Company Information

Company Name: Yaqumo Inc.

Website: https://yaqumo.com/en/

Founded: April 2025

Locations

Head Office Yusen Building 1F
2-3-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo Office Akasaka H1O
3-17-3 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Kyoto University Research Site Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University
Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan

Institute for Molecular Science Research Site 38 Nishigonaka, Myodaiji-cho, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan

Company Overview

Yaqumo is a quantum computing startup founded on research originating from the Takahashi Laboratory at Kyoto University and the Omori Laboratory at the Institute for Molecular Science (IMS).

Our core technology is based on neutral-atom quantum computing, a promising architecture known for its scalability to large numbers of qubits. While neutral-atom systems offer significant advantages in scalability, challenges remain in areas such as fault tolerance and computational performance. Yaqumo combines the expertise of both research groups to address these challenges.

In 2025, the company secured approximately JPY 700 million in funding and was selected for a major NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization) program. We are currently developing ytterbium-based quantum gates, control systems, and quantum error correction technologies, with the goal of delivering a prototype fault-tolerant quantum computer by FY2027.

Our long-term vision is to bring neutral-atom quantum computing into practical use and tackle societal challenges that are beyond the capabilities of conventional computing.

Recent News

• Global Quantum VC Quantonation Selects Yaqumo as Its First Japanese Investment
  https://yaqumo.com/en/news/287/
• Yaqumo, NKT Photonics, and Hamamatsu Photonics Sign MOU on Development and Industrialization of Advanced Photonic Systems for Quantum Computing
  https://yaqumo.com/en/news/337/
• Alumni Ventures Makes First-Ever Japan Investment in Yaqumo to Back the Future of Neutral-Atom Quantum Computing
  https://yaqumo.com/en/news/351/

Job Summary

In this role, you will take end-to-end ownership of the laser and optical systems, Yaqumo's neutral-atom quantum computer. Your responsibilities span the full lifecycle of the laser platform—from optical system assembly and alignment to the design and improvement of laser stabilization systems, performance evaluation, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

Working closely with our experimental team, you will design and implement laser and optical systems that meet evolving experimental requirements while ensuring they remain reliable and experiment-ready on a daily basis. Your work will directly improve the stability and reliability of the laser infrastructure that supports our quantum computing research.

Because this role involves hands-on alignment, evaluation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of experimental hardware, this position is based at our Kyoto laboratory.

Our research environment evolves rapidly, and system requirements are not always fully defined in advance. We are looking for someone who enjoys identifying technical challenges proactively and continuously improving the reliability and maintainability of complex laser and optical systems.

Responsibilities

1. Build and align laser optical systems
   Assemble, align, and commission laser and optical systems based on design requirements, including optical alignment, polarization adjustment, and beam shaping, to bring systems into an experiment-ready state.
2. Maintain experiment-ready laser systems
   Maintain laser and optical systems in a stable operating condition by troubleshooting lock failures, optical misalignment, and other hardware issues, while continuously improving overall system stability.
3. Design and improve laser stabilization systems
   Design, implement, tune, and optimize frequency and intensity stabilization systems for lasers. Evaluate system performance and improve robustness to minimize lock failures and enable rapid recovery.
4. Design and evaluate laser and optical systems
   Work with AMO researchers to define system requirements—including frequency stability, polarization control, modulation schemes, and intensity noise—and design complete optical systems through appropriate selection of optical components and modulation techniques. Evaluate system performance against experimental requirements.
5. Preventive maintenance and documentation
   Establish preventive maintenance practices through regular inspection, health monitoring, spare-part management, and preparation of technical documentation and recovery procedures, helping standardize maintenance processes and facilitate knowledge transfer.
6. Vendor management and technical collaboration
   Coordinate repair and RMA processes and collaborate with external vendors and optical technology partners.

Required Qualifications

Candidates should satisfy multiple of the following qualifications.

• Solid understanding of fundamental optics, including Gaussian beams, polarization, and optical interference, with the ability to quantitatively evaluate optical alignment and system performance
• At least 3 years of hands-on industrial or academic experience working with laser or optical systems
• Experience using optical measurement equipment such as power meters, beam profilers, oscilloscopes, and spectrum analyzers
• Strong troubleshooting skills, including systematic root-cause analysis and clear documentation of findings and corrective actions
• Fundamental knowledge of feedback control systems or practical experience developing stabilization systems
• Practical experience with RF analog electronics and a solid understanding of RF fundamentals

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience stabilizing laser frequency, phase, or intensity
• Experience with optical cavities and external cavity diode lasers (ECDLs)
• Experience evaluating PID control systems, loop transfer functions, control bandwidth, phase margin, and gain margin
• Experience designing and building RF or servo circuits
• Experience controlling optical frequency or optical intensity using AOMs, EOMs, PLLs, or frequency synthesizers
• Experience with fiber coupling and polarization-maintaining optical fibers
• Experience with nonlinear optics, including wavelength conversion using nonlinear crystals

Why this role

• Directly improve the speed and quality of quantum computing research by increasing the stability and maintainability of the laser infrastructure.
• Design, optimize, and maintain laser systems whose performance directly impacts day-to-day experimental research.
• Apply your expertise in laser and optical engineering to enable researchers to focus on quantum physics and experimental development.
• As an early member of the company, you will help shape—not simply maintain—the next generation of laser and optical infrastructure supporting our quantum computing platform.

Hiring Process

CV Review → First Interview → Second Interview → Reference Check → Final Interview

• Depending on the position, candidates may be asked to complete a technical assignment after the first interview.
• We place a strong emphasis on mutual understanding throughout the hiring process. Depending on the role and evaluation process, additional interviews, informal meetings with team members, or offer discussions may be arranged.

Employment Details

Employment Type: Full-time

Compensation: JPY 8M–15M, depending on experience and qualifications

Work Schedule: Discretionary Labor System for Professional Work (R&D)

Probation Period: 2 months (no changes to employment conditions during probation)

Work Location: 1F Room 104, International Science Innovation Building East Wing, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi 36, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan

Working Hours: Discretionary Labor System (deemed working hours: 8 hours/day). Standard office hours: 9:00–18:00

Days Off: Complete two-day weekend (Saturday and Sunday), national holidays, summer holidays, year-end/New Year holidays

Paid Leave: 10 days granted after 6 months of employment

Benefits: Annual health check-up

Insurance: Health Insurance, Employees' Pension Insurance, Employment Insurance

Smoking Policy: Non-smoking indoors