Staff Software Engineer, Control

PSI Quantum; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 277,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

401(k) matching

Equity

Wellness benefits

Family support

Life and disability insurance

Paid leave

Paid holidays

Discretionary time off

Year-end shutdown

Job summary

PsiQuantum is hiring a Senior Software Engineer, Calibration & Control, to build the scalable control plane and operating system for utility-scale photonic quantum computers. You will design algorithms and software that keep quantum processors in spec 24/7, collaborating with hardware, research, and software teams.

Responsibilities include developing Rust-based control software, system software architecture, and code reviews, while championing robust development practices.

Qualifications

• 15+ years experience with Rust or C++ in a system software context.
• Architecture and implementation of system software for HPC, robotics, quantum computing, or control systems.
• Proven track record of shipping reliable, high-performance software in mission-critical environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement software for control of photonic quantum computers in Rust.
• Design and architecture of system software.
• Participate in design and code reviews.
• Collaborate across software, hardware, and research teams at PsiQuantum.
• Testing and maintenance of control software.
• Champion and exemplify good software development practices.

Skills

Rust or C++ system software

HPC/Distributed systems

ASIC/FPGA interfaces

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

Job description

PsiQuantum's mission is to build the first useful quantum computers: machines capable of delivering the breakthroughs the field has long promised. Since our founding in 2016, our singular focus has been to build and deploy million-qubit, fault-tolerant quantum systems.

Quantum computers harness the laws of quantum mechanics to solve problems that even the most advanced supercomputers or AI systems will never reach. Their impact will span energy, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials, and other foundational industries.

Our architectureand approachisbased on silicon photonics. Byleveragingthe advanced semiconductor manufacturing industry, including partners like GlobalFoundries, we use the same high-volume processes that already produce billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics. Photonics offers natural advantages for scale: photonsdon'tfeel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure.

That approach has since been tested at the highest level of scrutiny the U.S. government applies to emerging technology, and it has held up. In 2025,PsiQuantumclosed a$1 billionfunding round that valued the company at$7 billion. In 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce signed a $100 million Letter of Intent under the CHIPS and Science Act, followed by a $125 million agreement with DARPA under Stage C of its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative,PsiQuantum'smost valuable U.S. government agreement to date. This year, we also broke ground on our utility-scale quantum computer in Brisbane, Australia, and continued building out our Chicago site. Victor Peng, our CEO, and co-founder Jeremy O'Brien, now ExecutiveChairman, lead a team and board that reflects how seriously the world is taking this build, joined this year by Intel's Lip-Bu Tan and Atomico's NiklasZennstrom.

PsiQuantumalso develops the algorithms and software needed to make these systems commercially valuable. Our application, software, and industry teams work directly with leading Fortune 500 companies, includingAirbus,LockheedMartin, Mercedes-Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical, to prepare quantum solutions for real-world impact.

Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. Itrepresentsa fundamental shift, and a path to mastering challenges that cannot besolvedany other way. The potential is enormous, and we now havethe funding,the governmentvalidation, andthe sitesunder construction to make it real.

Job Summary:

The OS Core Team at PsiQuantum works closely alongside engineers and scientists in the electronics, system architecture, and validation teams and is responsible for building the scalable, distributed, fault-tolerant control plane and operating system for utility scale photonic quantum computers. Our team is responsible for orchestration, scheduling, kernel architecture, co-design, calibration, validation, providing abstractions, systems, and operating software for the immense heterogenous fabric of co-processors, networks, and photonics that are critical to the success of our company's goal of building the world's first useful quantum computer. As a Senior Software Engineer, Calibration & Control you will design and implement algorithms, controls, and software that keep our quantum processors in spec 24O7x365.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement software for control of photonic quantum computers in Rust.
• Design and architecture of system software.
• Participate in design and code reviews.
• Collaborate across software, hardware, and research teams at PsiQuantum.
• Testing and maintenance of control software.
• Champion and serve as an exemplar of good software development practices at PsiQuantum.

Experience/Qualifications:

Required skills and experience:

• 15+ years experience with Rust or C++ in a system software context.
• Architecture and implementation of system software for HPC, robotics, AI, quantum computing, semiconductor fabrication, or control systems.
• Proven track record of developing and shipping reliable, performant software in a high scale or mission critical context.
• Bachelors degree in a technical discipline preferred, or equivalent experience.

Ways to stand out:

• Experience in high performance computing.
• Experience in computer architecture.
• Experience in high performance networking.
• Experience building operating systems, compilers, or kernels.
• Experience interfacing with ASICs and/or FPGAs in complex/high-performance systems or an edge-computing context.
• Experience with Nix.
• Experience with highly scalable distributed systems in a reliability and up-time critical environment.
• Familiarity with quantum control.
• PhD in a related technical discipline is a plus, but not required.

PsiQuantum provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. PsiQuantum does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable laws.

Note: PsiQuantum will only reach out to you using an official PsiQuantum email address and will never ask you for bank account information as part of the interview process. Please report any suspicious activity to [e-mail].

We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies.

Base pay is one part of the total compensation package. Full-time roles are eligible for equity and benefits.Our compensation ranges reflect the cost of labor across multiple U.S. geographicmarkets, and we pay based on defined geographic zones. This position may be filled withinone of the followingU.S. geographic zones, each with its own salary range.

Actual compensation may vary outside of these ranges and is dependent onvarious factorsincluding, but not limited to, a candidate's qualifications, relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, business needs, and internal equity. Your recruiter can share more details about the salary range applicable to your location during the hiring process.

• Zone 1- Bay Area and NYC
• Zone 2-Examples include LosAngelesandWashington DC
• Zone 3-Examples include Austin, Chicago,and Sacramento
• Zone 4-Examples include Nashville and Phoenix/Tempe and manyremote locations

This position includes the following benefits: competitive health coverage for you and your dependents, 401(k) with company match, equity grants, access to financial wellness tools and planning resources, wellness benefits, family support programs, life and disability insurance, paid leave programs, company-designated paid holidays, discretionary time off (DTO), and an end-of-year company shutdown. Some of these benefits have eligibility requirements and may vary based on location, role, or employment status. Many of these benefits are subsidized or fully paid for by the company.

The estimated annual base salary range for this role is:

• Zone 1: $235,600—$276,800 USD
• Zone 2: $212,000—$249,100 USD
• Zone 3: $188,400—$221,400 USD
• Zone 4: $164,900—$193,800 USD