Software Engineer

Q-CTRL; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Annual discretionary bonuses

Flexible work arrangements

Job summary

Q-CTRL is seeking a Software Engineer on the Boulder Opal team to design and build backend infrastructure for the quantum software platform. You will collaborate with compiler engineers and researchers to create scalable APIs and services, with a focus on performance and reliability.

The role emphasizes systems programming and long-term growth in compiler engineering within a fast-paced, globally distributed team.

Qualifications

• BS in Computer Science, Engineering or related discipline
• Proficiency in Python and modern C++
• Experience building backend systems or distributed services
• Experience designing APIs using REST, gRPC or GraphQL

Responsibilities

• Design, build and maintain scalable backend services in Python and C++
• Develop APIs and backend services supporting our compiler and quantum runtime
• Build reliable distributed systems and cloud-native services
• Improve performance, reliability and observability across backend components
• Collaborate with compiler engineers to integrate new compiler capabilities into production systems
• Work with researchers and product teams to deliver new platform capabilities
• Learn and contribute to compiler infrastructure as your expertise grows

Skills

Python

C++

Backend systems

APIs (REST, gRPC, GraphQL)

Asynchronous programming

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering or related discipline

Tools

FastAPI

Flask

Django

LLVM

MLIR

Go

Rust

Job description

About The Team

At Q-CTRL, Quantum Computing Engineering is a global team of software engineers and infrastructure experts,combining deep technical expertise with a startup mindset to deliver real impact through software innovation. Our work is underpinned by robust standards, and by embracing the three virtues. Our team excels in areas across back-end, front-end, machine learning, and platform engineering.

About The Team

At Q-CTRL, Quantum Computing Engineering is a global team of software engineers and infrastructure experts,combining deep technical expertise with a startup mindset to deliver real impact through software innovation. Our work is underpinned by robust standards, and by embracing the three virtues. Our team excels in areas across back-end, front-end, machine learning, and platform engineering.

We transform Q-CTRL's world-leading technological breakthroughs into commercial software products with applications across defense, research, and industry. We work closely with Product, Design, and Research teams to accelerate the path to quantum advantage worldwide.

About The Role

As a Software Engineer on the Boulder Opal team, you will build the backend infrastructure that supports our quantum software platform. You'll work alongside compiler engineers and researchers to develop scalable backend systems, APIs and performance-critical services while growing your understanding of compiler technologies and quantum computing.

This role is ideal for a strong backend engineer interested in systems programming who wants to develop expertise in compiler engineering over time.

What you’ll be doing:

• Design, build and maintain scalable backend services in Python and C++
• Develop APIs and backend services supporting our compiler and quantum runtime
• Build reliable distributed systems and cloud-native services
• Improve performance, reliability and observability across backend components
• Collaborate with compiler engineers to integrate new compiler capabilities into production systems
• Work with researchers and product teams to deliver new platform capabilities
• Learn and contribute to compiler infrastructure as your expertise grows

Ideally, you’ll have:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering or related discipline
• Strong programming skills in Python
• Experience with modern C++
• Experience building backend systems or distributed services
• Experience designing APIs using REST, gRPC or GraphQL

It would be fantastic (but not essential) if you bring:

• Experience building high-performance backend systems
• Experience with asynchronous programming and concurrency
• Experience with FastAPI, Flask or Django
• Familiarity with compiler concepts or programming language implementation
• Exposure to LLVM or MLIR
• Interest in quantum computing or scientific software
• Experience with Rust, Go, or other systems programming languages

Salary

The targeted base salary range for this position is between $130,000 - $170,000 and will ultimately be determined by specific job-related skills, experience, level, location and other contributing factors. Depending on the position offered, this role may be eligible for annual discretionary bonuses, equity and other forms of compensation outside of the targeted base salary range. For more information on benefits at Q-CTRL, please visit our careers page at https://q-ctrl.com/careers.

Should you have any questions related to the compensation package, please speak directly with the Talent Acquisition representative.

About Q-CTRL

Q-CTRL is the global leader in AI-powered quantum control infrastructure software. We build the tools that make quantum technology useful, solving the hardest challenges in quantum computing and quantum sensing to deliver real-world impact.

Founded in 2017, we operate globally with offices in Sydney, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Berlin, and Oxford. Our teams bring together technical and multi-disciplinary expertise across the product lifecycle, and we're hiring talent to help scale every part of the business. We work quickly to turn cutting-edge science into deployable technology.

In 2024 we raised US$113 million in Series B funding, the largest aggregate investment for a quantum software company. Six months later we delivered the first commercial quantum advantage with Ironstone Opal, our field-validated quantum navigation solution for defense and industry.

At Q-CTRL, we prioritize outcomes over hours. We offer flexibility, equity potential, and competitive benefits that reflect our high-performance culture. If you're ready to help shape the future of quantum, we'd love to hear from you!

Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Please be advised that our communications will only come from the @q-ctrl.com domain. All our active job postings are available on our company website.

To recruitment agencies, we do not accept unsolicited branded profiles and are not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.