Staff Software Engineer, Quantum Error Correction Decoding, Quantum AI

Google; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 207,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off 20 days

Sick time 40 hours/year

Maternity leave

Baby bonding leave

Holidays 13 days

In-person interviews

Job summary

Google Quantum AI is seeking a senior software engineer to advance quantum error correction software. You will design and optimize decoding algorithms, build scalable APIs, and integrate syndrome decoders with classical software and quantum hardware stacks.

Collaborating with researchers and engineers, you will mentor junior colleagues, help shape the technical roadmap for fault-tolerant quantum computing, and turn theoretical ideas into robust, scalable software solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5 years of software development experience using C++ or Python, with experience in data structures and computer science.
• Experience designing, implementing, and optimizing novel algorithmic solutions for computational or performance-critical problems.
• Experience in systems-level programming, code optimization, or high-performance computing (e.g., concurrency, multithreading, or GPU acceleration).
• Experience leading technical design, defining system architectures/APIs, and mentoring junior engineers.

Responsibilities

• Propose, implement, and evaluate novel QEC decoding algorithms for quantum LDPC codes targeting superconducting qubit and neutral atom architectures.
• Architect and define scalable APIs to seamlessly integrate novel syndrome decoders and diagnostic tools with the broader classical software and quantum hardware stack.
• Partner cross-functionally with research scientists and electronics engineers to gather requirements and support live QEC experiments on Google's quantum computers.
• Drive technical strategy, scoping, and roadmap prioritization for complex quantum software initiatives across fault-tolerant computing workflows.
• Advocate engineering best practices across the team and mentor junior engineers through design reviews and technical guidance.

Skills

C++

Python

Data structures

Algorithms

Systems programming

Multithreading

Architecture design

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/EE/Physics/Math

Master's or PhD preferred

Job description

Applicants in the County of Los Angeles: 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.

Applicants in San Francisco: Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

In accordance with Washington state law, we are highlighting our comprehensive benefits package, which is available to all eligible US based employees. Benefits for this role include:

• Health, dental, vision, life, disability insurance
• Retirement Benefits: 401(k) with company match
• Paid Time Off: 20 days of vacation per year, accruing at a rate of 6.15 hours per pay period for the first five years of employment
• Sick Time: 40 hours/year (increased to 69 hours/year for Seattle) including 5 discretionary sick days per instance
• Maternity Leave (Short-Term Disability + Baby Bonding): 28-30 weeks
• Baby Bonding Leave: 18 weeks
• Holidays: 13 paid days per year

In most instances, this position requires in-person interviews as part of the hiring process.

Note: By applying to this position you will have an opportunity to share your preferred working location from the following: Goleta, CA, USA; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Mountain View, CA, USA; Seattle, WA, USA; San Francisco, CA, USA.

Minimum qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Mathematics, or equivalent practical experience.
• 5 years of software development experience using C++ or Python, with experience in data structures and computer science.
• Experience designing, implementing, and optimizing novel algorithmic solutions for computational or performance‑critical problems.
• Experience in systems‑level programming, code optimization, or high‑performance computing (e.g., concurrency, multithreading, or GPU acceleration).
• Experience leading technical design, defining system architectures/APIs, and mentoring junior engineers.

Preferred qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, or a related quantitative field.
• Experience developing or benchmarking syndrome decoding algorithms (e.g., BP-OSD, MWPM, tensor networks, or neural network decoders).
• Expertise in quantum error correction (QEC), including surface codes, color codes, or quantum LDPC (qLDPC) codes.
• Familiarity with physical qubit platforms and architectures, particularly superconducting qubits, neutral atoms, or trapped‑ion systems.
• Strong background in classical coding theory, graph algorithms, belief propagation, or probabilistic modeling.

About The Job

Google's software engineers develop the next‑generation technologies that change how billions of users connect, explore, and interact with information and one another. Our products need to handle information at massive scale, and extend well beyond web search. We're looking for engineers who bring fresh ideas from all areas, including information retrieval, distributed computing, large‑scale system design, networking and data storage, security, artificial intelligence, natural language processing, UI design and mobile; the list goes on and is growing every day. As a software engineer, you will work on a specific project critical to Google’s needs with opportunities to switch teams and projects as you and our fast‑paced business grow and evolve. We need our engineers to be versatile, display leadership qualities and be enthusiastic to take on new problems across the full‑stack as we continue to push technology forward.

With your technical expertise you will manage project priorities, deadlines, and deliverables. You will design, develop, test, deploy, maintain, and enhance software solutions.

On its fundamental level, our physical reality is quantum, but our most powerful computers are classical. As a result, we cannot efficiently simulate the fundamental level of our physical reality -- a major roadblock for a technological civilization. Our mission at Google Quantum AI is to develop this missing capability and unlock solutions to classically intractable problems. This entails developing a practical implementation of quantum error correction (QEC) to overcome noise and decoherence.

The QEC Software team is developing classical software necessary to achieve scalable quantum computing, including compilers for fault‑tolerant quantum circuits and syndrome decoders for real‑time error diagnostics.

The full potential of quantum computing will be unlocked with a large‑scale computer capable of complex, error‑corrected computations. Google Quantum AI's mission is to build this computer and unlock solutions to classically intractable problems. Our roadmap is focused on advancing the capabilities of quantum computing and enabling meaningful applications. Individual pay is determined by factors including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

US: $207000 - $300000 (USD) + 20% bonus target + equity + benefits

Responsibilities

• Learn more about benefits at Google .
• Propose, implement, and evaluate novel QEC decoding algorithms (e.g., for quantum LDPC codes targeting superconducting qubit and neutral atom architectures), automating evaluation pipelines to facilitate AI‑assisted research.
• Architect and define scalable APIs to seamlessly integrate novel syndrome decoders and diagnostic tools with the broader classical software and quantum hardware stack.
• Partner cross‑functionally with research scientists and electronics engineers to gather requirements and directly support live QEC experiments on Google's quantum computers.
• Drive technical strategy, scoping, and roadmap prioritization for complex quantum software initiatives across fault‑tolerant computing workflows.
• Advocate engineering best practices across the team and actively mentor junior engineers through design reviews and technical guidance.

Google is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. See also Google's EEO Policy and EEO is the Law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing our Accommodations for Applicants form .