Leadership includes experienced executives (CEO Andy Ory, CFO Ed Durkin, CCO Yuval Boger) and world-class scientists (CTO Vladan Vuletić, Chief Scientist Mikhail Lukin). The company emphasizes internal cross-disciplinary collaboration and external partnerships. ## Sources 1. [quera.com](https://www.quera.com/) – Official website, roadmap, and product details. 2. [quera.com/careers](https://www.quera.com/careers) – Careers page with benefits and culture. 3. [quera.com/about](https://www.quera.com/about) – Company history, leadership, funding, and milestones. 4. [cbinsights.com](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/quera-computing) – Company overview and financial data. 5. [linkedin.com](https://www.linkedin.com/company/quera-computing-inc) – LinkedIn company page. ## Other roles at QuEra Computing, Inc. - [IT Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/it-specialist-quera-computing-inc-boston-jcejkxn2fetj) — Boston, MA - [QPU Build Co-Op – Optics & Data Analysis](https://feeny.ai/job/qpu-build-co-op-optics-data-analysis-quera-computing-inc-boston-1qfccc99xr8b) — Boston, MA - [Quantum Scientist — Materials & Chemistry](https://feeny.ai/job/quantum-scientist-materials-chemistry-quera-computing-inc-boston-n19w8vj74mcw) — Boston, MA - [Quantum Solutions Scientist](https://feeny.ai/job/quantum-solutions-scientist-quera-computing-inc-boston-39rq4e6fb8nf) — Boston, MA - [Quantum Innovation Postdoctoral Fellow - QEC](https://feeny.ai/job/quantum-innovation-postdoctoral-fellow-qec-quera-computing-inc-boston-gwy0700fq1c6) — Boston, MA - [Quantum Innovation Postdoctoral Fellow - Quantum Applications](https://feeny.ai/job/quantum-innovation-postdoctoral-fellow-quantum-applications-quera-computing-inc-bhtdgcj03aje) — Boston, MA - [QPU Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/qpu-software-engineer-quera-computing-inc-boston-59pes7w4jnnv) — Boston, MA - [Internship - Scientific Software and Compilation](https://feeny.ai/job/internship-scientific-software-and-compilation-quera-computing-inc-boston-68t9z8b63sn6) — Boston, MA - [Internship - Quantum Applications Research](https://feeny.ai/job/internship-quantum-applications-research-quera-computing-inc-boston-f78p5cneaa1e) — Boston, MA - [Internship - Quantum Error Correction Research](https://feeny.ai/job/internship-quantum-error-correction-research-quera-computing-inc-boston-v52t739b4hs1) — Boston, MA