What are the responsibilities and job description for the System Architect, Quantum Networking position at PsiQuantum?
PsiQuantum'smission 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 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.
In 2024,PsiQuantumannounced 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.
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-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. Itrepresentsa fundamental shift-and a path to mastering challenges that cannot besolvedany other way. The potential is enormous, and we have a clearpathto make it real.
Come join us.
Job Summary:
Our system architecture team sits at the interface of hardware development, manufacturing, and the quantum architecture to design the first fault-tolerant quantum computer. We are looking for a physicist to drive the efforts of developing internal tools for designing and analyzing the system architecture in close collaboration with other technical teams as well as modelling the networked system architecture of our upcoming systems.
Responsibilities:
- Contribute to our Quantum Computing system architecture and software system roadmap.
- Maintain graph-based models of the system architectures of our upcoming systems.
- Analyze and optimize flow of classical and quantum information inside networked system architectures requiring a large amount of just-in-time decisions to route photonic qubits.
- Profile the planned systems by using system models and derive performance metrics.
- Design and develop software tools and infrastructure to enable development, analysis and tracking of our quantum system architectures.
Experience/Qualifications:
- Degree in Physics and a strong background in quantum information theory, quantum computing, or quantum communication networks.
- Experienced in working with stabilizer states and ZX-calculus.
- Proficiency in Python.
- 3 years of experience in software development, with an emphasis on scientific computing.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across departments, sites, and time zones.
- A hands-on mentality to own challenges and develop solutions independently.
- Competent use of collaborative software development tools (e.g., GitLab) is desirable.
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 recruiting@psiquantum.com.
We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies.
The ranges below reflect the target ranges for a new hire base salary. One is for the Bay Area (within 50 miles of HQ, Palo Alto), the second one (if applicable) is for elsewhere in the US (beyond 50 miles of HQ, Palo Alto). If there is only one range, it is for the specific location of where the position will be located.Actual compensation may vary outside of these ranges and is dependent on various factors including but not limited to a candidate's qualifications including relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, and business needs. Base pay is only one part of the total compensation package. Full time roles are eligible for equity and benefits. Base pay is subject to change and may be modified in the future.
Salary : $115,000 - $140,000