Full-Time
Laser Systems Engineer
R&D
Posted on 8/22/2025
QuEra Computing
51-200 employees
Cloud-access 256-qubit neutral-atom quantum computer
Compensation Overview
$128k - $208k/yr
Boston, MA, USA
Hybrid
 Electrical Engineering (3) |
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- Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline; exceptional candidates with an MS and equivalent industry experience will also be considered
- Deep expertise in nonlinear optics and second-harmonic generation (SHG), and/or high-power fiber laser systems
- Proven vendor co-development experience, from requirements definition through prototype and production
- Track record of innovation in laser technology with relevance to quantum computing or other advanced photonics applications
- Strong experimental skills, with the ability to translate theoretical concepts into practical, high-performance laser systems
- Excellent problem-solving abilities and a hands-on approach to engineering challenges in a fast-paced R&D environment
- Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary teams
- Design, develop, and optimize high-power, high-precision laser systems to meet the demanding requirements of quantum computing applications
- Lead and participate in R&D projects focused on nonlinear optics, SHG, and high-power fiber laser systems, ensuring designs are robust and scalable
- Collaborate with external vendors on co-development efforts to advance laser performance and reliability for quantum applications
- Drive innovation in laser technology with a focus on integration into quantum computing systems, enabling increased qubit counts, improved gate fidelities, and long-term system stability
- Work cross-functionally with hardware, software, and systems engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of laser systems into neutral atom quantum platforms
- Maintain documentation, specifications, and test protocols to support productization of R&D concepts
- Contribute to technology roadmaps and strategic R&D planning
- Laser Platform R&D: Design, develop, and prototype laser systems with improved performance, robustness, C-SWaP, and thermal efficiency
- Evaluation of Co-Development Partner Systems: Assess new laser platforms from partners for technical performance, integration readiness, and maintainability
- Controls & Feedback Systems: Collaborate with internal Engineering teams to develop high-precision feedback and automation
- Technology Evaluation & Prototyping: Track and evaluate emerging laser technologies for inclusion in the system roadmap; Rapidly prototype and test proof-of-concept designs, documenting findings for design reviews
- Cross-Functional Integration: Partner with Build, Ops, and Integration engineers to ensure manufacturability, serviceability, and field readiness of new systems; Deliver complete technical transfer packages for production deployment
QuEra Computing builds quantum hardware using neutral-atom technology and offers cloud access to a 256-qubit quantum computer called Aquila, accessible through Amazon Braket. Their platform targets optimization problems common in finance, logistics, and drug discovery, such as finding the maximal independent set in a graph. The Aquila system is controlled and programmed with Bloqade, an open-source software package available in Python and Julia that lets users simulate quantum systems and operate the hardware. Unlike some competitors who focus on different qubit technologies or sell standalone devices, QuEra combines hardware access with software tools, lowering barriers for both academic researchers and commercial customers. The company aims to help users solve complex optimization tasks by providing scalable quantum hardware and supporting software, so users can experiment, test, and deploy quantum strategies on the cloud.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
Series B
Total Funding
$277M
Headquarters
Boston, Massachusetts
Founded
2018
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- $230M Series B from Google, SoftBank, NVIDIA funds fault-tolerant scaling by 2028.
- Dell QIO integration at SC25 demonstrates HPC-ready quantum-classical workflows.
- DARPA $15M and New Mexico testbed accelerate commercial neutral-atom deployments.
What critics are saying
- Atom Computing's 1,000+ qubits capture AWS Braket market share in 6 months.
- IBM's 4,000-qubit roadmap by 2026 erodes QuEra's optimization revenue immediately.
- Google diverts $230M resources to Willow, halting QuEra fault-tolerance in 12 months.
What makes QuEra Computing unique
- Neutral-atom technology enables qubit shuttling for transversal gates in error correction.
- Aquila's 256-qubit analog processor excels at optimization via all-to-all connectivity.
- Bloqade and Tsim provide open-source Python/Julia tools for simulation and control.
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Benefits
Remote Work Options
Flexible Work Hours
Paid Vacation
Health Insurance
Wellness Program
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 3%1 year growth
↑ 4%2 year growth
↓ -3%QuEra Computing has open-sourced Tsim, a GPU-accelerated quantum circuit simulator that enables researchers to simulate non-Clifford gate operations at scale for quantum error correction development. The tool can handle circuits with over 80 physical qubits and produce millions of samples in parallel, processing approximately 600 nanoseconds per shot for an 85-qubit circuit on an NVIDIA GH200. Tsim addresses a critical gap in quantum computing simulation. Whilst existing tools like STIM handle only Clifford gates, Tsim supports T-gates, which are essential for universal quantum computations. The simulator is compatible with the STIM circuit format and integrates with QuEra's Bloqade ecosystem. The release follows QuEra's 2025 achievements, including four Nature papers demonstrating fault-tolerant architectures with up to 96 logical qubits and advances in magic state distillation.
Neutral atoms and the path to fault-tolerant quantum computing. At Q2B Silicon Valley 2025, QuEra's Trevor Chaloux walked attendees through the fundamentals of neutral atom quantum computing - and why this platform is uniquely positioned for large-scale fault tolerance. How neutral atom quantum computers work. QuEra's systems use individual rubidium atoms as qubits, trapped and manipulated by precisely controlled lasers. The rubidium atom has a single outer electron - and it's the energy state of that electron that encodes quantum information. Single-qubit operations use the atom's hyperfine ground states. These states are exceptionally stable, resulting in coherence times measured in seconds - a distinctive property of atomic qubits. Two-qubit entangling operations work by driving atoms into a high-energy Rydberg state. When two atoms are positioned within each other's "blockade radius" and driven into this state together, only one can reach it - but both become entangled. The breakthrough: these atoms can be physically moved. Optical tweezers shuttle qubits into position for gate operations, enabling highly parallel execution. Multiple entangling gates happen simultaneously across the array, with precise control over which qubits participate. A video demonstration showed this choreography in action - qubits flowing through coordinated movements, executing circuits with remarkable efficiency. Why this architecture excels at error correction. Fault-tolerant quantum computing demands three things: high-quality qubits, high-quality multi-qubit gates, and massive parallelization. Neutral atoms deliver all three. The stability of hyperfine ground states protects data. The Rydberg-based entangling operations achieve the fidelities error correction requires. And the parallelization - in both movement and gate operations - accelerates the repeated cycles that logical operations demand. The key differentiator: transversal gates. In many error-correcting codes, underlying physical qubits must interact in correlated patterns. Fixed architectures typically require complex lattice surgery. Neutral atoms can move entire blocks of physical qubits on top of each other and run a single operation - dramatically reducing time and space overhead. Beyond computation, Trevor noted deployment advantages. The atoms themselves are ultra-cold, but the surrounding hardware operates at room temperature. This means smaller physical footprint, lower energy consumption, and easier co-location with classical computing resources. Experimental demonstrations: building the case. Trevor walked through the progression of published work that has systematically proven each building block of fault-tolerant operation: Zoned architecture for logical operations: A landmark demonstration, led by collaborators at Harvard on Harvard hardware, showed how neutral atoms with reconfigurable zones can execute logical operations. This set the foundation for QuEra's error-correction-focused system design. Magic state distillation: The first experimental demonstration of high-quality T-gates from a logical layer - essential for universal quantum computation. This work was performed on QuEra hardware in collaboration with Harvard researchers. Scaling analysis: A theoretical paper from QuEra and Harvard teams showed how this error-corrected architecture scales to very large problems, using Shor's algorithm as the benchmark application. Reducing overhead (2025): Two recent Nature papers addressed the practical challenges of scale. One demonstrated transversal operations for highly parallel logical gates. The other introduced algorithmic fault tolerance - applying syndrome extraction at the algorithmic level rather than individual operations. A third paper tackled classical overhead with ML-based decoders to reduce error correction latency. Recent research: scaling the platform. Trevor closed by highlighting three papers that have been widely discussed across the quantum computing community: Continuous operation with 3,000 qubits: Research from Misha Lukin's group at Harvard demonstrated that atoms can be continuously reloaded during computation. Atom loss from shuttling was a known bottleneck - this work showed the path to the deep circuits real applications require. 6,000 qubits in a single array: Work from Caltech demonstrated atoms held coherently for over 12 seconds, with the field of view for optical tweezers continuing to expand. Universal fault-tolerant architecture: The most recent paper from Harvard brought all the pieces together - magic state distillation, qubit reuse, continuous reloading, and teleportation across dozens of logical qubits operating in a single system. As Trevor described it: "a culmination of the work over the last two years, showing that on the neutral atom platform, these pieces can work not just in isolation, but all together." Applications on Aquila today. QuEra's analog system, Aquila, has been available on Amazon Braket for three years. Built from pioneering research in Misha Lukin's lab at Harvard - which demonstrated a 256-qubit analog system - QuEra completed the commercial transfer and deployed to the cloud within a year. Over 20 papers have been published by customers using the system, exploring optimization (including max independent set problems), quantum phase transitions, quantum reservoir computing for machine learning, and quantum dynamics simulations. The Bloqade SDK supports this work with analog mode for Hamiltonian simulations, Kirin for digital circuit compilation, and Bloqade-Shuttle for optimizing qubit movement sequences. Looking ahead. QuEra was founded by scientists from Harvard and MIT's lab for ultra-cold atoms, and continues to collaborate closely with those research groups. Earlier this year, the company completed a Series B round with investment from SoftBank, NVIDIA, and Google. The experimental demonstrations Trevor presented point to a clear conclusion: neutral atoms have the architectural properties fault-tolerant quantum computing requires. High-quality atomic qubits. Reconfigurable arrays. Massively parallel operations. Transversal gates. Room-temperature deployment. As Trevor put it: "We think it's a very clear and promising path forward to continue to push neutral atoms towards delivering what we think will be the first large-scale fault-tolerant quantum computer."
QuEra Computing and Roadrunner Venture Studios have announced a $4 million partnership to establish a quantum testbed at Albuquerque's Roadrunner Quantum Lab. The agreement will see QuEra create a physical presence with full-time employees in New Mexico and provide access to its neutral-atom quantum computing systems. The facility will include a Photonics and Optics Testing Centre for neutral atom quantum computing research and a Classical Compute User-Access Facility for hybrid quantum-classical workloads. The testbeds are expected to launch later this year, initially serving academic and national laboratory partners before opening to industry collaborators. The partnership forms part of New Mexico's $300 million initiative to build a competitive quantum economy, backed by the state's Economic Development Department. QuEra, which was founded at Harvard and MIT, operates globally from Boston, Tokyo and the UK.
QuEra to showcase quantum/classical integration at SC25. Integration of Dell Technologies infrastructure with QuEra quantum accelerator demonstrates practical pathways to hybrid quantum - classical workflows. BOSTON, Nov. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - QuEra Computing, the leader in neutral-atom quantum computers, announced today that it is working with Dell Technologies to help define the future of high-performance computing (HPC). Using Dell solutions, QuEra is demonstrating how quantum processing units (QPUs) can seamlessly integrate into mainstream data center architectures. This milestone will be showcased at Supercomputing 2025 (SC25), where visitors will be able to see a video demonstration of a co-located deployment showing how classical and quantum resources can be tightly integrated, paving the way for HPC-ready hybrid quantum - classical computing (HQCC) with secure data governance and low latency. While the SC25 demo is an experimental prototype, it validates QuEra's quantum processors as first-class compute peers in HPC environments. It also sets a concrete benchmark for how QPUs can be integrated into existing infrastructure with minimal disruption. The demonstration will feature Dell HPC infrastructure and the Dell Quantum Intelligent Orchestrator (QIO) integrated with a neutral-atom quantum system, highlighting how quantum can join CPUs and GPUs as an accelerator of classical resources within HPC environments. The equipment is hosted at QuEra's Boston facilities. This installation includes a Dell-based HPC mini-cluster with Dell PowerEdge servers with NVIDIA GPUs, Dell networking equipment and the Dell Quantum Intelligent Orchestrator (QIO) orchestration platform, running directly alongside QuEra's systems. This setup enables rapid experimentation and showcases how classical and quantum resources can operate together in a real-world research context. "With Dell infrastructure integrated on-premises, we can unlock real progress by delivering practical, real-world quantum solutions," said Yuval Boger, Chief Commercial Officer at QuEra. "For customers, it's a clear signal that hybrid quantum - classical computing is becoming practical. They can see that leading suppliers, like Dell, are preparing for this future, and that QuEra's unique neutral-atom capabilities - such as qubit shuttling and parallel gates - are ready to integrate into HPC workflows." QIO is a prototype created to manage and schedule workloads across heterogeneous compute resources. It is designed to stay modular and agnostic to handle different gated and analog quantum computers and map available resources to determine the most suitable environment for executing workloads. The demo will simulate the generation of Greenberger - Horne - Zeilinger (GHZ) states, a benchmark for multi-qubit entanglement widely used in quantum information science. GHZ state preparation demonstrates capabilities unique to QuEra's neutral-atom architecture, including: * Qubit shuttling - the ability to dynamically rearrange atoms to optimize connectivity and circuit execution. * Parallel gate execution - simultaneous application of quantum gates across multiple qubits, improving application execution speeds and enabling greater scalability. Together, these features make QuEra's gate-based neutral-atom quantum computers a powerful platform for exploring practical algorithms at scale. The future of HPC will be hybrid, with CPUs, GPUs and QPUs coexisting as peers in data centers. For HPC centers and hyperscalers, this requires infrastructure that intelligently orchestrates workloads across diverse computing backends to best fit applications. Dell provides the orchestration and infrastructure expertise, while QuEra's neutral-atom systems provide a powerful, scalable, flexible and energy-efficient quantum platform. "We believe that hybrid quantum classical compute, especially with AI applied, represents a transformative step forward in solving some of the world's most complex challenges. The collaboration between Dell Technologies and QuEra is about making quantum practical today, while paving the way for tomorrow's possibilities." John Roese, global CTO and chief AI officer, Dell Technologies. * HPC Centers gain a tested integration model for orchestrating quantum workloads alongside classical resources, with familiar schedulers like SLURM. * Hyperscalers see a clear pathway to offering hybrid cloud services that unify quantum and classical compute. * Enterprise Innovators benefit from the signal that leading suppliers such as Dell are actively integrating quantum into their offerings - a strong indicator that quantum is transitioning from research into practical IT strategy. * Government and Research Users gain transparent benchmarks from test cases comparing "with and without quantum" performance, informing where quantum can provide acceleration. The SC25 demonstration is the first step in what both companies see as opportunities for broader collaboration, assisting enterprise innovators and HPC centers in fulfilling the promise of quantum. By bringing together Dell's leadership in AI and HPC orchestration and QuEra's advances in neutral-atom quantum computing, the demonstration signals a practical roadmap for HQCC environments that bridge today's HPC systems with tomorrow's quantum acceleration. The demonstration will be available at QuEra's booth (#6556) and Dell's booth (#6659) at the event. About QuEra Computing QuEra is putting quantum to work. As the scientific and commercial leader in neutral-atom quantum computing, Vporoom is Nium Ltd help enterprise innovators leverage quantum to gain competitive advantage, support HPC centers as they help users tackle classically intractable problems, and enable government programs to build national capability and sovereign infrastructure. Vporoom is Nium Ltd do this through its quantum innovation platform, combining quantum systems available on-premises and via the cloud with application co-design and collaborative research. Born at Harvard and MIT, still advancing together, QuEra operates globally from Boston, Tokyo, and the UK. As quantum computing moves from "one day" to "Day One," QuEra delivers practical impact today while advancing toward large-scale, fault-tolerant systems. See what's possible at quera.com SOURCE QuEra Computing
SDT joins QuEra alliance to advance neutral-atom quantum computing. * SDT joins the QuEra Quantum Alliance, marking a major step in expanding neutral-atom quantum computing capabilities and global collaboration. * The partnership leverages SDT's full-stack quantum design and manufacturing expertise alongside QuEra's leadership in neutral-atom systems to accelerate industrial deployment. * SDT aims to strengthen both international and domestic quantum ecosystems, collaborating with global partners and South Korean institutions like LG Electronics, KRISS, and Korea University. PRESS RELEASE - SDT Inc. a South Korea - based quantum technology company led by CEO Jiwon Yune, announced its participation in the QuEra Quantum Alliance, a global partnership program launched by U.S. quantum computing leader QuEra Computing. The QuEra Quantum Alliance was established to accelerate the commercialization and industrial adoption of neutral-atom quantum computing. Through the alliance, QuEra collaborates with key industry partners and technology innovators like SDT to tackle some of the world's most complex computational problems and to expand access to neutral-atom quantum computing capabilities worldwide. SDT is South Korea's only full-stack quantum company, integrating design, manufacturing, quality assurance, and service for both quantum hardware and software. The company's proprietary Quantum Design & Manufacturing (QDM) framework bridges R&D, mass production, quality control, and commercialization, enabling the industrialization of quantum technology. SDT's inclusion in the QuEra Quantum Alliance marks global recognition of its full-stack quantum expertise and growing international presence. Through the partnership, SDT aims to work closely with QuEra and other alliance members to accelerate practical quantum technology deployment and broaden industrial applications. Founded in 2018 by Harvard physicist Mikhail Lukin and MIT professor Vladan Vuletić, QuEra Computing is widely regarded as the world leader in neutral-atom quantum computing. Earlier this year, QuEra completed installation of a $41 million neutral-atom quantum computer at Japan's National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), operating alongside the NVIDIA-powered ABCI-Q supercomputer. QuEra's leadership in the field has drawn substantial investment from top global firms. In February 2025, the company raised $230 million in a Series B round backed by Google and the SoftBank Vision Fund, followed by additional funding from NVentures, NVIDIA's venture arm - further cementing its role as a central player in the quantum ecosystem. Neutral-atom systems are noted for their scalability to hundreds or even thousands of qubits, low susceptibility to electric interference, and ability to operate at room temperature - offering significant advantages in cost and complexity over cryogenic quantum systems. The partnership also carries a personal connection between the two companies' founders. SDT's CEO Jiwon Yune, who studied physics and electrical engineering at MIT, began his early research career in Professor Vuletić's lab during his high school years, forming a longstanding professional relationship that has now evolved into a global collaboration. In South Korea, SDT has also been spearheading the development of the nation's neutral-atom quantum ecosystem. In December 2024, the company signed a joint research agreement with LG Electronics, the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS), and Korea University to advance neutral-atom quantum computing technologies and foster domestic collaboration. Through its participation in the QuEra Quantum Alliance, SDT plans to strengthen its global partnerships and position itself as a key hub within the international neutral-atom quantum ecosystem. "We are delighted to welcome SDT to the QuEra Quantum Alliance," said Yuval Boger, Chief Commercial Officer at QuEra. "SDT's full-stack quantum design and manufacturing expertise complements our leadership in neutral-atom computing and strengthens our collective push from research toward practical deployment. SDT's participation reflects the growing global momentum around neutral-atom quantum technology and our shared vision to build a vibrant, connected ecosystem that turns scientific progress into real-world capability." CEO Jiwon Yune added, "Joining QuEra's global alliance is a major milestone for SDT. It affirms our position as not just a technology developer, but a full-fledged quantum manufacturer and service provider. By combining SDT's QDM capabilities with QuEra's world-class technology, we aim to contribute meaningfully to the global quantum ecosystem." Mohib ur rehman.