Principal Mechanical Design Engineer - Cryo Vacuum Systems - 1055/1124

The role

You will design mechanical hardware for cryogenic and UHV trapped-ion quantum computing systems. You will work with scientists, engineers and lab teams to build prototypes, test fixtures and design documentation.

What you will do

• Design mechanical hardware for cryogenic and UHV trapped-ion quantum computing systems.
• Support the design of ion-trap packages, cryogenic assemblies, vacuum-compatible structures and precision mounting hardware.
• Develop designs that manage heat loads, thermal contraction, mechanical stability, vibration sensitivity and assembly tolerances.
• Design prototype hardware and test fixtures that lab engineers can build and operate.
• Support test planning for new materials, adhesives, thermal interfaces, coatings and vacuum-compatible components.
• Work with lab engineers to evaluate outgassing, thermal performance, stability, alignment repeatability and failure modes.
• Perform mechanical, thermal and tolerance analyses to guide design decisions.
• Generate CAD models, drawings, assemblies, interface definitions and design documentation.
• Partner with vacuum, cryogenic, optical, electrical, trap fabrication and systems teams to identify and solve interface risks.
• Communicate design trades, assumptions, risks, test results and recommendations to technical teams and program leadership.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree minimum
• At least 7 years of hands-on mechanical design experience with complex hardware systems (Master's and PhD count toward this)
• Must be a U.S. Person: U.S. citizen, permanent resident or green card holder, or granted asylum or refugee status
• Must not be a People's Republic of China national or Russian national unless also a U.S. citizen

Nice to have

• Advanced degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, applied physics, materials science or a related field
• Experience designing components requiring precision tolerancing, thermal management and structural stability
• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools and mechanical drawing release practices
• Ability to design hardware that can be fabricated, inspected, assembled, tested and iterated
• Ability to use analysis, test data and engineering judgment for design decisions
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience with cryogenic, UHV vacuum, lasers and precision optics, AMO physics, trapped-ion systems or semiconductor packaging
• Experience selecting materials for vacuum, cryogenic and low-magnetic environments
• Experience with thermal modeling, FEA, tolerance analysis, modal analysis or structural analysis
• Experience designing test fixtures, prototype assemblies or validation experiments

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• Flexible work arrangements
• Employer-subsidized medical, dental and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match and student loan repayment benefit
• Equity opportunities
• Generous paid time off and sick leave
• 12 paid holidays annually
• Paid parental leave
• Employee discount programs

Before you apply

• U.S. Person status is required due to contractual requirements.
• Due to U.S. government national security requirements, PRC and Russian nationals are excluded unless also U.S. citizens.
• Quantinuum may need U.S. government authorization, such as an export license, before a candidate who is not a U.S. person can access controlled technology.

About the company

Quantinuum is a quantum computing company with more than 800 employees, headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado. It operates across the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and Singapore.