IonQ
Senior Electrical Engineer - Space
Pleasanton, California, United States · Senior · Contract
Work authorization required$142k-$186kDetected 9 hours ago
AlgorithmsAWSFinancial ModelingLogisticsPCB DesignFPGAElectrical EngineeringHardware DesignSignal ProcessingCommunicationCollaboration
About the role
- We're looking for a Senior Electrical Engineer to join a multidisciplinary team of physicists and electrical, mechanical, software, and optical engineers designing next-generation quantum sensors for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions.
- This is a newly created, high-impact role central to our space sensor programs.
- You'll join a growing electronics team of engineers, reporting to our Engineering Director, with close daily collaboration across firmware, RTL, mechanical, and optical disciplines.
Responsibilities
- Lead high-level electrical architecture for next-generation quantum sensors, balancing size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C).
- Own end-to-end PCB development: requirements definition, schematic design, layout, fabrication coordination, and performance verification.
- Translate system-level requirements into detailed electronic designs in collaboration with physicists, and mechanical, software, and optical engineers.
- Design and adapt circuits for reliable operation in the LEO radiation and thermal environment.
- Partner with firmware and RTL engineers on radiation-tolerant techniques (error detection/correction, bit scrubbing, recovery methods).
- Support system integration, test, and troubleshooting to ensure instrument-level requirements are met.
- Build environmental test plans simulating LEO conditions
- Characterize and validate designs using standard lab test and measurement equipment.
- Build environmental test plans simulating LEO conditions; estimate FIT rates and electronics lifetime against mission parameters.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering (or related field) with 6+ years of experience, or a Master's degree with 3+ years.
- Experience with power, analog, and mixed-signal circuit design for satellite or other flight systems.
- Working knowledge of radiation effects (TID, SEE) and common mitigation strategies.
- Experience selecting or qualifying components for radiation performance, including COTS parts.
- ability to work cross-functionally with hardware, firmware, and physics teams.
- To comply with the US export control laws, Vector Atomic employees must be U.S. citizens (born or naturalized), lawful U.S. permanent residents (i.e. green card holders), and certain categories of refugees, and asylees.
- 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.
Nice to have
- Experience with space-qualified microprocessors or FPGA families.
- Exposure to FPGA RTL or radiation-mitigation algorithms (TMR, SEU handling).
- Familiarity with digital signal processing and FPGA implementation constraints.
- Circuit simulation experience (e.g., LTSpice).
- Experience in AS9100-compliant environments
- Vector Atomic values teamwork, open and honest discourse, and work-life balance.
- Employer 401(k) contributions
- Fully stocked kitchen
Skills
- In 2025, the company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance.
- IonQ is making quantum platforms more accessible and impactful than ever before.
Compensation
- Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available.
- The approximate base salary range for this position is $ 142,113 - $186,063 per year.
Benefits
- Platinum-level family health coverage (medical, dental, vision)
- Health and dependent care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- 20 days of paid time off & 11 paid holidays
- Paid parental leave
- We offer competitive compensation and benefits including:
- The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity and benefits.
- 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.
Visa & Work Authorization
- To comply with the US export control laws, Vector Atomic employees must be U
This listing is sourced directly from IonQ's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.