Senior Engineer, System Automation (Device Interfaces)

PsiQuantum•Milpitas, CA

13h•Onsite

About The Position

PsiQuantum is developing prototype modules for a fault-tolerant quantum computer. These systems rely on photonic and electro-optic devices, and this role is crucial for exposing their capabilities through firmware, Python APIs, hardware abstraction layers, and control software. The engineer will define device interface requirements, support modeling and control-stack integration, and collaborate with firmware engineers to optimize performance-sensitive functions within the firmware. This role is unique as it shapes how hardware capabilities are exposed and utilized across the entire system, requiring active involvement from system needs through implementation, validation, and integration across multiple teams.

Requirements

B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Optical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
5+ years of relevant experience in systems engineering, hardware automation, embedded systems, controls, test/integration, scientific software, or a related field.
Strong Python development skills for hardware control, automation, prototyping, debugging, integration, and test development.
Experience working hands on with complex hardware systems spanning firmware, software, and test/integration environments.
Experience translating system-level use cases into clear software, firmware, interface, or test requirements.
Proven ability to drive ambiguous technical requirements to closure across multiple engineering teams.
Strong communication and documentation skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with photonic, electro-optic, optical, RF, or related hardware systems.
Experience defining or using device APIs, hardware abstraction layers, firmware-exposed interfaces, instrument drivers, or control-system APIs.
Experience with calibration workflows, automated calibration routines, or experimental control systems.
Familiarity with firmware constraints such as latency, determinism, bandwidth limits, sequencing, and real-time behavior.
Experience with system-level modelling, device behavior modelling, or hardware/control interface modelling.
Experience defining integration tests, hardware-in-the-loop tests, or validation plans for device interfaces.
Track record of driving alignment across hardware, firmware, software, and test teams.

Responsibilities

Own and drive device interface requirements for photonic/electro-optic devices and related in-house hardware, consolidating inputs from various teams (device design, calibration, automation, software, firmware, integration).
Translate system-level automation and calibration needs into firmware and control-software requirements.
Develop a strong understanding of calibration workflows to identify required device capabilities, edge cases, sequencing needs, and operational constraints.
Drive ambiguous interface needs to closure by resolving requirements, tradeoffs, and ownership across teams.
Partner with software engineers to integrate device interfaces through the control stack.
Prototype, debug, and contribute Python code for hardware control, automation, integration, and test workflows.
Define test requirements to ensure device interfaces are exercised correctly during integration and system testing.
Debug issues across firmware, software, and physical devices.
Support modeling efforts that depend on device behavior, capabilities, or control workflow assumptions.
Identify calibration, automation, or control functionality that should migrate from Python/control software into firmware or lower-level software.
Develop prototype implementations to guide migration and verification.
Partner with firmware engineers during requirement definition and implementation.