Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Q-CTRL; Sydney; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Q-CTRL is seeking a Senior FPGA and Embedded Software Engineer in Sydney to help turn cutting-edge quantum sensing technology into robust, real-world devices. You will develop the real-time firmware and digital stack behind our quantum accelerometers, working where hardware, control systems and science meet.

You will partner with researchers to understand the sensor and push its capabilities while learning new domains quickly.

Qualifications

• Strong foundations in digital design and embedded systems.
• Familiarity with SystemVerilog for implementing and maintaining FPGA logic.
• Experience with Xilinx SoCs and Vivado-based development workflows.
• Digital signal processing experience, including practical implementation of filters, decimation or related signal-conditioning pipelines.
• Experience with simulation and verification workflows such as cocotb.

Responsibilities

• Develop, integrate, optimise and support FPGA firmware for Q-CTRL quantum sensors.
• Implement and maintain timing-critical digital processing blocks, including filters, decimation and related DSP pipelines
• Build robust startup, calibration, operation and monitoring routines for autonomous sensor operation
• Work with research scientists to translate control concepts into reliable, real-time behaviour close to the hardware
• Integrate FPGA logic with SoC software, enabling reliable, time-synchronised high-bandwidth data capture, DMA transfer and storage
• Establish and improve simulation and hardware-in-the-loop testing to support CI and field deployment
• Investigate system-level issues across FPGA logic, firmware, electronics, embedded Linux and higher-level software
• Contribute to architecture decisions that improve reliability and performance in future sensor revisions
• Document test, validation and operational procedures as part of delivering the quantum sensor package

Skills

Digital design

Embedded systems

SystemVerilog

DSP

Cocotb

Collaboration

Tools

Xilinx SoCs

Vivado

Job description

About The Team

Q-CTRL’s Quantum Sensing Research team performs basic and applied research in quantum sensing and quantum-enabled navigation. It is a highly dynamic team comprising approximately 30 specialists in theoretical and experimental atomic physics, cold-atom interferometry, navigation modeling, and modern Bayesian estimation and signal processing techniques.

The Quantum Sensing Research and Quantum Sensing R&D teams work closely together, translating novel quantum sensing research into a useful capability and product. We are focussed on pushing the boundary of what is possible in quantum sensing and ensuring our R&D has real-world impact.

About The Role

Join Q-CTRL to help turn cutting-edge quantum sensing technology into robust devices that can operate in the real world. As a Senior FPGA and Embedded Software Engineer, you will develop the real-time digital and firmware stack behind our quantum accelerometers, working where advanced hardware, control systems and fundamental science meet.

You will partner closely with research scientists and engineers to understand how the whole sensor works, then make it more capable and reliable. This is a role for a curious, versatile engineer who enjoys getting close to the hardware and learning new domains quickly.

You do not need to arrive with experience in every technology listed below: we value strong fundamentals, thoughtful problem-solving and the drive to learn.

What you'll be doing:

• Develop, integrate, optimise and support FPGA firmware for Q-CTRL quantum sensors.Implement and maintain timing-critical digital processing blocks, including filters, decimation and related DSP pipelines
• Build robust startup, calibration, operation and monitoring routines for autonomous sensor operation
• Work with research scientists to translate control concepts into reliable, real-time behaviour close to the hardware
• Integrate FPGA logic with SoC software, enabling reliable, time-synchronised high-bandwidth data capture, DMA transfer and storage
• Establish and improve simulation and hardware-in-the-loop testing to support continuous integration and confident field deployment
• Investigate system-level issues across FPGA logic, firmware, electronics, embedded Linux and higher-level software
• Contribute to architecture decisions that improve reliability and performance in future sensor revisions
• Document test, validation and operational procedures as part of delivering the quantum sensor package

Ideally you'll have:

• Strong foundations in digital design and embedded systems
• Familiarity with SystemVerilog for implementing and maintaining FPGA logic
• Experience with Xilinx SoCs and Vivado-based development workflows
• Digital signal processing experience, including practical implementation of filters, decimation or related signal-conditioning pipelines
• Experience with simulation and verification workflows such as cocotb
• A collaborative approach and the ability to work effectively with engineers and research scientists in an evolving technical environment

It would be great if you have (but not essential):

• CI/CD development processes for testing, validation and deployment
• Systems programming languages (for example C, C++ or Rust) to interface with FPGA data paths, including DMA-based transfer
• Timing-critical control systems and high-bandwidth data capture or storage
• Low-latency and low-level communications such as TCP/IP, SPI, I2C or CAN bus
• Exposure to embedded Linux, customised operating systems or Yocto

About Q-CTRL

Q-CTRL is the global leader in AI-powered quantum control infrastructure software. We build the tools that make quantum technology useful, solving the hardest challenges in quantum computing and quantum sensing to deliver real-world impact.

Founded in 2017, we operate globally with offices in Sydney, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Huntsville, Berlin, and Oxford. Our teams bring together technical and multi-disciplinary expertise across the product lifecycle, and we’re hiring talent to help scale every part of the business. We work quickly to turn cutting-edge science into deployable technology.

In 2024 we raised US$113 million in Series B funding, the largest aggregate investment for a quantum software company. Six months later we delivered the first commercial quantum advantage with Ironstone Opal, our field-validated quantum navigation solution for defense and industry.

At Q-CTRL, we prioritize outcomes over hours. We offer flexibility, equity potential, and competitive benefits that reflect our high-performance culture. If you’re ready to help shape the future of quantum, we’d love to hear from you!

Please be advised that our communications will only come from the @q-ctrl.com domain. All our active job postings are available on our company website.

To recruitment agencies, we do not accept unsolicited branded profiles and are not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.