Infrastructure & Systems Engineer

Qolab; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Qolab is seeking a hands-on software/IT engineer to manage corporate IT infrastructure, cloud systems, and security controls while enabling R&D workflows for quantum hardware development. You will collaborate with physicists to streamline data pipelines and build robust Python libraries for hardware control.

The role emphasizes autonomous ownership in a fast-paced, high-technical-depth environment, with onsite work at our Madison facility and strong emphasis on security, CI/CD, and scalable

Qualifications

• BS/MS/PhD in CS, SE, or EE
• 2+ years in software development, DevOps, IT systems engineering, or related deep‑tech R&D environments
• Proficiency with Python, Git, CI/CD tools, cloud identity providers, and systems administration

Responsibilities

• Administer comprehensive corporate IT infrastructure (Google Workspace Enterprise, MDM, secret management, onboarding workflows, backups)
• Configure and maintain cloud systems and backend infrastructure for internal and user-facing apps
• Develop software to support lab data pipelines in collaboration with physicists
• Architect and maintain Python libraries for quantum hardware control
• Manage GitHub repo architectures and CI/CD pipelines
• Implement zero-trust IT security, DLP policies, and align with NIST for audits

Skills

Software development

DevOps

IT systems engineering

Cloud administration

Education

BS/MS/PhD in CS/SE/EE

Tools

Python

Git

CI/CD

Cloud IAM

Job description

Qolab is a superconducting quantum hardware company building the manufacturing and systems foundation to scale quantum computing from laboratory devices to utility-scale systems. Founded in 2022, the company focuses on reproducible qubit fabrication and hardware integration at semiconductor manufacturing standards. In 2025, Qolab launched Qolab Start, its first deployable superconducting QPU platform.

Qolab's technology centers on two core innovations: a semiconductor-compatible window-junction fabrication process designed for 300 mm semiconductor tools, and a wafer-scale integration architecture that bonds qubit and wiring wafers into modular tiles with integrated cryogenic interconnects, filters, and amplifiers.

Qolab partners with leading semiconductor companies, government programs, and research institutions, including Applied Materials, DARPA, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Quantum Machines, Riverlane, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Western Digital, Synopsys, and KLA.

Leadership Team

Qolab is led by researchers and engineers who have defined the trajectory of superconducting quantum computing over the last four decades. Our leadership is hands-on, working directly on the technology alongside our engineering team.

• Alan Ho (CEO | Co-founder): Former Head of Product at Google Quantum AI, where he led product efforts behind the quantum supremacy experiment.
• John Martinis (CTO | Co-founder): Distinguished physicist and 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physics, recognized for pioneering superconducting qubits and advancing scalable quantum systems.
• Robert McDermott (Head of Hardware | Co-founder): UW–Madison professor and leading physicist advancing superconducting qubits, quantum measurement, and scalable quantum computing systems.
• Britton Plourde (Quantum Hardware Engineer): Renowned physicist recognized for pioneering qubit readout and control techniques and designing efficient quantum circuits.

What You'll Do

• Administer comprehensive corporate IT infrastructure, encompassing Google Workspace Enterprise, mobile device management (MDM), secret management, automated onboarding workflows, and highly redundant backup architectures.
• Configure and maintain cloud systems and backend infrastructure for internal and user-facing web applications.
• Drive agentic software development to support lab data pipelines, collaborating closely with teams of physicists to streamline R&D workflows.
• Architect, build, and maintain object-oriented Python libraries for quantum hardware control.
• Manage complex GitHub repository architectures and build automated CI/CD pipelines.
• Develop and enforce zero-trust IT security controls, Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies, and NIST compliance frameworks for corporate audits.

What We're Looking For

Qualifications

• BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 2+ years of experience in software development, DevOps, IT systems engineering, or similar deep-tech R&D environments.
• Broad technical depth across software engineering, infrastructure automation, and IT security, with a demonstrated ability to dive deep into specialized domains.
• Proficiency with modern programming languages (e.g., Python), Git repository management, CI/CD tools, cloud identity providers, and systems administration.

Mindset & Onsite Requirements

• Autonomous: Highly self-directed and comfortable taking complete ownership of ambiguous problems without requiring a predefined roadmap.
• Fast-Paced: Motivated to learn quickly and thoroughly in a rapid, cutting-edge engineering environment.
• Execution-Oriented: Excited by high technical depth, rapid iteration, and high-responsibility roles.
• Location: Able to work onsite at our facility in Madison, WI.