Senior Embedded Software Engineer Software

Frontdoor Defense; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity potential

Flexible benefits

Job summary

Q-CTRL is seeking an Embedded Software Engineer to develop firmware for control, sensing, and actuation in quantum sensors. You will work on real-time systems, data acquisition, and FPGA interfacing for AMD SoC platforms, collaborating with researchers to translate quantum sensing into deployable technology.

Join a dynamic team focused on defence and aerospace applications, contributing to field tests, and delivering robust firmware in a challenging research environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in a research environment.
• Strong C/C++/Rust and embedded Linux.
• Experience with FPGA interfacing is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own the development, integration, and support of embedded systems in the quantum sensing magnetometry controller for AMD SoC platforms.
• Design, implement, and test control, sensing, and data acquisition firmware for autonomous operation of next-gen sensors.
• Collaborate with scientists and engineers to solve research and development challenges and support product goals.
• Contribute to field trials with industry partners.
• Create hardware-in-the-loop test setups and simulations.

Skills

C/C++/Rust

Embedded systems

Real-time systems

Algorithm development

Cross-functional teamwork

Tools

Verilog/VHDL

Buildroot

Yocto

Petalinux

Job description

Senior Embedded Software Engineer

Develop and validate embedded firmware for quantum sensing systems on AMD SoC platforms

Location: Sydney, New South Wales

About The Role

Embedded Software Engineer

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 focused on pushing the boundary of what is possible in quantum sensing and ensuring our R&D has real-world impact.

About the role

We are seeking an Embedded Software Engineer to develop firmware for our control, sensing, and actuation systems that automate the operation of our quantum sensors. You'll primarily be developing new applications for our SoC platforms based on requirements developed in collaboration with our research scientists to assist scientific advancement and to demonstrate our technology in the field. Our firmware is characterized by real-time constraints, data acquisition, signal processing, sequence execution, network communication, and hardware/FPGA interfacing. You will join a growing team focused on quantum sensing for defence and aerospace, and work with experts in fields such as magnetometry, and inertial navigation to develop state-of-the-art technology.

What you'll be doing:

• Own the development, integration, and support of embedded systems employed in Q-CTRL's quantum sensing magnetometry controller targeting AMD SoC Platforms
• Responsible for the design, implementation, and testing of control, sensing, and data acquisition firmware needed to autonomously operate next generation quantum sensors.
• Work in cross-functional teams of scientists and engineers to solve novel issues in research & development and product-focused environments.
• Contribute to the success of field trials with industry partners
• Create test and simulation setups including hardware-in-the-loop test fixtures.

Ideally you'll have:

• Experience working in a research environment whilst collaborating with established engineering teams and research scientists.
• Experience in algorithm development for control systems and autonomous sensor operation.
• Proficiency with a systems programming language such as C, C++, or Rust.
• Experience with a hardware description language (Verilog/VHDL)
• Experience creating embedded linux distributions using tools such as Buildroot, Yocto, or Petalinux.
• Experience using an RTOS to develop microcontroller firmware.
• Desirable to have worked on embedded systems involving interfacing with FPGAs such as JESD204 and AXI interfaces.
• Preference will be given to candidates with experience qualifying or deploying systems for use in aircraft.

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!