Staff Software Engineer, Databases

PsiQuantum; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

PsiQuantum in Palo Alto is looking for a Senior Software Engineer specialized in Calibration & Control for their OS Core Team. The role focuses on designing algorithms and software for scalable photonic quantum computers, requiring 15+ years in Python or C++ and experience with distributed systems and graph databases. The ideal candidate will contribute to developing mission-critical software that supports the company's ambitious goal of building the world's first useful quantum computer. Competitive salary range offered.

Qualifications

• 15+ years experience with Python or C++ in a system software context.
• Design and implementation of large scale distributed storage systems, emphasis on graph databases.
• Proven track record of developing and shipping reliable, performant software.

Responsibilities

• Scale and extend the current core database systems.
• Data systems design and implementation.
• Participate in design and code reviews.

Skills

Python

C++

Distributed storage systems

Graph databases

High performance computing

Education

Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline

Tools

Nebula

neo4j

Gravlax

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 architecture and approach is based on silicon photonics. By leveraging the 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: photons don’t feel heat, are immune to electromagnetic interference, and integrate with existing cryogenic cooling and standard fiber-optic infrastructure.

In 2024, PsiQuantum announced government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia, and Chicago, Illinois. These initiatives reflect a growing recognition that quantum computing will be strategically and economically defining—and that now is the time to scale.

PsiQuantum also 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—including Lockheed Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Mitsubishi Chemical—to prepare quantum solutions for real-world impact.

Quantum computing is not an extension of classical computing. It represents a fundamental shift—and a path to mastering challenges that cannot be solved any other way. The potential is enormous, and we have a clear path 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 24×7x365.

Responsibilities

• Scale and extend the current core database systems to support the massive increase in size complexity of our systems.
• Data systems design and implementation.
• Participate in design and code reviews.
• Collaborate across software, hardware, and research teams at PsiQuantum.
• Testing and maintenance of database software.
• Champion and serve as an exemplar of good software development practices at PsiQuantum.

Experience & Qualifications

• 15+ years experience with Python or C++ in a system software context.
• Design and implementation of large scale distributed storage systems, emphasis on graph databases.
• 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 graph database systems such as Nebula, neo4j, Gravlax.
• Experience in high performance computing and data design.
• Experience in computer architecture.
• Experience in high performance networking.
• Experience with highly scalable distributed systems in a reliability and up-time critical environment.
• PhD in a related technical discipline is a plus but not required.

Salary

U.S. Base Pay Range: $180,000—$205,000 USD

Bay Area Pay Range: $200,000—$220,000 USD