Photonics Integration Technician

Location: Ottawa, ON (on-site) Employment type: Full-time permanent Salary range: $55,000 – $75,000 CAD per year About Q-Block Computing: Q-Block Computing builds quantum systems that operate in the real world. The company develops quantum timing, quantum-secure communications, and quantum computing platforms engineered for the performance, reliability, and environmental resilience that mission-critical applications demand — systems designed to be deployed, maintained, and trusted by operators who cannot afford ambiguity about whether the technology works. The long-term vision is deeper than any single platform. Q-Block is pursuing a mission to decode Nature's foundational model — to build instruments of sufficient precision and coherence that they become tools for understanding the physical universe at its most fundamental level. Commercialization and science reinforce each other by design. About this role: The Photonics Integration Technician sits at the bench where engineering designs become working hardware. The role is responsible for the precision optical and photonic assembly, alignment, and testing of the subsystems that make up Q-Block's quantum platforms — free-space optics and fiber systems brought together to meet tight specifications, documented cleanly enough that the next build reproduces the first. The successful candidate is a hands-on craftsperson with the patience and steadiness that precision optics require, and the discipline to follow procedures exactly while recognizing when a process can be improved. They work closely with the Optical Engineer and the broader hardware team, and take pride in assemblies that align the first time, test to spec, and leave the bench ready to be trusted. Responsibilities Assemble, align, and secure free-space optical components — lenses, mirrors, beamsplitters, waveplates, filters, modulators — on optical breadboards and within integrated hardware enclosures, per engineering drawings and work instructions. Prepare, cleave, connectorize, splice, and terminate single-mode and polarization-maintaining optical fibers; perform fiber-to-free-space coupling and fiber-to-component pigtailing. Align optical assemblies to specified tolerances using precision stages, autocollimators, beam profilers, and power meters; document achieved alignment metrics. Perform functional and performance testing of optical assemblies including insertion loss, return loss, extinction ratio, beam quality, and power throughput measurements. Operate and maintain optical test equipment including power meters, optical spectrum analyzers, spectrometers, photodetectors, and interferometric measurement tools. Follow and contribute to the development of assembly work instructions, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and optical build travellers. Record detailed build logs, inspection records, and test data in compliance with quality management requirements. Perform incoming inspection of optical…