Is the Senior Photonics Test Engineer role remote?

No — this is an on-site role in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.

What's the salary range?

IonQ lists $126,887–$166,127 for this role.

How much experience is required?

3–5 years of relevant experience for this Senior Photonics Test Engineer role.

Where is the role based?

IonQ is hiring for this position in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.

What's the tech stack?

Joblaze extracted these technologies from the posting: MATLAB, Python.

What seniority level is this role?

IonQ targets senior candidates for this position.

Is this full-time or contract?

Full-time for this Senior Photonics Test Engineer role at IonQ.

Senior Photonics Test Engineer at IonQ

Joblaze summary

In the role of Senior Photonics Test Engineer at IonQ, the individual will focus on developing and executing testing procedures for on-chip photonic devices, ensuring high-quality performance through detailed characterization. Key skills include hands-on experience with optical test setups, proficiency in programming for test automation, and a solid background in integrated photonics. This position is suited for professionals with at least three years of relevant experience, ideally holding a master's or Ph.D. in engineering or a related field. IonQ's collaborative environment emphasizes teamwork across various engineering disciplines to enhance quantum computing capabilities.

Joblaze insights

Listed today — first seen on Joblaze October 3, 2026. Last confirmed on IonQ's careers page October 3, 2026.
This exact title is also open at 1 other location at IonQ: Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
Salary band is in line with the typical range for comparable tech roles (median ~$126,887).
Starts above 14% of 269 comparable senior other roles in United States that list Python we track (median $152,000 across 55 companies). See Python salary trends
Python appears in 16.6% of 2447 comparable senior other roles in United States; MATLAB appears in 3.4% of 2447 comparable senior other roles in United States.

Quick facts

Is the Senior Photonics Test Engineer role remote?: No — this is an on-site role in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
What's the salary range?: IonQ lists $126,887–$166,127 for this role.
How much experience is required?: 3–5 years of relevant experience for this Senior Photonics Test Engineer role.
Where is the role based?: IonQ is hiring for this position in Boston, Massachusetts, United States.
What's the tech stack?: Joblaze extracted these technologies from the posting: MATLAB, Python.
What seniority level is this role?: IonQ targets senior candidates for this position.
Is this full-time or contract?: Full-time for this Senior Photonics Test Engineer role at IonQ.

From the original posting

About IonQ:

Location: This role will be based on-site at our Boston, MA office.
Travel: Less than 10%
Job ID: 1632

The Role:

We are looking for a Senior Photonics Test Engineer to join our Quantum Interconnect Division. As a Senior Photonics Test Engineer, you’ll be part of a cross-functional team whose mission is to lead IonQ on its journey to build the world’s best quantum computers to solve the world’s most complex problems. In this role, you will be responsible for the characterization and test development of on-chip photonic devices. The ideal candidate is someone who is a detail-oriented problem solver with strong teamwork skills.

Responsibilities:

Design, upgrade, and expand the testing infrastructure for characterizing classical integrated photonics devices and components (passive and active) at chip and wafer level scale, utilizing both room-temperature and cryogenic setups.
Develop and perform robust testing procedures for component-level characterization.
Automate the test pipeline, including instrument setup, data acquisition, and analysis, while maintaining high-quality, scalable, and well-tested scripts.
Conduct characterization using room-temperature and cryogenic setups and provide data-driven feedback to design engineers to improve component performance.
Collaborate with design, packaging, and system teams to optimize testing features and develop a library of testing structures for platform improvement.

Requirements:

3+ years of professional experience in the hands-on characterization of PIC devices or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Master or Ph.D. in engineering or related field/discipline or equivalent practical experience.
Programming experience in a general-purpose programming language (like Python, Matlab, etc.) for test automation.
Experience with test instrumentation and methods for characterizing classical integrated photonics devices.
Strong data processing, visualization, and organizational skills.
Hands-on experience with room-temperature optical test setups

Preferred Qualifications:

5+ years of design and characterization experience of classical integrated photonics devices.
3+ years of industry experience.
Familiarity with free-space optics and imaging systems.
Hands-on experience with cryogenic optical test setups.
Experience working with laser sources and fiber components.
Strong programming skills for data analysis and experimental automation software, and experience with version control systems such as git.
Familiarity with fabrication processes and design constraints for PICs.

The approximate base salary range for this position is $126,887 - $166,127. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity, and a range of benefit options found on our career site.

Compensation will vary based on individual factors such as education, qualifications, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location, and calibration against relevant market data and internal team equity. Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. Our benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, matching 401(k), unlimited PTO and paid holidays, parental/adoption leave, legal insurance, and a home technology stipend. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment.

Standard company text repeated across IonQ's postings is omitted here.

Senior Photonics Test Engineer

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