Quantum Systems Engineer at Monarch Quantum in San Diego, CA

Join our fast-paced and passionate team as a Quantum Systems Engineer. As we scale, you will be instrumental in building our foundation from the ground up. This is a dynamic, hands-on role for a self-starter who thrives in a fluid startup environment. You'll have the opportunity to work on cutting edge technologies, work closely with leadership, and develop and implement engineering practices that support our mission and growth.

The successful candidate will take end-to-end ownership of complex optical systems while working closely with a multidisciplinary team of engineers designing light engines for neutral atom, trapped ion, and quantum sensing applications. The background in AMO laboratory laser systems is beneficial.

Your key responsibilities are as follows:

• Design, assemble, align, and characterize free-space and fiber-coupled laser systems across UV, visible, and NIR wavelengths in support of AMO experiments.

• Develop laser frequency stabilization and locking schemes — PDH, modulation transfer, saturated absorption, offset locking — and tune servo systems for robust, long-term operation.

• Architect optical subsystems for beam conditioning, delivery, switching, and control including AOMs, EOMs, isolators, and polarization management.

• Architect opto-electronic subsystems for frequency up-conversion using various techniques, from single-pass to resonant-cavity with high-speed servo control loops.

• Translate experimental requirements from physics teams into optical system specifications and engineering designs.

• Produce and maintain clear engineering documentation: optical layouts, alignment and checkout procedures, component specifications, and characterization reports.

• Specify and procure optical components; evaluate vendors and qualify new hardware against performance requirements.

• Collaborate daily with AMO physicists and quantum engineers — participate in experimental planning and feed optical system constraints upstream into research decisions.

• Support laser safety compliance in accordance with IEC 60825-1 and institutional requirements.

Please note: This position requires access to export-controlled information. Employment is contingent upon the applicant being a U.S. person as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3).

Experience and Skills:

- Ph.D. in Physics, Optical Engineering, or a closely related field, with hands-on thesis or postdoctoral work involving AMO laser systems.
- 2+ years of direct experience building and maintaining laser systems in an AMO laboratory context — atom trapping and cooling, trapped ions, optical clocks, or quantum sensing.
- Strong proficiency in free-space optical alignment, beam diagnostics, and interferometric techniques.
- Experience implementing laser frequency stabilization and understanding of the underlying servo and feedback control theory.
- Familiarity with fiber optics, including coupling, delivery, and power handling.
- Ability to produce clean, complete engineering documentation alongside laboratory work.
- Laser safety awareness; comfort working within a formal laser safety program.

Startup Mindset:

• You're creative, flexible, and eager to wear multiple hats.
• You're passionate about building systems from the ground up and comfortable with ambiguity and change.

This is a laboratory-dominant role. The Quantum Systems Engineer will spend bulk of their time on the bench executing hardware bring-up, alignment, and characterization. Complementary system engineering, design, and analysis responsibilities — including optical layout design, component specification and procurement, and performance analysis — are an integral part of the role and directly inform laboratory work. The position carries full technical ownership of assigned systems and close collaboration with the research teams that depend on them.

The expected annual salary range for this position is $165,000-$200,000.

As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for Monarch’s comprehensive benefits package, which includes:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Fidelity 401(k) plan with 4% employer matching
• 20 paid time off (PTO) days per year
• 13 paid company holidays
• 9/80 work schedule (every other Friday off)

Monarch is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status or any other characteristics protected under applicable federal, state and local laws.