Senior Hardware Test Automation Engineer, Photonics

As an integral part of the team developing a photonic quantum computer, the Hardware Senior Test Automation Engineer, Photonics” will be responsible for leading test automation and test station development for the electro-optical components. This includes identifying required instrumentation, designing and building the test station, developing the software and methods required for automated testing calibration procedures, and acquiring data from various electrical, optical and electro-optical systems.

Responsibilities:

• Leadtheteamdesigning, building, andvalidatingelectro-optical test stationsin collaboration with Validation engineers. Deliver test stationtoboth Engineering and Operationsteams.

• Definetest station features and capabilitiesto match requirements.

• Selecttheinstrumentation andotherneededdevicesthat arerequiredto make measurements onsubassemblies, such as lasers, detectors,opticalswitches, function generators, and oscilloscopes.

• Manage equipmentsourcingandstation assemblyand streamline the assembly process for easeof manufacturing.

• Develop optimizedsoftwarescriptsto automatetest measurements, data analysis, anddevicecharacterization. The test software should be designed toscaleupfrom 1 to N DUTs

• Analyze test data toextract key performance parameters, and create reports onproductionyields,andfailure trends.

• Storeacquireddata and associated analysis resultsin a designated database

• Build codeusingobject-oriented programming design principles,in ordertooptimizecode reuseand reduce errors

• Review test station performanceovertime, andexplore enhancementssuch as test time reduction.

• Writeoperator workinstructionsandtraining procedures, and work withthe Operations team to ensure a smooth transition to production and 24/7 testing.

• Master’sdegree in engineering, computerphysical science,or equivalent degrees,or6+ years of industry experience.

• Experiencedwith interfacing and automating optical hardware test equipment, including power meters, optical backscatter reflectometers (OBR), optical spectrum analyzers (OSA), oscilloscopes, function generators (AWG), and vector network analyzers (VNA).

• Experienced indeveloping test methods such as tuning/calibration algorithms.

• Proficiencyin Python, including the principles of object-oriented programming,forautomating data collection and data analysis.

• ExperiencedinleveragingAI to resolve common problemsand to develop code.

• Knowledgeable inthesourcing oftest equipmentand electronics, and the testing ofoptical assemblies, and electronics.

• Experiencedin the design and testing of high-speed electro-optical systems such as line cards used in telecommunications equipment or similar.

• The candidate should have technical project management experience

• Experience with manufacturing execution systems(MES) and SQL is preferred.

The ranges below reflect the target ranges for a new hire base salary. One is for the Bay Area (within 50 miles of HQ, Palo Alto), the second one (if applicable) is for elsewhere in the US (beyond 50 miles of HQ, Palo Alto). If there is only one range, it is for the specific location of where the position will be located.Actual compensation may vary outside of these ranges and is dependent on various factors including but not limited to a candidate’s qualifications including relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, and business needs. Base pay is only one part of the total compensation package. Full time roles are eligible for equity and benefits. Base pay is subject to change and may be modified in the future. U.S. Base Pay Range $155,000-$180,000 USD Bay Area Pay Range $180,000-$200,000 USD

PsiQuantum’smission is to build the first useful quantum computers-machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deploy million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum systems.

Quantum computers harness the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that even the most advanced supercomputers or AI systems will never reach. Their impact will span energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials, and other foundational industries.

Our architecture and approachisbased on silicon photonics. Byleveragingthe advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry-including partners like GlobalFoundries-we use the same high-volume processes that already produce billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics. Photonics offers natural advantages for scale: photonsdon’tfeel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure.

In 2024,PsiQuantumannounced government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition that quantum computing will be strategically and economically defining-and that now is the time to scale.

PsiQuantumalso develops the algorithms and software needed to make these systems commercially valuable. Our application, software, and industry teams work directly with leading Fortune 500 companies-including Lockheed Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical-to prepare quantum solutions for real-world impact.

Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. Itrepresentsa fundamental shift-and a path to mastering challenges that cannot besolvedany other way. The potential is enormous, and we have a clearpathto make it real.