Mechanical Design Engineer – Photonic Hardware

PsiQuantum’s mission 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 approach is based on silicon photonics. By leveraging the 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: photons don’t feel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure. In 2024, PsiQuantum announced 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. PsiQuantum also 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. It represents a fundamental shift—and a path to mastering challenges that cannot be solved any other way. The potential is enormous, and we have a clear path to make it real. Come join us. Job Summary: We are looking for a Mechanical Design Engineer to support the development of next-generation photonic hardware systems. This is an R&D role focused on the mechanical and thermal design, prototyping and validation of high-specification hardware for demanding optical quantum computing. The role will involve developing robust, testable and manufacturable hardware for controlled operating environments, working closely with photonics, systems and architecture colleagues, as well as external partners and suppliers. It will suit a serious engineer with experience of precision experimental or industrial hardware, who is motivated by solving difficult multidisciplinary engineering problems and translating novel concepts into reliable hardware. We welcome candidates from both conventional academic routes and hands-on engineering pathways, including those who have developed equivalent experience through apprenticeships, national laboratories, experimental physics facilities, or advanced industrial R&D. Responsibilities: Contribute to the mechanical design of precision hardware systems, from early concepts through prototype build and validation. Develop enclosure, packaging and internal layout solutions for hardware operating in controlled or stability-critical environments. Design mechanically robust solutions for precision assemblies, including routing, handling, support and integration of sensitive components. Support the development of thermal management and temperature stabilisation approaches, including environmental control and, where appropriate, active feedback methods. Carry out mechanical and thermal analysis and simulation to inform design choices and identify technical risks. Plan and execute validation activities to assess mechanical stability, thermal performance, environmental sensitivity and repeatability. Work with photonics, systems architecture and experimental teams to translate system requirements into practical hardware designs. Engage with suppliers and external collaborators on componen