Senior Optomechanical Engineer

IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum platform and merchant supplier - delivering integrated quantum solutions across computing, networking, sensing, and security. IonQ’s newest generation of quantum computers, the IonQ Tempo, is the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners including Amazon Web Services, and AstraZeneca achieve 20x performance results and accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. In 2025, the company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance.

Headquartered in College Park, Maryland, IonQ has operations in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Washington, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Our quantum computing services are available through all major cloud providers, while we also meet the needs of networking and sensing customers across land, sea, air, and space. IonQ is making quantum platforms more accessible and impactful than ever before.  

The Senior Optomechanical Engineer will be responsible for designing, analyzing, and optimizing optical systems for space-based communication technologies. This role requires hands-on experience with optical design software, a strong background in optics, and the ability to collaborate across disciplines to deliver optical designs that are both innovative and capable of cost-effective mass production.

• →Lead the full lifecycle of optomechanical systems, including conceptualization, detailed design, analysis, and prototyping. Focus areas include optical mounts, alignment mechanisms, and structural designs that ensure optical stability under space conditions (thermal, vibrational, and mechanical stress), as well as laboratory environment conditions.
• →Use mechanical design software to develop and analyze high-precision mechanical structures and kinematic mounts for optical elements such as lenses, mirrors, beam splitters, waveplates, and laser systems.
• →Conduct in-depth analysis using optical design software to optimize system performance, focusing on aspects such as manufacturing and alignment tolerances, spot size and wavefront error.
• →Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, software and control engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of optical subsystems into spacecraft or ground-based platforms.
• →Develop and implement optomechanical design and analysis strategies to ensure stability and accuracy performance against thermal expansion, vibration, and stress responses. Conduct Structural-Thermal-Optical Performance analysis to validate design requirements.
• →Develop assembly procedures for optomechanical systems and oversee their implementation. Participate in testing in simulated space environments, including vibration, thermal, and alignment verification.
• →Create detailed design documentation, including test procedures and assembly guidelines. Share expertise and mentor other team members engineers and cross-functional peers in both mechanical and optical design.
• →Work with both internal and external stakeholders to refine system specifications, present results, and ensure successful delivery of optical systems within project timelines.
• →Comply with federal, state, and company policies, procedures, and regulations.

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Optics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.
• Proven experience designing and analyzing optomechanical systems, particularly for space-based or high-precision optical instruments.
• Extensive experience with optical design software (e.g., ZEMAX) and mechanical design tools (e.g., SolidWorks, Siemens NX).
• To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, candidate must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

• Experience with optical design in the context of space-flight systems or astronomy is highly desirable.
• Experience working in a cleanroom environment (ISO 5 to ISO 8).
• Spanish speaking is a plus.

Compensation 

The approximate base salary range for this position is $126,887 - $166,127. The total compensation package includes base salary, bonus, equity, and a range of benefits available on our career site.   

**Benefits will be provided by Skyloom, Inc., an IonQ Company, and will differ from the benefits listed on the IonQ website.**