Quantum Hardware Lead: Embedded & FPGA Engineer

Cisco; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 151,000 - 216,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Quantum Research is seeking an Embedded & Controls Engineer to own the electronics and control architecture for quantum hardware, integrating with software and orchestration platforms. You’ll design PCB and firmware, ensure timing accuracy, and enable scalable, field-deployable systems.

Your role spans analog/digital design, FPGA development, software interfaces, and rigorous hardware validation to move prototypes toward manufacturing readiness.

Qualifications

• Bachelors + 8 years of related experience, or Masters + 6 years, or PhD + 3 years, or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of experience developing custom electronic hardware and embedded control systems.
• Experience designing mixed-signal PCBs with embedded processors, microcontrollers, or FPGAs.
• Experience in embedded software/firmware development using C/C++.
• Experience with FPGA-based systems, including RTL and/or High-Level Synthesis.

Responsibilities

• Architect custom mixed-signal PCBs for precision control within rack-mounted quantum systems.
• Develop embedded software and firmware to control electronics and photonic components.
• Design high-speed signal paths with strict signal integrity, latency, and noise requirements.
• Interface with embedded processors, FPGAs, ADCs, DACs, and telemetry signals.
• Develop hardware bring-up and debug complex interactions between electronics, FPGA logic, and system software.

Skills

Embedded hardware design

Mixed-signal PCB design

C/C++ embedded software

FPGA RTL/HLS

Job description

Cisco Quantum Research is seeking an Embedded & Controls Engineer to own the electronics and control architecture for quantum hardware, integrating with software and orchestration platforms. You’ll design PCB and firmware, ensure timing accuracy, and enable scalable, field-deployable systems.

Your role spans analog/digital design, FPGA development, software interfaces, and rigorous hardware validation to move prototypes toward manufacturing readiness.