Senior Thermal Mechanical Engineer

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 deploy million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum systems. 

Quantum computers harness the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that even the most advanced supercomputers or AI systems will never reach. Their impact will span energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials, and other foundational industries. 

Our architecture and approach is based on silicon photonics. By leveraging the advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry—including partners like GlobalFoundries—we use the same high-volume processes that already produce billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics. Photonics offers natural advantages for scale: photons don’t feel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure. 

In 2024, PsiQuantum announced government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition that quantum computing will be strategically and economically defining—and that now is the time to scale. 

PsiQuantum also develops the algorithms and software needed to make these systems commercially valuable. Our application, software, and industry teams work directly with leading Fortune 500 companies—including Lockheed Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical—to prepare quantum solutions for real-world impact. 

Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. It represents a fundamental shift—and a path to mastering challenges that cannot be solved any other way. The potential is enormous, and we have a clear path to make it real. 

Come join us. 

Job Summary:

The cryogenic engineering department is hiring a mechanical design engineer who will be heavily involved in the thermal mechanical simulation and design for the quantum computer. This position will interact with multiple teams internally and suppliers externally.

Responsibilities:

• The Thermal Mechanical Engineer focuses primarily on the highly integrated electronic optical assembly to support quantum computer.
• Applying knowledge of heat transfer, fluid mechanics, and structural mechanics to the development of optical electronics assembly under cryogenic condition.
• Develop methodologies for chip power modeling and measurement, characterization of power features, correlate chip behavior with simulations and provide design feedback.
• Analyzing field issues related to electronic optical assembly design and providing solutions where required.
• General design activities such as requirements management, materials and component selection, Design Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and tolerance analyses.
• Assisting and/or directing vendors to develop necessary manufacture process.
• Actively participating in cross functional project teams through all phases of product development to ensure successful execution of innovative and best-in-class designs.

Experience/Qualifications:

• B.Sc., M.Sc., or Ph.D in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, or Physics.
• Software tools – Mathcad, Matlab, IcePak, ANSYS Workbench, Fluent, SpaceClaim, Solidworks, NX.
• Demonstrated use of advanced analysis tools to solve thermal/fluid challenges with respect to optical and electronic assembly at the appropriate level of detail – Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Fluid Dynamics (CFD).
• Solid understanding of and experience matching thermal models to experiment results.
• Thoroughly documenting design inputs and outputs.
• Ability to adapt changes and handle multiple assignments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Desired Skills/Experience:

• Experience with multiple material performance, design constraints, and manufacture constraints under cryogenics condition.
• Knowledge of common optical system specifications and optical component specifications.
• Experience in feeding thermal model results into structural models to determine optical component movements/deformations (STOP analysis).
• Exposure to CPU/GPU/SoC architecture and HW-SW co-design is a plus.

PsiQuantum provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. PsiQuantum does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable laws.

Note: PsiQuantum will only reach out to you using an official PsiQuantum email address and will never ask you for bank account information as part of the interview process. Please report any suspicious activity to [email protected].

We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies.