Staff Software Engineer, Control

PsiQuantum • Palo Alto, CA

35d

About The Position

Quantum computing holds the promise of humanity’s mastery over the natural world, but only if we can build a real quantum computer. PsiQuantum is on a mission to build the first real, useful quantum computers, capable of delivering the world-changing applications that the technology has long promised. We know that means we will need to build a system with roughly 1 million qubits that supports fault tolerant error correction within a scalable architecture, and a data center footprint. By harnessing the laws of quantum physics, quantum computers can provide exponential performance increases over today’s most powerful supercomputers, offering the potential for extraordinary advances across a broad range of industries including climate, energy, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials design, and many more. PsiQuantum has determined the fastest path to delivering a useful quantum computer, years earlier than the rest of the industry. Our architecture is based on silicon photonics which gives us the ability to produce our components at Tier-1 semiconductor fabs such as GlobalFoundries where we leverage high-volume semiconductor manufacturing processes, the same processes that are already producing billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics applications. We also benefit from the quantum mechanics reality that photons don’t feel heat or electromagnetic interference, allowing us to take advantage of existing cryogenic cooling systems and industry standard fiber connectivity. In 2024, PsiQuantum announced two government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first Quantum Data Centers and utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia and Chicago, Illinois. Both projects are backed by nations that understand quantum computing’s potential impact and the need to scale this technology to unlock that potential. And we won’t just be building the hardware, but also the fault tolerant quantum applications that will provide industry-transforming results. Quantum computing is not just an evolution of the decades-old advancement in compute power. It provides the key to mastering our future, not merely discovering it. The potential is enormous, and we have the plan to make it real. Come join us. There’s much more work to be done and we are looking for exceptional talent to join us on this extraordinary journey!

Requirements

• 15+ years experience with Rust or C++ in a system software context.
• Architecture and implementation of system software for HPC, robotics, AI, quantum computing, semiconductor fabrication, or control systems.
• Proven track record of developing and shipping reliable, performant software in a high scale or mission critical context.
• Bachelors degree in a technical discipline preferred, or equivalent experience.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in high performance computing.
• Experience in computer architecture.
• Experience in high performance networking.
• Experience building operating systems, compilers, or kernels.
• Experience interfacing with ASICs and/or FPGAs in complex/high-performance systems or an edge-computing context.
• Experience with Nix.
• Experience with highly scalable distributed systems in a reliability and up-time critical environment.
• Familiarity with quantum control.
• PhD in a related technical discipline is a plus, but not required.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement software for control of photonic quantum computers in Rust.
• Design and architecture of system software.
• Participate in design and code reviews.
• Collaborate across software, hardware, and research teams at PsiQuantum.
• Testing and maintenance of control software.
• Champion and serve as an exemplar of good software development practices at PsiQuantum.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees