Atom Computing
Principal Optical Engineer
$170K–$200K
Boulder, CO · On-site · Principal · Full-time · Posted Sep 24, 2026
- Experience
- 10+ years optical design; 7+ years hands-on optics assembly in a laboratory environment.
- Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Optical Sciences, Optical Engineering or related field; advanced degree a plus.
About the job
Leads the design, modeling, and implementation of optical systems and subsystems for next-generation neutral-atom quantum computers.
What you'll do
- Define optical system requirements and architecture; lead designs from component to system level.
- Establish optical design and alignment standards, conduct design reviews and analysis, and oversee assembly and precision alignment.
- Mentor engineers and contribute to technical documents, proposals, presentations, inventions, and vendor development.
What they ask for
- Bachelor’s degree in Optical Sciences, Optical Engineering, or a related field.
- 10+ years of optical design experience and 7+ years of hands-on optics assembly experience in a laboratory.
- Experience bringing a complex optical system from conception to productization.
- Expertise in high-numerical-aperture imaging systems and laser distribution networks; proficiency with ray-tracing software, STOP analysis, and 3D CAD.
Nice to have
- Advanced degree.
- Experience with neutral atom quantum computing or commercial product development and deployment to a customer site.
Pay
USD 170,000–200,000 per-year-salary (base salary)
Tools
Zemax, FRED, Onshape, Solidworks
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative