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Vector Atomic

High-precision atomic clocks and inertial sensors

Research and Development Engineer

Full-Time
$110k - $135k/yr+ Bonus + Equity
Mid
Bachelor's
Pleasanton, CA, USA
In Person
Hardware EngineeringHardware Systems Integration
No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship Required

About the job

Requirements
  • A Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or a related field is required.
  • Two to five years of relevant work experience is required.
  • U.S. citizenship, lawful U.S. permanent residency, or an eligible refugee or asylee status is required for compliance with U.S. export control laws.
  • Hands-on experience with several of the listed optical, electrical, vacuum, electromechanical, instrumentation, integration, prototyping, design, machining, and debugging skills is required.
  • Ability to communicate effectively with coworkers and collaborators in written and verbal form is required.
Responsibilities
  • Build and test optical, electrical, or vacuum systems.
  • Integrate electronics controllers with sensors.
  • Set up test equipment and automate data collection.

About the company

Vector Atomic builds high-performance quantum sensing devices, including optical atomic clocks, inertial sensors like gyroscopes and gravimeters, and GPS-free synchronization hardware for defense, aerospace, and national security in harsh environments. These devices use atomic transitions to deliver extremely stable timing and precise motion data; optical clocks provide picosecond-level timing and distribute it via synchronization hardware, while inertial sensors track rotation and gravity for navigation without GPS. The company distinguishes itself through deep physics expertise, strong government contracts, and a path from lab hardware to field-ready products, while staying 100% employee-owned and investor-free; it was acquired by IonQ to merge sensing with computing and networking. Its goal is to speed the deployment of secure, GPS-free navigation and communication by integrating quantum sensing with broader quantum platforms for government and commercial markets.

Company Size

51-200

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

$6.8M

Headquarters

Pleasanton, California

Founded

2018

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • DARPA awarded IonQ a $28 million clock-extension on August 6, 2026.
  • IonQ will deliver 125 Evergreen-05 clocks to U.S. government customers.
  • Honeywell and DIU tested Vector Atomic-linked navigation hardware in September 2026.

What critics are saying

  • IonQ integration can bury Vector Atomic’s niche culture inside a public-company hierarchy.
  • DARPA’s $30 million option stays unexercised until performance and manufacturing milestones clear.
  • Quantum sensing faces commercialization risk if government demand stalls after 2027 deployments.

What makes Vector Atomic unique

  • Evergreen-05 gives Vector Atomic-derived timing in a 5-liter tactical package.
  • DARPA began funding Vector Atomic’s core clock technology in 2019.
  • IonQ now pairs Vector Atomic sensing with computing, networking, and manufacturing.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Paid Vacation

Parental Leave

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

14%

1 year growth

14%

2 year growth

14%
SBIR.gov
Sep 13th, 2026
Awards | SBIR

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Quantum Computing Report
Sep 17th, 2025
IonQ Completes Oxford Ionics Acquisition, Announces Intent to Acquire Vector Atomic for Quantum Sensing - Quantum Computing Report

IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), a quantum computing and networking company, has announced the completion of its acquisition of Oxford Ionics, a quantum computing company based in the United Kingdom. Concurrently, IonQ announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Vector Atomic, a company specializing in advanced quantum sensors. These two strategic moves are intended to strengthen IonQ’s technology portfolio and accelerate its expansion into quantum sensing. The acquisition of Oxford Ionics is aimed at accelerating IonQ’s technology roadmap for more powerful and scalable quantum computers, while also supporting the company’s expansion into the UK, Europe, and other global markets. [...]

eDaily
Sep 17th, 2025
IonQ Acquires Vector Atomic for $1.3B

IonQ's stock continues its upward trend, rising 2.7% to $63.94 in pre-market trading on the 17th. The stock has surged from $43 to $63 over five consecutive trading days. This increase follows the UK authorities' approval of IonQ's acquisition of Oxford Ionics, which boosted the stock by 5.33% to $62.26 the previous day. Additionally, IonQ announced a deal to acquire Vector Atomic in the US. The total value of these transactions is approximately $1.3 billion.

IonQ
Sep 17th, 2025
IonQ Announces Intent to Acquire Vector Atomic, Expanding Into Quantum Sensing and Strengthening Its Quantum Technology Portfolio.

COLLEGE PARK, MD - September 17, 2025 - IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), the leader in the quantum computing and networking industries, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Vector Atomic, a pioneer in advanced quantum sensors for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) applications.

Military Embedded Systems
Jul 18th, 2025
Quantum sensor-based navigation systems to be developed for DoD by Honeywell

For the CRUISE effort, Honeywell will collaborate with Vector Atomic to develop quantum sensor-based inertial measurement units (IMUs) designed to provide standalone navigation capabilities without reliance on GNSS.