Job Title: Application Engineer Quantum Sensing
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Division: Revenue
Department: Product
About Us: Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi) (Nasdaq: QUBT) is an innovative, integrated photonics company that provides accessible and affordable quantum machines to the world today. QCi products are designed to operate at room temperature and low power at an affordable cost. The Company's portfolio of core technology and products offer unique capabilities in the areas of high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, cyber security, as well as remote sensing applications.
Scope of the Job: QCi is seeking a high-caliber Application Engineer to deploy and support QCi's quantum sensing platform, including the Vibrometer and related photonic sensing systems at customer sites. The role combines laboratory development with high-impact field engagement: you will design and characterize sensing testbeds and proof-of-concept demonstrations in the lab, provide technical support to new and existing customers from the office, and travel to customer locations to install, integrate, calibrate, and commission QCi sensing systems. The work spans optics, electronics, signal processing, and software aligning and calibrating optical sensing heads, bringing up analog/RF and signal chains, and automating deployment and diagnostics through scripting. The ideal candidate balances technical depth in photonic sensing and signal processing with hands-on hardware/software integration skills and the professional presence to cultivate long-term customer relationships. This position is based in Hoboken, NJ or may be performed remotely, and requires travel of up to 50% to customer sites. A successful candidate is equally comfortable in the office, the lab, and the field.
Duties / Responsibilities:
System Deployment and Integration
- Site Implementation: Install, align, and commission QCi quantum sensing hardware (e.g., the Vibrometer) at customer sites, including optical/mechanical mounting, power and cabling, network provisioning, and initial system bring-up.
- Sensor Calibration: Align optical sensing heads, tune interferometric or photonic sensing paths, and calibrate systems against known references to verify sensitivity, bandwidth, and noise floor meet specification.
- Signal Chains: Set up, calibrate, and validate analog and digital signal chains (photodetector front-ends, amplifiers, filters, RF/IF stages), using oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, signal generators, and power meters to confirm performance against specification.
- Automation: Write and maintain scripts that streamline installation, configuration, data logging, diagnostics, and ongoing sensor health monitoring.
- Acceptance Testing: Execute on-site and remote acceptance testing of sensing performance (e.g., minimum detectable signal, frequency response, drift), document results, resolve deficiencies, and secure customer sign-off on delivered systems.
Application Development and Demonstration
- Systems Engineering: Design, construct, and characterize sensing testbeds and system-level demonstrations (structural health monitoring, seismic/acoustic detection, vibration analysis, and related use cases) that mirror real-world customer environments.
- Consultative Discovery: Extract and synthesize technical requirements from customers to provide tailored guidance on applying QCi's quantum sensing platform to their specific detection or monitoring challenge.
- Benchmarking: Quantify and document the sensitivity, noise, and performance advantages of QCi sensing hardware against incumbent sensor technologies (e.g., conventional accelerometers, laser Doppler vibrometers, fiber sensors).
- Technical Content: Author application notes, whitepapers, installation guides, runbooks, and field service documentation that educate customers on specific sensing use cases.
- Thought Leadership: Present validated application results to internal peers, customers, and the broader technical community through industry publications and conferences.
Customer Support
- Deployment Support: Provide expert on-site and remote assistance for customer bring-up, sensor installation, and complex troubleshooting.
- Technical Escalation: Serve as the technical escalation point for deployed sensing systems, diagnosing optical, electronic, software, and signal-integrity issues in the field and coordinating resolution with engineering.
- Training and Handoff: Deliver hands-on training and operational handoff to customer staff so they can operate and maintain QCi sensing systems independently.
- Collaborative Design: Lead technical brainstorming sessions with customers to map QCi's sensing capabilities to their unique mission or monitoring requirements.
- Feedback Loop: Maintain an active bug tracker and feature request list, coordinating with the Engineering team to prioritize fixes and future sensing platform enhancements.
- Site Readiness: Support site surveys and define site readiness requirements covering mounting/vibration isolation, power, environmental conditions, network, and space.
Required Skills & Experience:
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Optics/Photonics, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline; equivalent military or industry field engineering experience will be considered.
- Experience: 5–8+ years of hands-on experience deploying, integrating, or supporting sensing, optical, or instrumentation hardware and software systems in customer environments.
- Optical/Photonic Sensing: Practical experience with optical or photonic sensing techniques (interferometry, laser-based sensing, fiber-optic sensing, or similar), including alignment, calibration, and noise/sensitivity characterization.
- Signal Processing: Working knowledge of signal processing fundamentals sampling, filtering, spectral analysis (FFT), and noise characterization as applied to vibration, acoustic, or other physical sensing signals.
- RF/Analog Instrumentation: Working knowledge of analog and digital RF/signal-chain fundamentals, including cabling and connectors, impedance and attenuation, timing and synchronization, and use of standard test equipment (oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, signal generators).
- Scripting: Shell scripting proficiency (bash or equivalent) for automation, diagnostics, and deployment; Python or comparable scripting experience (e.g., for data analysis/DSP) is a plus.
- Hardware Build: Demonstrated ability to build and service precision instrumentation and sensing hardware component selection, assembly, and thermal/power/vibration-isolation considerations.
- Technical Depth: Familiarity with quantum sensing, photonic hardware, lasers, or optoelectronics is strongly preferred; exposure to vibration/acoustic sensing, structural health monitoring, or geophysical sensing is a plus.
- Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence technical stakeholders and executives alike and to remain composed under on-site pressure.
- Autonomy: A self-starter capable of driving projects independently while maintaining seamless integration with the broader team.
- Work Environment: Comfort working across office, laboratory, and field environments, including the ability to lift and rack equipment and work safely in active customer facilities.
- Travel: Willingness and ability to travel up to 50%, domestically and internationally, with a valid driver's license and passport.
Additional Preferred Skills:
- Familiarity with quantum sensing, photonic hardware, lasers, or optoelectronics is strongly preferred.
- Exposure to vibration/acoustic sensing, structural health monitoring, or geophysical sensing is a plus.
- Python or comparable scripting experience (e.g., for data analysis/DSP) is a plus.
Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
Incumbent(s) in this position may be required to perform other duties and special assignments not specifically stated above. Statements outlined in this section are designated as essential job functions in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
