Quantum Software Engineers at Photonic are part of the Quantum Development team, providing the software “surround” for our quantum processors based on silicon colour centres. You are responsible for developing software that will simulate the operation of a quantum computer – from core quantum mechanics calculations, to simulations of interconnected hardware devices, to large-scale quantum systems.

You will work closely with high-performing teams of product engineers and scientists on a range of topics. You enjoy the thrill of learning new technology and new science, while bringing your significant software expertise, open mind, and creativity to tackle key challenges as we build the world’s first truly scalable quantum computing system.

Please include a cover letter with your resume (in one file) describing how you would be a great fit at Photonic and what attributes you could bring to our growing team.

Department Software Engineering

Employment Type Full Time

Location British Columbia, Canada

Workplace type Onsite

WHAT WE NEED YOU TO DO

• Design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain innovative software technologies in distributed computing environments
• Develop software to control multiple scientific instruments and coordinate their interaction
• Build and test quantum primitives to be executed on a quantum computer
• Support the integration of validated prototype quantum algorithms in our products through effective interaction and communication with the software teams
• Evaluate scientific instruments for suitability as components of the quantum computer control hardware.
• Work with chip designers and cryogenic engineers to ensure the quantum control hardware can run algorithms on a quantum computer.
• Create software to log and evaluate the performance of the scientific instruments that run a quantum computer
• Translate fundamental physics into engineering specifications
• Research and explore new quantum algorithms and improvements to existing algorithms to obtain more resource-efficient simulations on near-term quantum computing platforms
• Prototype quantum algorithm ideas, support running proof of concept experiments, collect and analyze data on simulators, emulators or hardware platforms as they become available
• Explore how quantum devices can optimize key performance factors such as fidelity, connectivity, coherence, scalability, reliability, and efficiency
• Write patents and peer-reviewed articles reporting advances where applicable
• Collaborate with experienced cross-disciplinary teams to conceive, design, and bring innovative quantum services to market.
• Work through ambiguous or undefined problems and think abstractly to come up with creative solutions to challenging problems
• Work in an agile environment to deliver high-quality software
• Effectively articulate technical challenges and solutions
• Create solutions to run predictions on distributed systems with exposure to innovative technologies at incredible scale and speed
• Evangelize proper software development practices throughout the team
• Collaborate with the Photonic team to tailor fault-tolerant architectures to real-world silicon devices
• Train, guide, and develop current and additional team members

WHAT YOU BRING TO OUR TEAM

• Undergraduate degree or equivalent in computer science, engineering, mathematics, or physics with 2 years of industry experience or a MSc or PhD in quantum mechanics
• 3 years of hands-on experience with multiple modern programming languages (Python, Java, React, C++, SQL)
• Strong understanding of quantum mechanics and solid state physics
• Experience contributing to the architecture and design (architecture, design patterns, reliability and scaling) of new and current systems
• Experience with the full life cycle of software management
• Experience working anywhere in the software stack, from databases, to REST APIs and above
• Experience with distributed, multi-tiered systems, algorithms, and databases.
• Expertise with object-oriented design, algorithm design, data structures, problem solving, and complexity analysis.
• Strong knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and designing for performance, scalability, and availability
• Excellent communication skills and ability to express complex technical concepts in a clear and easy to understand way.
• Problem solving skills and ability to resolve ambiguous requirements
• Experience working in a start-up company, working with senior leadership, scientists, engineers, and other team members
• Demonstrated ability to creatively solve problems, prioritize, and manage simultaneous tasks
• Outstanding teamwork skills

Bonus

Photonic is designing the world’s first quantum processor in silicon. It would be awesome if you had some familiarity with quantum physics, mathematics, and programming, but we will ensure that team members will have the opportunity to learn about quantum computing as we grow.

WHY YOU SHOULD WORK WITH US

• Get involved with a quantum startup company set to redefine computing
• Work closely with some of the brightest innovators in quantum technologies
• Enjoy a fast-paced and fun environment where you can try new things while solving innovative challenges every day
• Inclusive company culture
• Competitive salary, benefits (including life insurance, extended health, dental, long term disability, and a flexible spending account), and potential upside

The description above is what we think an ideal candidate would look like for this role. At Photonic, we understand that everyone has a different work and life journey. If you feel your experience is close to what we've described, but you might not meet all the requirements, please still apply! We are also committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences, knowing that these very differences inspire innovation and build better teams. If there are any accommodations our team can make throughout our hiring process, please let us know.

About Photonic

Based in beautiful British Columbia, Canada, Photonic is at the forefront of designing next-generation quantum technologies in silicon. Photonic's breakthrough results with silicon have upended many conventional assumptions in quantum computing. With record-setting qubit performance, telecom networking, and silicon’s manufacturing scale, Photonic’s silicon spin qubits materialize solutions for previously intractable problems –and unlock solutions for tomorrow’s problem sets.