qubitsok.com
Cut Noise. Work Quantum.
Americas, United States, Louisville
•
Posted 22 days ago
🏢 Infleqtion
Role Type
Role Focus
Seniority
Employer Type
Visa / Relocation Details
Candidates must be a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident) to comply with U.S. Export Control laws and regulations.
Infleqtion is seeking a Senior Laser & Nonlinear Photonics Engineer to lead the design, execution, and validation of advanced laser and nonlinear photonics subsystems for quantum products. This role requires end-to-end ownership of experimental development, including architectural trades, hands-on building, system stabilization, and automated measurement. The primary goal is to deliver reliable prototypes and translate successful experimental learnings into requirements for manufacturable hardware.
Key Responsibilities
Architect, build, and validate laser and nonlinear photonics subsystems that meet stringent specifications for reliability, stability, and performance metrics like linewidth and frequency noise.
Develop and execute system-level experiments involving optical bench builds, fiber-based architectures, and precision frequency control.
Implement robust stabilization and control techniques, including frequency locks, servo design, and mitigation of long-term drift.
Create automated measurement pipelines, including calibration and data analysis, to accelerate experimental iteration and ensure reproducibility.
Translate successful experimental results into engineering requirements for manufacturing, packaging, and productization, collaborating with cross-functional teams.
Required Skills
M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
Minimum five years of hands-on experience building and characterizing laser systems or nonlinear photonics experiments with demonstrated outcomes.
Deep practical experience with standard optical instrumentation and lab execution (e.g., OSA, ESA, wavemeters, interferometers, low-noise detection).
Experience measuring and improving laser performance metrics such as linewidth estimation, frequency noise, RIN, and diagnosing failure modes.
Ability to design experiments integrating optics, RF, and control systems (e.g., AOM/EOM modulation, servo loops).
Strong documentation and communication skills necessary for cross-functional alignment and technical tradeoffs.
Nice-to-have Skills
Experience in nonlinear optics/photonics such as SHG/SFG/DFG, OPO/OPG, or microresonator/Kerr combs.
Familiarity with narrow-linewidth diode lasers, fiber lasers, solid-state lasers, or integrated/hybrid laser architectures.
Understanding of photonic integration constraints and how system requirements translate into PIC designs (e.g., thermal sensitivity, coupling losses).
Experience transitioning lab prototypes toward ruggedized and packaged systems, including reliability test plans.
Proficiency in scientific programming for automation and analysis using tools like Python or LabVIEW.
Experience in atomic or quantum physics experiments, such as laser cooling, spectroscopy, or frequency references.
Technology Tags
The role explicitly requires expertise in nonlinear photonics modules like frequency conversion, OPO/OPG, and Kerr combs.
The engineer collaborates closely with PIC designers to translate optical performance targets into manufacturable Photonic Integrated Circuits.
The primary focus is architecting, building, and validating various laser sources, including diode, fiber, and solid-state lasers.
The team develops photonic systems that serve as the engine for next-generation quantum products.
Required experience designing experiments that mix optics and RF controls, including high-speed modulation using AOM/EOM and RF sources.
A core responsibility is measuring and improving laser performance metrics such as linewidth, frequency noise, phase noise, and RIN.
Required for implementing stabilization (frequency locks, servo design), creating measurement automation pipelines, and data analysis (Python, LabVIEW).