Lead Integrated Photonics Simulation and Layout Engineer at IonQ (Boston, USA)

Engineer, Quantum Technology
United States of America
September 11, 2026
₹145920 - ₹209241 / year
Full Time
Application ends: October 11, 2026
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Job Description

IonQ is hiring a Lead Integrated Photonics Simulation and Layout Engineer in Boston to lead the layout of photonic integrated devices and circuits, mainly supporting process design kit (PDK) development with commercial foundries, and to contribute to quantum photonic platforms.

At a glance

  • Role: Lead Integrated Photonics Simulation & Layout Engineer
  • Where: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
  • Pay: US$145,920–209,241 base, plus bonus and equity
  • Level: PhD in electrical engineering, physics or a related field, or equivalent experience
  • Platforms: diamond photonics, thin-film lithium niobate and ion-trap photonics
  • Apply: open until filled (re-checked 11 October 2026)

About the photonics layout lead role

  • Lead component design and layout for PDK development with commercial photonic foundries, including parameterised cell (PCell) libraries with EPDA support and automated layout workflows
  • Support design and layout for quantum photonic technologies: diamond photonics, thin-film lithium niobate and ion-trap photonics
  • Own full-reticle tapeouts from floorplanning to GDS generation, including physical verification (DRC, LVS) and layout reviews
  • Validate PDK components against measured device performance with the fabrication and test teams

Photonic integrated circuits are becoming central to trapped-ion computing and quantum networking: they deliver light to qubits, collect photons and link systems together. A process design kit (PDK) turns a foundry’s process into validated, reusable components, which is what lets complex quantum photonic chips be designed reliably and repeatedly.

What IonQ is looking for

  • A PhD in electrical engineering, physics or a related field, or equivalent experience
  • Device design in diamond photonics, thin-film lithium niobate or ion-trap photonics, with simulation tools such as Lumerical, Tidy3D or COMSOL
  • Extensive hands-on layout of photonic integrated circuits, including full-reticle tapeouts with commercial foundries
  • Deep expertise with Python-based layout tools such as KLayout, gdsfactory or Luceda IPKISS, and PDK workflows
  • Excellent communication and a record of working across design, fabrication and test teams

Nice to have

  • Developing or supporting PDKs for commercial photonic foundries
  • Using agentic AI tools, such as Claude Code, to speed up design and layout
  • Strong software engineering: Python layout automation, version control and physical verification (DRC, LVS, ERC)
  • Familiarity with architectures for distributed quantum computing, sensing and networking

Pay and location

IonQ lists a base salary range of US$145,920–209,241 for this Boston role. Total compensation also includes bonus, equity and benefits.

How to apply

Apply through the official IonQ job posting. IonQ’s posting does not give a closing date, so the role is open until filled; ResearchJobs.in will re-check this listing on 11 October 2026. Check the posting for location and work-authorisation details before you apply.

See all our quantum technology jobs, or browse more research jobs on ResearchJobs.in.

Hiring institution: IonQ

Official advertisement: job-boards.greenhouse.io

How to prepare for this application

  • PCells: show a parameterised component you built in gdsfactory, KLayout or IPKISS, with its verification.
  • Tapeout ownership: walk through a full-reticle tapeout you led: floorplan, checks, reviews and what went wrong.
  • Material platforms: compare thin-film lithium niobate, diamond and silicon nitride for quantum applications.
  • Model to measurement: have an example of reconciling simulated and measured device performance.
  • AI-assisted layout: the posting values agentic AI tools; be ready to describe how you use them safely in design work.

About IonQ

IonQ, Inc. (NYSE: IONQ) builds trapped-ion quantum computers and describes itself as a quantum platform company working across computing, networking, sensing and security. It is headquartered in College Park, Maryland, with operations in several US states and in Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada and the United Kingdom.

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