IonQ
Trapped-ion quantum computing hardware and services
Optical Integration Engineer
+ Bonus + Equity
A few days per week may be worked remotely; travel is required up to 25% domestically.
About the job
- Proven experience in optical assembly or optical instrument manufacturing, preferably in aerospace, photonics, medical devices, or precision equipment.
- Strong experience with precision alignment and metrology tools such as autocollimators, beam profilers, shearing interferometers, optical power meters, infrared cameras and sensors, interferometers for surface quality and wavefront error measurements, and polarimeters.
- Excellent manual dexterity and precision handling of delicate optical components and small precision components.
- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, exploded diagrams, and optical assembly procedures.
- Experience with cleanroom operations from ISO 5 to ISO 8, electrostatic discharge control, laser safety, and contamination-sensitive environments.
- Understanding of optomechanical interfaces, including lens mounts, kinematic mounts, fiber collimators, and alignment stages.
- Experience with optical cleaning procedures and handling techniques.
- Familiarity with measurement and inspection tools, including micrometers, calipers, and torque tools.
- An Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Optics, Photonics, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- Two to five years of experience in optical components, aerospace, optical communications, photonics, or precision optics manufacturing.
- Experience in an assembly, integration, or optical alignment environment.
- Computer literacy, including Microsoft Office, data-entry systems, and basic Linux.
- Ability to travel up to 30% of the time.
- Ability to work independently and within multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong documentation and traceability skills.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to effectively present data and results.
- Access to export-controlled technology requires verification of U.S. Person status, obtaining a necessary license, or confirming the availability of a license exception.
- Perform precision optical alignment and integration of components and assemblies.
- Follow and execute work instructions and alignment procedures.
- Support the development and improvement of assembly and alignment processes.
- Perform inspection and measurement of optomechanical assemblies.
- Collaborate with engineering teams to troubleshoot alignment and performance issues.
- Maintain accurate documentation for traceability.
- Handle sensitive optical hardware in accordance with cleanroom and contamination-control standards.
- Integrate diverse optical systems, including free-space optical communication systems, fiber-based systems, and high-power laser applications.
- Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, software, systems, and control engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of optical subsystems.
- Integrate control electronics and routed systems.
- A Bachelor’s degree or higher in Optics, Photonics, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
- Five or more years of experience in optical components, aerospace, optical communications, photonics, or precision optics manufacturing.
- Experience with optical alignment techniques, bench-top setups, and complex optical systems.
- Experience in research and development environments.
- Experience with mechanical and optical bonding and adhesives.
- Experience working with engineering to improve or develop work instructions, providing feedback, and technical writing.
- Experience working closely with optomechanical or mechanical engineers to set requirements, including necessary degrees of freedom in a design.
- Knowledge of optical and mechanical design and manufacturing processes.
- Experience with the product development lifecycle, including design verification, design validation, and design maturation.
- Demonstrated experience with industry and design best practices.
- Experience developing specifications for optical, optomechanical, optoelectronic components and assemblies.
- Experience with optical design software such as ZEMAX and mechanical design tools such as SolidWorks and Siemens NX.
- Mechanical integration experience including chiller systems, mechanical structures, pressurized systems, cryogenic systems, and high-vacuum systems.
- Familiarity with cable and fiber-optic harnessing.
- Experience with data-analysis or data-processing tools such as MATLAB or Python.
About the company
IonQ sells quantum computing through cloud access and on-site systems that use trapped-ion qubits. Its processors, such as Forte and Tempo, are accessed by customers via cloud platforms or deployed on customer sites, and the company is expanding into quantum networking, quantum key distribution, and sensing through acquisitions and a SkyWater Technology deal. It differentiates itself with trapped-ion technology and by building a broader quantum ecosystem through strategic acquisitions and partnerships to connect devices and services beyond hardware alone. Its goal is to scale commercial quantum computing, grow revenue, and strengthen its cash position to support ongoing expansion and ecosystem development.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
College Park, Maryland
Founded
2015
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- IonQ raised 2026 revenue guidance to $450 million-$460 million on September 8, 2026.
- Q2 2026 revenue jumped 287% to $80.1 million, with RPO reaching $485 million.
- The August 2026 SkyWater acquisition and Superion 256 launch extend production capacity fast.
What critics are saying
- A February 2026 Wolfpack report triggered securities investigations into Pentagon contract claims.
- Q2 2026 GAAP net loss hit $1.87 billion, fueled by warrant revaluation.
- If fault-tolerant systems slip past 2029, IonQ's valuation premium collapses against cash burn.
What makes IonQ unique
- IonQ's trapped-ion architecture delivered all-to-all connectivity on Forte and Superion 256.
- SkyWater integration gives IonQ onshore chip fabrication, packaging, and vertically integrated manufacturing.
- IonQ spans computing, networking, security, and sensing, unlike single-product quantum rivals.
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Benefits
Biweekly catered lunches
Parental leave
Health, vision, & dental insurance
Flexible time off
401(k) with 5% match
University facilities
Commuter benefits
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 3%1 year growth
↑ 0%2 year growth
↓ -1%Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025
Investors seeking financial stability often look to companies with more cash than debt, as these businesses have greater flexibility for growth investments, buybacks, and dividends. Intuitive Surgical holds $5.22 billion in net cash. The robotic surgery pioneer achieved 20.7% annual revenue growth over the past two years, whilst its earnings per share increased 17.4% annually over five years. IonQ maintains $2.06 billion in net cash, representing 14.1% of its market capitalisation. The quantum computing company posted 181% annual revenue growth over two years and expects 163% growth next year. Accenture has $1.78 billion in net cash. The professional services firm employs approximately 774,000 people across more than 120 countries. Companies with strong balance sheets can navigate uncertain markets whilst pursuing expansion opportunities without the burden of significant debt obligations.
IonQ is positioning itself as a leading pure-play quantum computing investment as the industry accelerates towards viability, with timelines moving from 2030 to 2029. The company distinguishes itself through trapped-ion quantum computing technology, which prioritises accuracy over the speed-focused superconducting techniques used by competitors like Alphabet, Microsoft, and IBM. IonQ reported 287% year-over-year revenue growth, with management projecting 100% organic growth for the year. While legacy tech giants possess greater resources, their quantum computing divisions would have minimal impact on overall financials. IonQ's survival depends entirely on developing viable quantum computing products, creating significant risk but potentially substantial upside for investors. The company's focus on accuracy addresses the primary barrier preventing quantum computing's current commercial availability.
IonQ CEO Niccolo de Masi said a 2,000-qubit quantum computer could break Bitcoin's elliptic-curve encryption in under 26 days. Speaking on CNBC, he reiterated 2028 as his expectation for "Q-Day", when quantum machines will threaten current public-key standards. De Masi noted the timeline has compressed significantly. A year ago, experts thought Q-Day would occur in the 2030s, but now understand it will happen in the 2020s. IonQ's CFO warned that financial services is waking up to the reality that encryption protocols securing Bitcoin wallets may be broken. De Masi acknowledged IonQ sells quantum security solutions whilst raising the alarm. The company just launched a quantum key distribution product aimed at protecting fibre networks. IonQ reported second-quarter revenue of $80.1 million, up 287% year over year.
IonQ and Congruity360 have announced an $8.18 million agreement to enhance quantum-safe data protection, marking one of the largest commercial quantum security deals in the United States. Under the partnership, Congruity360 will integrate IonQ's quantum key distribution and post-quantum cryptography appliances into its enterprise data management platform. The collaboration responds to a June 2026 White House executive order that moved federal post-quantum security deadlines forward to 2030 and extended requirements to contractors. IonQ will provide its Clavis QKD pairs and Solteris Network Appliances to protect sensitive data for Congruity360's clients across finance, healthcare, insurance, legal services, manufacturing, defence, and higher education sectors. The deal extends IonQ's quantum-safe network deployments, following earlier initiatives including a statewide network with Florida LambdaRail and upgrades in Switzerland with Cisco.