Manager, Cryogenic Process & Distribution Engineering

PsiQuantum's mission is to build the first useful quantum computers: machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deploy million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum systems. Quantum computers harness the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that even the most advanced supercomputers or AI systems will never reach. Their impact will span energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials, and other foundational industries. Our architecture and approach is based on silicon photonics. By leveraging the advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry, including partners like GlobalFoundries, we use the same high-volume processes that already produce billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics. Photonics offers natural advantages for scale: photons don't feel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure. That approach has since been tested at the highest level of scrutiny the U.S. government applies to emerging technology, and it has held up. In 2025, PsiQuantum closed a $1 billion funding round that valued the company at $7 billion. In 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce signed a $100 million Letter of Intent under the CHIPS and Science Act, followed by a $125 million agreement with DARPA under Stage C of its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, PsiQuantum's most valuable U.S. government agreement to date. This year, we also broke ground on our utility-scale quantum computer in Brisbane, Australia, and continued building out our Chicago site. Victor Peng, our CEO, and co-founder Jeremy O'Brien, now Executive Chairman, lead a team and board that reflects how seriously the world is taking this build, joined this year by Intel's Lip-Bu Tan and Atomico's Niklas Zennström. PsiQuantum also develops the algorithms and software needed to make these systems commercially valuable. Our application, software, and industry teams work directly with leading Fortune 500 companies, including Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical, to prepare quantum solutions for real-world impact. Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. It represents a fundamental shift, and a path to mastering challenges that cannot be solved any other way. The potential is enormous, and we now have the funding, the government validation, and the sites under construction to make it real. Job Summary: The Manager, Cryogenic Process & Distribution Engineering is responsible for the architecture, design, and integration of the cryogenic process and distribution systems supporting PsiQuantum's global cryogenic infrastructure. This role defines the overall cryogenic system architecture, ensuring seamless integration of cryoplants, cryostats, cryogenic distribution systems, and supporting equipment including helium recovery systems, purifiers, liquid and gas storage, and auxiliary process equipment. The objective is to develop a coherent and reliable cryogenic process that delivers all required operating modes and performance while ensuring safe, efficient, and maintainable operation. The Manager, Cryogenic Process & Distribution Engineering owns the system process design, including process calculations, hydraulic analysis, Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), operating philosophies, system descriptions, and HAZOP studies. The role ensures the optimal integration of helium and nitrogen systems with cryoplants and cryostats and defines the architecture of all warm and cold process piping throughout the cryogenic infrastructure. In addition to technical leadership, the Manager, Cryogenic Process & Distribution Engineering develops and mentors the Cryogenic Process & Distribution Engineering Team, establishes engineering standards and best practices, and works closely with cryostat, cryoplant, process controls, facilities, operations, and external equipment suppliers to deliver safe, reliable, and high-performance cryogenic systems across PsiQuantum's worldwide sites. Responsibilities: • Lead the architecture and integration of complete cryogenic systems, including cryoplants, cryostats, cryogenic distribution systems, and auxiliary equipment. • Define the overall helium and nitrogen process architecture to support all operational and maintenance modes. • Develop process calculations, hydraulic analyses, and system performance models. • Produce and maintain Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs), Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs), process descriptions, operating philosophies, and functional specifications. • Lead HAZOPs and other process safety reviews, ensuring compliance with applicable codes and company standards. • Define the architecture and sizing of warm and cold process piping, valves, heat exchangers, phase separators, distribution manifolds, transfer lines, and auxiliary process equipment. • Specify process equipment and prepare technical specifications for procurement. • Support vendor selection, technical reviews, manufacturing follow-up, factory acceptance testing (FAT), and site acceptance testing (SAT). • Support installation, pre-commissioning, commissioning, performance testing, and operation of cryogenic systems. • Troubleshoot system performance and lead continuous improvements to process efficiency, reliability, and operability. • Establish engineering standards, design guidelines, and best practices for cryogenic process and distribution engineering. • Lead and mentor the Cryogenic Process & Distribution Engineering Team while fostering technical excellence and knowledge sharing. • Collaborate closely with Process Controls, Cryostat, Cryoplant, Facilities, Operations, System Engineering, and external suppliers to ensure successful project execution across multiple global sites. Experience/Qualifications: • Master's degree or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Cryogenic Engineering, or a related discipline (Bachelor's degree with extensive experience considered). • 10+ years of experience designing and operating large-scale cryogenic systems involving helium and nitrogen refrigeration. • Strong knowledge of cryogenic thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and hydraulic system design. • Demonstrated experience with cryogenic process design, PFDs, P&IDs, HAZOPs, and process safety. • Experience integrating complex cryogenic systems including cryoplants, cryostats, and cryogenic distribution systems. • Experience working with EPC contractors and cryogenic equipment manufacturers. • Familiarity with process simulation tools and engineering calculation software. • Strong project leadership and technical decision-making skills. • Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills. • Willingness to travel internationally to support manufacturing, installation, commissioning, and operations. PsiQuantum provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. PsiQuantum does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable laws. Note: PsiQuantum will only reach out to you using an official PsiQuantum email address and will never ask you for bank account information as part of the interview process. Please report any suspicious activity to recruiting@psiquantum.com. We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies. Base pay is one part of the total compensation package. Full-time roles are eligible for equity and benefits. Our compensation ranges reflect the cost of labor across multiple U.S. geographic markets, and we pay based on defined geographic zones. This position may be filled within one of the following U.S. geographic zones, each with its own salary range. Actual compensation may vary outside of these ranges and is dependent on various factors including, but not limited to, a candidate's qualifications, relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, business needs, and internal equity. Your recruiter can share more details about the salary range applicable to your location during the hiring process. • Zone 1 - Bay Area and NYC • Zone 2 - Examples include Los Angeles and Washington DC • Zone 3 - Examples include Austin, Chicago, and Sacramento • Zone 4 - Examples include Nashville and Phoenix/Tempe and many remote locations This position includes the following benefits: competitive health coverage for you and your dependents, 401(k) with company match, equity grants, access to financial wellness tools and planning resources, wellness benefits, family support programs, life and disability insurance, paid leave programs, company-designated paid holidays, discretionary time off (DTO), and an end-of-year company shutdown. Some of these benefits have eligibility requirements and may vary based on location, role, or employment status. Many of these benefits are subsidized or fully paid for by the company. The estimated annual base salary range for this role is: Zone 1 $208,300—$244,700 USD Zone 2 $187,400—$220,200 USD Zone 3 $166,600—$195,800 USD Zone 4 $145,800—$171,300 USD