Senior Characterization and Test Engineer

The role

The Senior Characterization & Test Engineer will own the evaluation, characterization, and validation strategy for photonic devices, packages, and subsystems. This role leads the design and execution of electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical test programs and mentors junior engineers.

What you will do

• Lead electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical characterization programs.
• Own the design of test plans and DOEs supporting product development and reliability.
• Drive selection, setup, and qualification of laboratory equipment.
• Analyze and interpret complex test data to provide engineering recommendations.
• Lead root-cause investigations and failure analysis efforts.
• Develop and maintain automated test scripts, data pipelines, and analysis tools.
• Author technical reports and present findings to cross-functional audiences.
• Define and build new characterization methods, test fixtures, and lab capabilities.
• Own qualification and reliability test programs.
• Establish and maintain lab documentation, test procedures, and equipment calibration standards.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related discipline with 8+ years of relevant experience, or Master's degree with 5+ years of relevant experience
• Hands-on expertise operating and troubleshooting Infrared Thermography, Laser Doppler Vibrometers (LDV), Instron Universal Mechanical Testers, and C-Mode Scanning Acoustic Microscopy (C-SAM).
• Track record of analyzing thermal, mechanical, vibration, and package integrity data.
• Experience with laboratory instrumentation and data acquisition system design/integration.
• Working knowledge of optics, photonics, electronics, semiconductor devices, or advanced packaging technologies.
• Proficiency with data analysis tools such as Python, MATLAB, JMP, or equivalent.
• Command of Design of Experiments (DOE) and statistical analysis methods.
• Ability to lead technical investigations and communicate findings to stakeholders.
• Experience mentoring or informally leading junior engineers or technicians.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Nice to have

• Direct experience with photonic devices, optoelectronics, semiconductor packaging, or advanced manufacturing.
• Experience with optical alignment, imaging systems, or optical characterization technique development.
• Experience building test automation frameworks or new test capability from scratch.
• Experience leading reliability testing or failure analysis programs.
• Experience presenting technical results in design reviews or to leadership.

Benefits

• Competitive health coverage for you and your dependents
• 401(k) with company match
• Equity grants
• Access to financial wellness tools and planning resources
• Wellness benefits
• Family support programs
• Life and disability insurance
• Paid leave programs
• Company-designated paid holidays
• Discretionary time off (DTO)
• End-of-year company shutdown

About the company

PsiQuantum's mission is to build the first useful quantum computers using a silicon photonics architecture. The company is building utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago.