Staff Engineer - Foundry Management
TLDR
Lead the fabrication of ion traps and coordinate with external partners to enable scalable, high-fidelity quantum operations.
About IonQ:
IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum platform and merchant supplier - delivering integrated quantum solutions across computing, networking, sensing, and security. IonQ’s newest generation of quantum computers, the IonQ Tempo, is the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners including Amazon Web Services, and AstraZeneca achieve 20x performance results and accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. In 2025, the company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance.
Headquartered in College Park, Maryland, IonQ has operations in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Washington, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Our quantum computing services are available through all major cloud providers, while we also meet the needs of networking and sensing customers across land, sea, air, and space. IonQ is making quantum platforms more accessible and impactful than ever before.
We are looking for a Staff Engineer, Foundry Management, to lead the fabrication of our ion traps and other development efforts with our external partners to enable scalable, high-fidelity quantum operations. In this role, you will work with the team focused on ion trap design, layout, fabrication, and test for quantum computers. You will work closely with other teams at IonQ to define our microfabrication needs and coordinate external foundry priorities to align with overall company needs.
Responsibilities:
- Manage external custom device development with US and international foundries. This includes reviewing lot status, split plans, and line-by-line travelers
- Write statements of work for engagement with new and existing vendors, supporting procurement and contract negotiations for critical suppliers
- Work cross-functionally across IonQ to gather all information needed for the foundry partners to deliver; this includes specifications, risk mitigation strategies, and discussing complex interdependencies, and working with design, layout, test, and packaging teams
- Propose and implement a short loop plan to mitigate technical and schedule risks to deliver working fully processed devices on time
- Analyze in-line metrology data to assess conformance; work with the validation team to review tolerances and update them according to new results or simulations
- Assist in root cause failure analysis of microfabricated devices internally and at external partners; review, track, and resolve risks
- Monitor project performance to understand impacts to cost, schedule, and technical capability; understand status and actively address issues during development
You’d be a good fit with:
- Master's or higher in Engineering or a relevant field/discipline
- 3+ years managing R&D, new product introduction (NPI), and/or low-volume manufacturing team or semiconductor devices based on commercial foundry processes
- 10+ years developing and delivering novel devices using custom CMOS or MEMS semiconductor devices
- Experience in foundry process development, its characterization, and transfer to production
- Expertise in novel microfabrication, its development and its qualification
- Strong leadership and project management skills, with the ability to drive cross-functional collaboration over multiple time zones
- Excellent communication skills and ability to present to a broad audience at all levels of the company
You’d be a great fit with:
- Expertise in fabrication of control electronics, photonics, ion traps
- Experience with data aggregation and statistical analysis/reporting
- Experience with Jira, Smartsheet and similar tools for project management
Location: This role can work onsite or hybrid from our College Park, MD office or fully remote in the US for the right candidate (EST preferred).
Travel: Up to 25% to other office sites
Job ID: 1264
The approximate base salary range for this position is $126,887 - $166,127. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, and equity.
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 401K, 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.
At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all while striving to identify and eliminate barriers. We empower employees to thrive by fostering a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.
We are committed to equity and justice. We welcome different voices and viewpoints and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.
US Technical Jobs. The position you are applying for will require access to technology that is subject to U.S. export control and government contract restrictions. Employment with IonQ is contingent on either verifying “U.S. Person” (e.g., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum) status for export controls and government contracts work, obtaining any necessary license, and/or confirming the availability of a license exception under U.S. export controls. Please note that in the absence of confirming you are a U.S. Person for export control and government contracts work purposes, IonQ may choose not to apply for a license or decline to use a license exception (if available) for you to access export-controlled technology that may require authorization, and similarly, you may not qualify for government contracts work that requires U.S. Persons, and IonQ may decline to proceed with your application on those bases alone. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.
US Non-Technical Jobs. Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.
If you are interested in being a part of our team and mission, we encourage you to apply!
IonQ is pioneering full-stack quantum computing using trapped-ion technology, with the ability to transform critical sectors such as medicine, finance, and artificial intelligence. Their innovations push the boundaries of classical computing, unlocking new possibilities for problem-solving and data analysis.
- Founded
- Founded 2015
- Employees
- 51-200 employees
- Industry
- Internet Software & Services