Early-Career Embedded Firmware Engineer — Quantum Sensing

IonQ; Pleasanton (CA); On-site; USD 107,000 - 154,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

401(k) contributions

Paid time off

Parental leave

Home technology stipend

Job summary

Vector Atomic, an IonQ company, is hiring an Associate Firmware Engineer to build embedded software for next‑generation quantum sensing instruments. You’ll work alongside world‑class physicists and hardware engineers to create real‑time control systems that directly enable precision measurement inside our instruments.

This hands‑on, high‑impact role requires a recent degree in electrical, computer engineering, or CS, production-quality C/C++ skills, and experience with RTOS/bare‑metal firmware,

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science from an accredited program.
• Demonstrated ability to write production-quality C/C++ for small embedded processors.
• Experience writing interrupt service routines, peripheral drivers, and multi-threaded firmware using RTOSs and/or bare-metal environments.
• Scripting experience in Python, Perl, or similar languages.
• Hands-on experience with lab test equipment (oscilloscopes, function generators, voltmeters).
• Strong debugging instincts, able to isolate and resolve bugs using debuggers and simulation tools.

Responsibilities

• Write and verify embedded firmware for ST microcontrollers, including COTS devices and MCUs integrated into custom ASICs.
• Implement control algorithms critical to the operation of high-precision quantum sensing instruments.
• Develop peripheral drivers for mixed-signal devices, working directly from electronic schematics.
• Partner with hardware engineers on board testing and bring-up activities.
• Contribute to a rigorous engineering culture through code reviews, GitHub task tickets, and retrospectives.
• Clearly document and communicate your work in a highly collaborative, cross-disciplinary environment.

Skills

C/C++

Embedded systems

RTOS

Python

Debugging

Lab equipment

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or Computer Science

Job description

Vector Atomic, an IonQ company, is hiring an Associate Firmware Engineer to build embedded software for next‑generation quantum sensing instruments. You’ll work alongside world‑class physicists and hardware engineers to create real‑time control systems that directly enable precision measurement inside our instruments.

This hands‑on, high‑impact role requires a recent degree in electrical, computer engineering, or CS, production-quality C/C++ skills, and experience with RTOS/bare‑metal firmware,