Full-Time
Quantum Test Architect
Mesa Quantum Systems
11-50 employees
Chip-scale quantum sensors for PNT applications
No salary listed
Albuquerque, NM, USA
In Person
On-site in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
 Hardware Engineering (1) |
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- A Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, or a related field is required.
- Five to twelve years of experience in quantum devices, advanced photonics, semiconductor validation, precision hardware testing, or related industries is required.
- Demonstrated experience defining qualification criteria, validation strategies, or test methodologies is required.
- Strong understanding of optical and/or electrical measurement systems and performance metrics, including diagnosing electrical noise and signal integrity issues, is required.
- Experience translating device-level physics into repeatable test procedures is required.
- Hands-on experience with precision instrumentation such as oscilloscopes, source measure units, network analyzers, and signal generators is required.
- Strong technical communication skills and experience collaborating across multidisciplinary teams are required.
- The candidate must be comfortable operating in a fast-paced, scaling hardware environment.
- Own the development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of Standard Operating Procedures for pre-shipment device qualification.
- Establish qualification philosophy, pass/fail criteria, and performance thresholds based on quantum photonic device requirements.
- Design and standardize test equipment architecture and measurement infrastructure to enable repeatable qualification across future product generations.
- Ensure alignment between R&D validation approaches and production qualification workflows.
- Lead the bring-up, debugging, and optimization of precision electronic test systems by diagnosing signal integrity issues, mitigating electrical noise, and resolving complex measurement challenges.
- Lead structured reviews of qualification outcomes and nonconformance trends, identifying opportunities for process improvement.
- Drive continuous refinement of qualification methodologies as products, technologies, and customer requirements evolve.
- Influence engineering decisions by translating characterization results into actionable technical recommendations.
- Serve as a technical representative in discussions with collaborators, partners, and prospective customers.
- Support the long-term scalability, robustness, and traceability of qualification infrastructure.
- Experience with automated test development using Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or similar tools.
- Experience with hardware characterization, design verification, or production validation.
- Understanding of measurement uncertainty, repeatability, and statistical data analysis.
- Experience with semiconductor, photonics, VCSEL, atomic sensing, or quantum technologies.
- Experience supporting manufacturing scale-up or qualification infrastructure.
Mesa Quantum Systems builds chip-scale quantum sensors to provide positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) without relying on GPS. Their sensors are compact, low-power devices designed for rugged environments and can operate in GPS-denied areas, making them suitable for defense, aerospace, and industrial applications. The sensors work by using quantum measurement principles to deliver precise timing and location data within a small form factor, enabling accurate navigation and timing where GPS is unavailable. The company differentiates itself with a focus on miniaturization (chip-scale), low power consumption, and deployment-ready hardware for demanding environments, supported by early-stage grants and seed funding aimed at building a dedicated R&D facility and bringing these sensors to market. Mesa Quantum’s goal is to commercialize reliable chip-scale quantum sensors and establish them as practical alternatives for PNT in GPS-denied scenarios.
Company Size
11-50
Company Stage
Grant
Total Funding
$4.3M
Headquarters
Boulder, Colorado
Founded
2023
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Mesa Quantum won Colorado OEDIT's $500,000 grant in 2026.
- New Mexico awarded Mesa Quantum $200,000 in July 2026 for Albuquerque expansion.
- SpaceWERX's $1.9 million contract sustains Alt-PNT development and technical hiring.
What critics are saying
- Mesa Quantum depends on government grants, including OEDIT, New Mexico, and SpaceWERX funding.
- Quantum PNT commercialization still faces defense qualification delays through 2027 procurement cycles.
- Honeywell, Quantum-Systems, and defense primes can outspend Mesa Quantum on integration and sales.
What makes Mesa Quantum Systems unique
- Mesa Quantum builds chip-scale quantum clocks and sensors, not bulky lab hardware.
- Its Q-VCSEL photonics stack targets volume manufacturing for GPS-denied PNT.
- Sandia and NIST talent give Mesa Quantum rare vapor-cell and atomic-clock depth.
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↑ 33%New Mexico stands at the forefront of a technological revolution. Discover how New Mexico is building a quantum tech hub with Elevate Quantum, major R&D centers and new high-tech jobs. New Mexico is staking its claim as a national leader in quantum technology, a frontier field poised to transform industries including computing, cybersecurity, navigation and clean energy. At the heart of the state's momentum are strategic public investments, forward-thinking policy and the collaborative strength of a regional alliance known as Elevate Quantum. "The bold moves our state is making now in the emerging quantum sector underscore our commitment to innovation and building a brighter tomorrow for all New Mexicans," says Chris Chaffin, public information officer for the New Mexico Economic Development Department. "We're building a future where tech, businesses and families all thrive together." A Quantum Tech Hub. In 2024, the U.S. Economic Development Administration designated Elevate Quantum - a partnership between New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming - as the nation's first Quantum Tech Hub through its federal Tech Hubs program. Backed by $41 million in federal funding and over $84 million in state and private matching funds, this designation positions the Mountain West as a global epicenter for quantum innovation. The hub aims to fast-track commercialization of quantum technologies - such as sensing, computing and networking - by establishing unique fabrication facilities, lowering barriers to entrepreneurship, and training a ready workforce through vital regional partnerships with the University of New Mexico, Central New Mexico Community College, and the Sandia and Los Alamos national laboratories. A significant boost to these efforts came in the form of a $25 million quantum request for proposals, a state-led initiative to seed, grow and support quantum startups and the broader quantum industry in New Mexico. This targeted investment reinforces the state's commitment to building a vibrant and sustainable quantum economy. Quantinuum opens new R&D center. The promise of this ecosystem is already attracting major players. In January 2025, Quantinuum, the world's largest integrated quantum computing company, announced it will open a new R&D center in New Mexico. The center will focus on photonics, a critical component of Quantinuum's trapped ion quantum computing systems that use light to manipulate quantum bits (qubits). "Quantinuum's arrival is powerful validation of our state's growing leadership in quantum technology," Chaffin says. "It's more than an investment - it's a vote of confidence in New Mexico's talent, our national labs and our long-term vision for building a globally competitive quantum ecosystem right here in the Southwest." Quantinuum's new location builds on long-standing collaborations with Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory and it will create high-paying jobs in a sector that is central to U.S. economic and national security interests. The state is also nurturing quantum-focused startups through initiatives like the Quantum Technologies Award Pilot Program, launched in December 2024. Its first grant - $100,000 in nondilutive funding - was awarded to Mesa Quantum, a Colorado-based company now expanding into New Mexico. Mesa Quantum scales and accelerates. Mesa Quantum is developing chip-scale quantum sensors used in GPS-denied environments and autonomous systems. The grant will help establish Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser production capabilities in collaboration with Sandia's Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies. CEO Sristy Agrawal calls New Mexico "the ideal home for our expansion" due to its deep bench of quantum expertise. "We're thrilled to be part of New Mexico's growing quantum ecosystem and excited to see the Elevate Quantum Tech Hub bringing national attention to the region," Agrawal says. "New Mexico stood out to us because of its world-class national labs, deep technical talent and strong state support for early-stage quantum innovation. Collaborating with Sandia and others has been key to accelerating our photonics development and scaling chip-scale quantum sensors." Together, Elevate Quantum, Quantinuum and Mesa Quantum reflect the coordinated efforts driving New Mexico's transformation into a quantum-ready economy. The state's approach, blending federal support, strategic investment, academic research and private-sector growth, is turning vision into impact. With over 10,000 jobs and 30,000 skilled workers projected as a result of the Tech Hub's deployment, New Mexico's "quantum leap" may be just the beginning of a high-tech renaissance. Get to Know New Mexico Want to learn more about living and working in New Mexico? Check out the latest edition of Livability New Mexico Economic Development.
Mesa Quantum, a quantum sensing startup, has secured $3.7 million in seed funding led by J2 Ventures, with participation from SOSV.
Mesa Quantum secures $3.7M in seed funding led by J2 Ventures, with participation from SOSV, to build a research facility and commercialize chip-scale quantum sensors for defense, space, and telecommunications. The company also received a $1.9M Space Force grant for Alternative PNT applications. The funding will help overcome size, weight, and power challenges, making quantum sensors scalable for everyday technology.
BOULDER, Colo., Sept. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Mesa Quantum, an innovative quantum sensing company, announced an oversubscribed seed funding of $3.7M led by J2 Ventures, a Boston-based fund focused on dual-use technologies, with participation from SOSV.
GPS stands as one of the most remarkable innovations of our era, transcending its use case as navigation tool to become the global reference for time. Utilizing GPS for position, navigation, and timing synchronization in crucial systems such as data centers, the energy grid, and consumer electronics has become indispensable to our economy However, as […]