Quantum Fault-Tolerant Architect & Compiler Lead

Zapata Quantum; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Zapata Quantum is seeking a Quantum Fault-Tolerant Architecture Specialist to lead the software stack that maps logical circuits to fault-tolerant implementations. You will own the architecture roadmap, compilation methodology, and resource-estimation models across different codes and architecture paradigms.

This high-ownership role sits at the boundary of quantum error correction, architecture, and software.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in quantum error correction or related field.
• Proven record in code design, decoding, fault-tolerant logical operations, architecture, or compilation.
• Deep knowledge of stabilizer and subsystem codes, syndrome extraction, logical errors, and code-family tradeoffs.
• Ability to derive physical qubit counts, runtime, and space-time volume from a logical workload and failure target.
• Hands-on Python and experience building research-quality QEC, compiler, simulation, or resource-estimation software.
• Experience evaluating decoders via Monte Carlo simulation, logical-error analysis, and extrapolation.
• Systems understanding of logical operations, feed-forward, routing, scheduling, magic-state supply, classical decoding, and hardware constraints.
• Ability to set a roadmap, expose assumptions, collaborate across disciplines, and communicate clearly.

Responsibilities

• Own the roadmap for translating logical circuits into fault‑tolerant operations, layouts, schedules, and costed physical implementations.
• Develop code‑aware lowering and resource models for surface, qLDPC, color, and emerging codes under explicit hardware, connectivity, and noise assumptions.
• Lead software components and APIs for code geometry, logical operations, syndrome extraction, decoding, routing, scheduling, and magic‑state factories.
• Build reproducible estimators for physical qubits, runtime, space‑time volume, throughput, failure probability, and uncertainty.
• Benchmark decoders, QEC simulations, logical error rates, and architecture tradeoffs.
• Define fault‑tolerant IR constructs, backend passes, tests, and specifications with the compiler engineer on the team.
• Co‑design resource estimates with algorithm scientists for cryptographic, chemistry, and simulation workloads.
• Track emerging codes, gates, decoders, and architectures; deliver recommendations through software, publications, technical reports, and program deliverables.

Skills

Quantum error correction

Fault-tolerant architecture

Python programming

Compiler development

QEC simulation

Logical operations

System architecture

Roadmapping & collaboration

Education

PhD or equivalent

Tools

Stim

tqec

Qualtran

Bench-Q

Job description

Zapata Quantum is seeking a Quantum Fault-Tolerant Architecture Specialist to lead the software stack that maps logical circuits to fault-tolerant implementations. You will own the architecture roadmap, compilation methodology, and resource-estimation models across different codes and architecture paradigms.

This high-ownership role sits at the boundary of quantum error correction, architecture, and software.