Chief Architect - Optical Communication Terminals
IonQ · Broomfield, Colorado, United States
Posted about 3 months ago
or apply directly on IonQ's site. We never take the application ourselves.
Is this posting real?
- This role has been open
- 81 days IonQ's roles stay open a median of 81 days
- Reposted
- No
- Salary listed
- No 11% of IonQ's roles list one
- Ghost-job risk at IonQ
- high 104 stale, 2 reposted of 104 open
- Hiring momentum
- 159 roles opened in the last 90 days ↑ up vs. the prior 90 days
- Last confirmed on the employer's board
- 2026-10-23
Measured from postings appearing on and disappearing from IonQ's own greenhouse board since 2026-08-03. Full hiring picture for IonQ.
About this role
The Chief Architect for Optical Communication Terminals at Skyloom will lead the architecture, design, and development of next-generation optical communication systems for space applications. This role involves optimizing optical communication performance, driving innovation in areas like free-space optical communications, and providing technical leadership across engineering teams. The position requires collaboration with multidisciplinary teams and includes responsibilities such as defining system requirements, conducting validation tests, and mentoring team members.
- benefits
- 3/5
- freshness
- 1/5
- career value
- 5/5
- role clarity
- 4/5
- pay transparency
- 0/5
Scored from the posting itself — how clearly the role is described, how much it says about pay and benefits, and how recently it was listed. Not a judgement of IonQ as an employer.
What you need
- 10+ years of experience designing and developing Free Space Optical (FSO) communication systems or Optical Communication Terminals (OCTs)
- Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering or a related field, or equivalent experience
- Practical experience with fiber optic and free-space optics laboratory setups
- Strong understanding of wavefront errors, SNR, BER, and link budgets
- Experience with optical simulation/modelling tools (e.g., Zemax, Code V, MATLAB, Python)
- Knowledge of adaptive optics, beam steering, Pointing, Acquisition and Tracking (PAT), and pointing error impacts
Nice to have
- Space-flight industry experience
- Laser Safety knowledge
- Experience transitioning an optical product into production
- Direct experience with Optical Inter-Satellite Links (OISLs) and high-speed optical communication systems, including 100 Gbps LEO optical networks
- Spanish speaking is a plus
What you get
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans
- Matching 401(k)
- Unlimited PTO and paid holidays
- Parental/adoption leave
- Legal insurance
- Home technology stipend
Worth weighing
- No specific details on the technology stack used in the role
- The position involves working in a fast-paced, multi-cultural startup environment which may require adaptability
- The role includes travel up to 5%
- Compensation figures are subject to change based on market data and individual qualifications
Summarised from IonQ's posting. Read the full original.
Listed by IonQ on their greenhouse job board, last confirmed open on 2026-10-23. PitchMeAI is not the employer.
More roles at IonQ
- Staff Firmware EngineerPleasanton, California, United States
- Staff Electrical Hardware Design EngineerLouisville, Colorado, United States; San Francisco, California, United States
- Senior Flight Software EngineerLouisville, Colorado, United States; San Francisco, California, United States
- Principal Cybersecurity Architect – Network Security Posture ManagementSanta Clara, California, United States
- Senior Staff Distributed Systems EngineerSanta Clara, California, United States
- Staff Quality EngineerBroomfield, Colorado, United States
- Group Product Manager - Quantum NetworkingBothell, Washington, United States
- Senior Distributed Systems EngineerSanta Clara, California, United States