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Full time
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Senior Principal Project Engineer, Photonic System Development

Monarch QuantumSan Diego, California🇺🇸United StatesPosted 26 Jun 2026

Why This Role Stands Out

This leadership role offers the chance to shape groundbreaking photonic systems from the ground up, leveraging your extensive experience to drive innovation in a fast-paced startup environment with a competitive salary range of $160,000-$240,000. You will thrive here if you are a self-starter who excels at leading technical teams through complex challenges and developing robust engineering practices. Apply now to make a significant impact at the forefront of quantum technology.

Quick Overview

Salary
$160k - $240k/yr
Seniority
Leader
Employment type
Full Time
Work mode
On Site
Location
San Diego, California, United States
Posted
2 months ago

Job Description

Join our fast-paced and passionate team as a Senior Principal Project Engineer. As we scale, you will be instrumental in building our foundation from the ground up. This is a dynamic, hands-on role for a self-starter who thrives in a fluid startup environment. You'll have the opportunity to work on cutting edge technologies, work closely with leadership, and develop and implement engineering practices that support our mission and growth. Your key responsibilities are as follows:

  • Leads planning and execution of development projects, responsible for project scope, schedule and budget. Represents the company in front of customers and collaborates with functional managers within Engineering and cross-functionally to assure successful project execution.
  • Manages matrixed technical team thru schedule bottlenecks, uncertainty, lack of information and sudden changes, while screening team from external turbulence and assuring highest productivity and focus on success. 
  • Provides technical, logistical and problem-solving leadership, develops and employs best engineering practices. Anticipates risks and identifies opportunities, then manages both thru the projects. 
  • Responsible for project execution per internally and customer defined processes, reaching, documenting and defending project milestones: requirement, design and test readiness reviews, integration and test events, test reports, installation and support activities.

Experience:

  • Advanced degree in Engineering or a related field
  • 18 years or more of relevant experience (including pursuit of relevant higher education); ideally within a startup or technology company.

Skills:

  • Proven record of successfully leading a photonic system development project using structured development process.
  • Expert in a subset of technical areas: systems engineering, optics and photonics, AMO physics, control theory, opto-mechanics, electrical and software engineering.

Startup Mindset:

  • You're creative, flexible, and eager to wear multiple hats.
  • You're passionate about building systems from the ground up and comfortable with ambiguity and change.

The expected annual salary range for this position is $160,000-$240,000.

As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for Monarch’s comprehensive benefits package, which includes:

  • Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
  • Fidelity 401(k) plan with 4% employer matching
  • 20 paid time off (PTO) days per year
  • 13 paid company holidays
  • 9/80 work schedule (every other Friday off)


Monarch is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status or any other characteristics protected under applicable federal, state and local laws.

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