Laser Safety Engineer
Boston, Massachusetts, United States · Posted 24 days agoDescription
Summary
Laser Systems is QuEra's horizontal laser infrastructure program. The team owns the full lifecycle of laser systems across all machine generations and across our sites in the US, Japan, and the UK.
The Laser Safety Engineer owns end-to-end laser safety by design. The work sits at the architecture and design stage, where protection is layered into the system: optics and coating selection, beam path routing, containment, scattered light detection, interlocks, and access control. Protective eyewear sits last in that order, behind the engineering controls above it.
Scope begins at the light source and follows the beam through free space and optical fiber to wherever the light is used. It covers heterogeneous setups on optical tables and off them, in rack-mounted chassis and on free-standing benches, whether deployed, under build, or in development.
Designs from HQ reach QuEra sites worldwide. The role works with the Laser Safety Officers and the local scientists and engineers in the UK and Japan, and with QuEra's Laser Safety Officer in Facilities, who holds the regulatory role and site-wide program authority.
Responsibilities
Safety by Design
- Own beam path safety review as a formal design gate for laser modules and systems, covering parasitic and scattered paths as well as primary paths
- Specify layered protection at the design stage: optics and coating selection, beam containment, enclosures, beam dumps, and stray light management
- Address fiber-borne hazards, including connector and end-face integrity, uncontrolled emission from damaged or disconnected fiber, and high power fiber delivery
- Define scattered and stray radiation detection, including sensor selection, placement, thresholds, and integration with system telemetry
Controls and Interlocks
- Design interlock and access control architecture across enclosures, doors, and emergency stop, with fail-safe behavior and machine-readable interlock state for automated operation
- Retrofit containment and interlocks on deployed setups
Verification and Operations
- Perform hazard analysis, define laser controlled area boundaries, and write laser safety acceptance criteria into module and system acceptance test procedures
- Run hazard surveys and periodic spot checks across setups, investigate incidents and near misses, and specify PPE by area
Standards and Global Alignment
- Own laser safety standards for the team across ANSI Z136, IEC and BS EN 60825, and JIS C 6802, and align QuEra practice across the three regimes
- Work with the Laser Safety Officers and the local scientists and engineers at our UK and Japan sites to select protection methods per configuration, review local builds, and audit on site
Collaboration
- Partner with Scientists, Engineers, and Facilities so that safety requirements are coherently applied in design
Qualifications
- B.S. or M.S. in Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field; equivalent hands-on experience will be considered
- Hands-on experience with Class 3B and Class 4 laser systems, including high power sources
- Laser safety engineering built and used on real hardware, such as containment, interlocks, or hazard analysis
- Working knowledge of ANSI Z136 or IEC 60825, and experience applying them to non-standard system configurations
- Competence in optical power measurement, beam characterization, and stray light assessment
- Credibility with practicing laser scientists and engineers, and clear written and verbal communication
Preferred Qualifications
- Certified Laser Safety Officer or equivalent formal laser safety training; support is available to pursue certification
- Experience with fiber amplifiers, frequency conversion, or free-space high power delivery
- Experience in research or prototype environments where hardware configurations change frequently
- Background in AMO experiments, cold atom, or quantum hardware platforms
- Experience coordinating safety practice across multiple international sites
- Experience defining safety requirements for automated or software-controlled hardware
The approximate base salary range for this position is
We consistently monitor external market data and update base salary ranges accordingly. We determine base compensation decisions on several factors, including as geographic placement, role-specific knowledge, skills, and/or experience. In addition to our base salary offerings, we also provide equity grants for all new hires.
QuEra is committed to cultivating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We highly value diversity in our current and future employees and do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
#LI-NB1
Similar jobs
Est. 168,000 USD
Summary Laser Systems is QuEra’s laser infrastructure program, owning the full lifecycle of QPU laser systems — architect, design, build, integrate, and sustain — across all machine generations and global sites spanning…
Est. 115,000 USD
Summary Laser Systems is QuEra’s horizontal laser infrastructure program, owning the full lifecycle of laser systems — from source to QPU optical interface — across all machine generations and global sites. As QuEra scal…
Est. 115,000 USD
Summary QuEra Computing is seeking a Laser Systems Engineer to support the development and evaluation of laser subsystems used in neutral-atom quantum computing platforms. This role will serve as a key technical liaison…
Est. 171,150 USD
Summary In this role, you will contribute to the advancement of neutral-atom-based quantum computing technologies by architecting, prototyping and integrating optical subsystems into QuEra’s next-generation quantum compu…
Est. 193,725 USD
Principal Optical Engineer The Hardware Engineering Group at QuEra Computing is seeking strong candidates for a Principal Optical Engineer to serve as a senior individual contributor to the company’s mission of building…
Est. 140,000 USD
Senior Optical Engineer The Hardware Engineering Group at QuEra Computing is seeking strong candidates for a Senior Optical Engineer to serve as a senior individual contributor to the company’s mission of building state-…
Est. 140,000 USD
Senior Optical Engineer The Hardware Engineering Group at QuEra Computing is seeking strong candidates for a Senior Optical Engineer to serve as a senior individual contributor to the company’s mission of building state-…
Est. 150,000 USD
Optical Engineer The Hardware Engineering Group at QuEra Computing is seeking strong candidates for an Optical Engineer to serve as an individual contributor to the company’s mission of building state-of-the-art, manufac…
Est. 140,000 USD
Summary QuEra is building its next-generation quantum computer in Boston: the first fault-tolerant, universal quantum computer at a scale where commercially useful applications become possible. This is the scientific, te…
Est. 120,000 USD
Quantum Calibration Engineer, Quantum Computing Services Summary: QuEra is seeking Quantum Calibration Engineers to join a growing effort focused on developing, testing and deploying calibration and performance character…
Est. 120,000 USD
Summary QuEra is building its next-generation quantum computer in Boston: the first fault-tolerant, universal quantum computer at a scale where commercially useful applications become possible. This is the scientific, te…
Est. 171,150 USD
Summary QuEra Computing is pioneering the future of quantum computing technology. We are seeking an Optical Scientist to join our growing team and help create the world's largest and first commercially relevant quantum c…
Est. 132,500 USD
Mechanical Engineer Position Overview QuEra is seeking a Mechanical Engineer with expertise and experience in manufacturing to join our growing team building next-generation neutral atom quantum computers. This individua…
Est. 160,000 USD
Job position: Senior Quantum Machine Builder QuEra Computing is seeking strong candidates for a Quantum Machine Build role to serve as an individual contributor to the company’s mission of building state-of-the-art, manu…
Est. 115,000 USD
Summary The Photonics team at QuEra pioneers cutting-edge photonic chips for integration into neutral-atom quantum computers. Scaling our technology requires high-volume, high-precision characterization of the photonic c…
Est. 210,000 USD
1. Mission of the RoleTo define, validate, and execute the integration strategy for QuEra’s quantum systems within classical HPC/AI infrastructure — identifying use cases, technical requirements, and the right ecosystem…
Est. 168,000 USD
Summary QuEra Computing, a frontrunner in the quantum computing industry, is seeking a highly motivated and experienced full-stack Photonic Engineer to help build the AI-driven component development pipelines that will a…
Est. 215,000 USD
Engineering Operations Manager: QuEra is seeking an Engineering Operations Manager to make execution across software, hardware, test infrastructure, and QPU programs more predictable, visible, and efficient. This person…
Est. 175,000 USD
Summary QuEra Computing is seeking an accomplished quantum scientist and research leader to serve as Head of Quantum Applications at our newly established New Mexico office. In this role, you will build and lead a local…
Est. 219,000 USD
PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deplo…
Est. 115,000 USD
Summary This role focuses on developing computational methods for in-the-loop stabilization of neutral atom Logical Quantum Processing Units (LQPUs). The position sits at the interface of quantum hardware and control sys…
Est. 171,150 USD
Summary QuEra Computing is seeking a mission-driven Quantum Scientist focused on designing and delivering specialized educational engagement and training. You’ll use your expertise in quantum error correction (QEC) and y…
Est. 200,000 USD
Summary QuEra is looking for Technical Product Manager to coordinate a cross-functional development program for the control system at the heart of our next-generation quantum processor units (QPUs)—which may become the w…
Est. 53,000 GBP
PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deplo…
Est. 210,000 USD
About Us We are building quantum computing systems that push the boundary of what is physically possible. Doing so requires a rare combination of scientific depth, engineering rigor, and operational maturity. Our Quantum…
Est. 138,500 USD
PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deplo…
Est. 152,050 USD
PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deplo…
Est. 212,500 USD
PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deplo…
Est. 191,950 USD
PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deplo…
Est. 70,000 GBP
PsiQuantum’s mission is to build the first useful quantum computers—machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deplo…