Applications Software Engineer

Quantum Motion; London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading quantum computing startup in London seeks an experienced Applications Software Engineer to design and implement high-performance software for quantum research. The ideal candidate will have strong skills in Python and C++, with experience in HPC programming and a track record in independent project delivery. This role offers a competitive salary, share options, and the flexibility of hybrid work.

Benefits

Competitive salary and share options

Contributory pension scheme

Private Medical Insurance

Life Assurance

Flexible working

Qualifications

• Proven ability to design, implement, and maintain production-quality software.
• Experience in developing with Python and at least one low-level language (C++ or Rust).
• Public evidence of coding quality via GitHub or similar.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with researchers to develop high-quality software solutions.
• Implement production-grade software libraries with attention to performance.
• Optimize workloads on HPC clusters and contribute to open-source projects.

Skills

Software engineering

Python

C++

Problem-solving

Version control

HPC programming

Education

Advanced degree in Computer Science or related fields

Tools

Git/GitHub

Qiskit

PennyLane

Job description

About The Role and Team

We are seeking a highly skilled Applications Software Engineer to join our applications team, building robust, maintainable, and high-performance software that supports cutting-edge quantum computing research. This is an individual contributor role, you will design, implement, test, document, and maintain production-quality software libraries intended for real-world use by researchers and industry partners.

You will be expected to hit the ground running, working independently to deliver high-quality code without heavy guidance from senior team members. While prior quantum computing knowledge is not required, exceptional software engineering ability is essential.

We seek engineers who excel at end-to-end software development—from architecture and implementation to testing, documentation, integration, and maintenance—building robust, production-ready tools for others to use. A strong public track record is key—we are looking for candidates who can point to examples of successful projects they’ve developed, ideally open-source contributions on platforms like GitHub.

Our Team

Since 2021 our team has been listed every year in the “Top 100 Startups worth watching”in the EE Times, and our technology breakthroughs have been featured in The Telegraph, BBC and the New Statesman. Our founders are internationally renowned researchers from UCL and Oxford University who have pioneered the development of qubits and quantum computing architectures. Our chairman is the co-founder of Cadence and Synopsys, the two leading companies in the area of Electronic Design Automation. We’re backed by a team of top-tier investors including Bosch Ventures, Porsche SE, Sony Innovation Fund, Oxford Sciences Innovations, INKEF Capital and Octopus Ventures, and we have so far raised over £62 million in equity and grant funding.

We bring together the brightest quantum engineers, integrated circuit (IC) engineers, quantum computing theoreticians and software engineers to create a unique, world-leading team, working together closely to maximise our combined expertise. Our collaborative and interdisciplinary culture is an ideal fit for anyone who thrives in a cutting-edge research and development environment focused on tackling big challenges and contributing to the development of scalable quantum computers based on silicon technology.

Our team of 100+ is based in Oxford and London, with a centre of mass in our Islington lab.

Functions of the Role

• Collaborate with researchers to understand application needs and translate them into high-quality, maintainable software solutions.

• Design, implement, and maintain production-grade scientific and engineering software libraries.

• Write clean, well-tested code in multiple languages (primarily Python and C++), integrating with our public software stack.

• Run and optimize high-performance workloads on GPUs and HPC clusters.

• Support algorithm design, compilation tools, and resource estimation software for quantum programs.

• Work independently to deliver complex software components with minimal supervision.

• Contribute to open-source software projects and maintain publicly accessible codebases.

• Engage with industry partners to translate classical problems into quantum-ready applications.

Experience - Essentials

• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Physics, Mathematics, Engineering, or equivalent experience.

• Proven ability to design, implement, and maintain production-quality software, with evidence of independent work.

• Significant programming experience in Python (or Julia) and at least one low-level language (C++ or Rust).

• Solid understanding of modern software development practices: version control (Git/GitHub), unit/integration testing, continuous integration, and documentation.

• Public examples of past work—GitHub or equivalent—that demonstrate coding quality and project delivery.

• Ability to work autonomously and proactively solve engineering problems without needing step-by-step direction.

Experience - Desirable

• Experience with HPC and GPU programming.

• Contributions to open-source scientific software.

• Familiarity with quantum software tools (e.g., Qiskit, PennyLane, QuEST).

• Exposure to computational chemistry tools or low-level hardware programming.

• Mathematica proficiency (occasional use in our team).

We are open to part-time applications and those who would like to maintain a joint role in academia. This role is hybrid, with the expectation of at least one day per week spent in our London office.

Benefits

• Be part of a creative, world-leading team
• Competitive salary and share options scheme
• Contributory pension scheme
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life Assurance
• Cycle-to-work Scheme
• Flexible working
• Hybrid Central London location

EEO Statement

Quantum Motion is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate based on age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, colour, religion, disability status, marital status, pregnancy, gender reassignment or any other protected characteristics covered by the Equality Act 2010.