About the role
Careers – Photon Queue Skip to content Toggle Navigation HOME WHY US TEAM NEWS CONTACT CAREERS Careers PhotonQueue 2026-03-02T02:09:55+00:00 Photon Queue is cutting through the quantum noise to deliver technology that works right now. Our elegantly simple approach pushes free-space optics to their absolute limits to solve some of the hardest problems in quantum hardware. Come join us in accelerating the development and adoption of quantum technologies. Open positions Senior Product Engineer (Founding) We’re looking for a senior-level Founding Product Engineer to lead our productization effort. You’ll take our free-space optical systems from breadboard prototypes and transform them into reliable, manufacturable products that can scale beyond hand-built units. Success in this role means: designing optical systems that maintain performance while being practical to build repeatedly, establishing manufacturing processes that don’t require PhD-level alignment expertise, and creating the documentation and vendor relationships that enable us to scale production. This is a foundational role reporting directly to the CEO. You’ll have significant autonomy in design decisions and will shape our product architecture for years to come.
Responsibilities Design free-space optical systems that achieve kilometers of optical path length in compact form factors, balancing performance with manufacturability Lead the transition from breadboard prototypes to product designs using DFM and DFA principles Develop and maintain documentation for the design and assembly of each product Interface with optical component vendors and contract manufacturers to source and procure components Contribute to the product version roadmap from current custom builds to standardized products Mentor team members on optical design principles as the company grows Required Experience & Skills Proven track record of taking at least one free-space optical system from prototype through manufacturing to commercial deployment Direct experience applying DFM and DFA principles to optical systems Experience with mechanical CAD tools (SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, Creo, or similar) Expertise in free-space beam propagation, mode matching, and optical system analysis Strong understanding of opto-mechanical design including precision mounts, stages, and alignment fixtures Preferred Experience 5+ years of experience Proficiency with optical and mechanical design software such as Zemax, CODE V, or FRED Hands-on experience aligning free-space optical systems in research and commercial environments Background in stabilized optical systems such as laser cavities or interferometers Knowledge of thermal management, vibration isolation, and mechanical drift mitigation Previous startup or fast-paced environment experience Education BS in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or related field required. MS or PhD not required with strong product-development experience.
