Optical Lab Manager Jobs in Park Ridge, IL (NOW HIRING)

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.
In 2024, PsiQuantum announced government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition that quantum computing will be strategically and economically defining-and that now is the time to scale.
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 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 have a clear path to make it real.
Come join us.
Job Summary:
We are seeking a Senior Finance Manager in the FP&A team with experience supporting capital-intensive, advanced hardware businesses in a startup or high-growth environment. This role is ideal for a finance leader who thrives in ambiguity, operates with a proactive, builder mindset, and can establish scalable capital planning processes, controls, and financial discipline while maintaining flexibility as the business evolves.
This individual contributor role partners with Engineering/R&D, Operations, Facilities, IT, and Accounting to provide financial leadership across high-value capital expenditures, complex equipment purchases, and large-scale facility and lab projects.
Role will require candidate to have on-site flexibility to work in Chicago, Illinois offices as situation requires.
Responsibilities:
Capital Planning, Controls & Governance

• Design and own capital planning frameworks, including approval workflows, funding governance, and prioritization models appropriate for a startup or scaling environment.
• Establish and continuously improve controls, processes, and structure around capital requests, project approvals, and spend tracking while balancing speed and rigor.
• Develop capital authorization policies and ensure compliance as the organization grows.

Capital Expenditures & Project Finance

• Lead FP&A for large-scale capital investments related to semiconductor equipment, advanced computing systems, R&D labs, and specialized facilities.
• Partner with R&D to evaluate investments in building the world's first useful quantum computer, including tooling, test equipment, cryogenic systems, and supporting infrastructure.
• Build and maintain robust tracking and scenario models for long-cycle, high-risk technology investments.
• Own short- and long-range capex forecasting, adjusting plans dynamically as priorities evolve.

Purchase Orders & Spend Tracking

• Oversee purchase order creation, approvals, and commitment tracking for multi-vendor, long lead-time equipment and construction projects.
• Implement scalable methods to track committed vs. actual spend, progress payments, and milestone-based billing.
• Proactively identify risks, overruns, and timing issues and partner with stakeholders on mitigation plans.

Accounting & Financial Close Support

• Serve as a key finance partner to Accounting on capitalization, depreciation, construction-in-progress (CIP), asset lives, and impairment for advanced hardware and facilities.
• Ensure appropriate accounting treatment for tooling, wafers, masks, prototypes, pilot lines, lab equipment, cryogenic infrastructure, and specialized software.
• Support month-end and quarter-end close activities related to fixed assets and project accounting in accordance with US GAAP.

FP&A & Strategic Business Partnership

• Act as a trusted, hands-on finance partner to leadership in a fast-moving startup environment, providing clear insights despite incomplete data.
• Translate technically complex project and engineering inputs into executive-ready financial summaries.
• Balance long-term technology bets with near-term cash management and funding constraints.

Systems, Tools & Process Improvement

• Leverage NetSuite or comparable ERP and project accounting tools to support high-value capital projects.
• Lead process improvements and system enhancements for fixed assets, CIP, and project tracking as the organization scales.
• Build financial infrastructure that can evolve from early-stage to more mature operations.

Experience/Qualifications:
Required

• 8+ years of experience in FP&A, corporate finance, or capital-focused finance roles.
• Experience in semiconductor, advanced hardware, electronics, or similarly capital-intensive industries.
• Strong understanding of capital expenditure accounting, fixed assets, CIP, and long-lived assets.
• Hands-on experience with NetSuite or comparable ERP systems.
• Advanced financial modeling and analytical skills.
• Ability to work independently, prioritize effectively, and drive initiatives forward with limited direction.

Preferred

• MBA preferred.
• Experience scaling financial controls and governance alongside rapid organizational growth.

Key Competencies

• Builder mindset with strong ownership mentality.
• Comfort with ambiguity and evolving priorities.
• Proactive problem-solving and bias toward action.
• Strategic capital allocation and financial rigor.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration with technical teams.
• Ability to balance flexibility with discipline and control.

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 is located within the Zone 3 (Examples include Austin, Chicago, and Sacramento) salary range.
Actual compensation within the stated salary range will depend on a variety of factors, including a candidate's qualifications, relevant education and training, competencies, experience, business needs, and internal equity. Your recruiter can provide additional information about the compensation for this role during the hiring process.
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 benefits have eligibility requirements and may vary based on 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 in Chicago, Illinois is:
Zone 3
$158,900-$186,700 USD