Advanced Mechanical Design Engineer (Cryo, Optical, Vacuum Systems)

Location: On-site in Broomfield, Colorado, United States. The position requires a U.S. Person: U.S. citizen, permanent resident or green card holder, or worker granted asylum or refugee status. Due to national security requirements, candidates must not be a People's Republic of China national or Russian national unless also a U.S. citizen.

Company

hirify.global develops a full-stack quantum computing platform for real-world applications across pharmaceuticals, materials science, financial services, government, industrial sectors, and academic and research institutions.

What you will do

• Design mechanical hardware for trapped-ion quantum computing systems, including cryogenic, UHV/XHV, optical, ion-trap, vacuum-compatible, thermal-interface, and precision optical subsystems.
• Develop designs addressing parasitic heat loads, thermal contraction, CTE mismatch, mechanical stability, vibration sensitivity, vacuum compatibility, assembly tolerances, alignment, packaging, and reliability.
• Design prototype hardware and de-risk test fixtures for validating materials, interfaces, subsystem concepts, cryogenic assemblies, adhesives, coatings, and thermal interfaces.
• Collaborate with optical physicists, vacuum, cryogenic, optical, electrical, trap fabrication, and systems engineering teams on fiber and free-space optical systems, interfaces, and risk reduction.
• Evaluate outgassing, cryogenic thermal performance, mechanical stability, alignment repeatability, contamination, and failure modes with lab engineers.
• Perform mechanical, thermal, tolerance, structural, modal, and related analyses; generate CAD models, drawings, assemblies, interface definitions, documentation, and technical recommendations.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 5 years of hands-on mechanical design experience with complex hardware systems required; master’s and PhD experience is included.
• Must be a U.S. Person: U.S. citizen, permanent resident or green card holder, or worker granted asylum or refugee status.
• Must not be a People's Republic of China national or Russian national unless also a U.S. citizen.

Nice to have

• Advanced degree in mechanical engineering, aerospace engineering, applied physics, materials science, or a related technical field.
• Experience with cryogenic systems, UHV vacuum systems, lasers and precision optics, AMO physics experiments, trapped-ion systems, or semiconductor packaging.
• Experience designing precision-toleranced mechanical components or assemblies requiring thermal management and structural stability.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD tools and mechanical drawing release practices.
• Experience designing hardware that can be fabricated, inspected, assembled, tested, and iterated.
• Ability to use analysis, test data, and engineering judgment for mechanical design decisions; experience with material selection for vacuum, cryogenic, and low-magnetic environments.
• Experience with thermal modeling, parasitic heat-load estimation, FEA, tolerance analysis, modal analysis, or structural analysis.
• Experience designing test fixtures, prototype assemblies, or validation experiments for complex mechanical systems.
• Experience with GD&T, vendor management, machined parts, and design-for-assembly practices.
• Experience with vacuum cleanliness, bake-compatible design, leak checking, outgassing tests, RGA data, or cryogenic contamination control.
• Strong written and verbal communication, organizational skills, and the ability to manage multiple design and de-risking efforts in parallel.

Culture & Benefits

• On-site work in Broomfield, Colorado, with flexible work arrangements supporting work-life balance.
• Employer-subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match and student loan repayment benefit.
• Equity opportunities, competitive compensation, and employee discount programs.
• Generous paid time off, sick leave, 12 paid holidays annually, and paid parental leave.
• Accessible recruitment process with reasonable adjustments available during application and interviews.

Hiring process

• Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis with no application deadline.
• Applicants for safety-sensitive positions must complete a pre-employment drug test.