Senior Compiler Engineer

Q Lever; Amsterdam; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Meaningful equity options

Hybrid/Remote-friendly

Job summary

QLever is building a software platform that sits between quantum algorithms and hardware, enabling researchers to deploy quantum applications across architectures. We are seeking a Senior Compiler Engineer to own the compiler and code generation infrastructure, with a focus on producing portable, efficient tooling and performance improvements.

You will work on IR design, transformation passes, and the integration with SDKs and backends, while collaborating with a science team to turn theory into

Qualifications

• Experience designing compiler pipelines and IRs for optimization.
• Hands-on with compiler/toolchain development: generation, analysis, or passes.
• Proficiency in Python and at least one of Rust or C++.
• Experience shipping production software: architecture, APIs, testing, maintainability.
• Genuine curiosity about quantum computing and willingness to learn the math behind it.

Responsibilities

• Design and evolve the IR and compilation pipeline for quantum programs.
• Build and maintain transformation passes to reduce qubit count, circuit depth, and gate count.
• Collaborate with science team to translate mathematical models into efficient code.
• Interface with quantum SDKs and hardware backends for portability across architectures.
• Develop testing, verification, and performance tooling for the compiler.
• Help shape the compiler stack foundations at an early stage.

Skills

Compiler design

Python

Rust

C++

Algorithms

Team collaboration

Tools

LLVM/MLIR

Python tooling

Performance optimization

Job description

QLever is building the software platform that sits between quantum algorithms and the hardware that runs them - enabling developers and researchers to build, optimize, and deploy quantum applications across architectures. Our work is grounded in deep theory, developed in close collaboration with leading academic institutions, and built to accelerate the path to fault-tolerant quantum computing. At its core, this is a compiler problem: an intermediate representation, a pipeline of transformation and optimization passes, and code generation that targets real hardware.

We're looking for a Senior Compiler Engineer to own our compiler and code generation infrastructure. This is the technical core of what we build. You don't need a quantum background to do this job - you need to be a strong compiler engineer who is curious about quantum and wants to learn it. We'll teach you the quantum side; it's a smaller step than it looks.

What you'll work on

• Design and evolve the intermediate representation and compilation pipeline for quantum programs
• Build and maintain transformation passes - optimization, normalization, and circuit rewriting - that reduce qubit count, circuit depth, and gate count
• Work with our science team on the theory-to-implementation boundary - turning rigorous mathematical models into efficient, maintainable code
• Interface with existing quantum SDKs and hardware backends to ensure portability across architectures
• Build the testing, verification, and performance tooling that keeps the compiler correct and fast as it grows
• Help shape the technical foundations of the compiler stack from an early stage

What we're looking for

We're looking for an experienced compiler or systems engineer who is genuinely curious about quantum computing. Quantum knowledge is a plus, not a requirement - what matters is that you want to learn it. If you've built compilers, interpreters, program analysis tools, or language toolchains, and the idea of applying that to quantum programs excites you, we want to hear from you.

• Good understanding of algorithms and algorithmic analysis
• Hands-on experience with compiler or language toolchains: IR design, transformation and optimization passes, code generation, or program analysis - with LLVM, MLIR, a comparable framework, or something you built yourself
• Strong programming skills, including in Python and at least one of Rust or C++
• Experience shipping and maintaining production-quality software: architecture, APIs, testing, and maintainability
• Genuine curiosity about quantum computing and the willingness to learn the mathematics behind it
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team
• Flexibility to work across different aspects of the compiler stack and to take on tasks that support the growth of the company

Strong advantage:

• Production experience with Rust - it's the language we're building the compiler in
• Background in formal methods, type systems, or programming language theory
• Experience building developer-facing tooling or SDKs
• Experience with scientific computing, numerical software, or performance optimization

Nice to have - we'll teach you the rest:

• Some exposure to quantum computing - coursework, a side project, reading, or research all count
• Direct experience with quantum circuit compilers (Qiskit, TKET, PennyLane, or similar)

What we offer

Competitive market salary, meaningful equity options, and the chance to be among the first engineers shaping the compiler stack at a serious quantum software company. You'll work directly with our science team, who will get you up to speed on the quantum side. Hybrid out of Amsterdam - remote possible for the right person.