IonQ is developing the world's most powerful full-stack quantum computer based on trapped-ion technology. We are pushing past the limits of classical physics and current supercomputing technology to unlock a new era of computing. Quantum computing has the potential to impact every area of human society for the better. IonQ’s computers will soon redefine industries like medicine, materials science, finance, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cryptography, and more. IonQ is at the forefront of this technological revolution.
We don’t just build the world’s best quantum computers–we want them to be usable by everyone, everywhere. We are looking for a Staff Software Engineer to join a cross-functional team building the IonQ Cloud Platform, which connects our customers to our quantum computers via APIs, SDKs, tools, and partner clouds like AWS, GCP, and Azure. You’ll lead development of our quantum software development kits like Qiskit, Cirq, and more, in collaboration with our product team, applications team, systems team, and scientists to build the best quantum developer experience for our customers and partners.
Responsibilities:
- Reporting to the Senior Manager of Cloud Engineering, this role involves close collaboration with Product and Application teams to ensure the development of high-quality, user-friendly, and comprehensively documented SDKs that fulfill specified requirements.
- Lead the design, development, and maintenance of robust, high-quality SDK features capabilities enabling quantum novices and experts alike to solve real-world problems with quantum computers
- Mentor senior and junior engineers on the team
- Participate in on-call rotations
You’d be a good fit with:
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering or a related field, or equivalent training, fellowship, or work experience
- 8+ years of professional experience in software engineering, working in a team environment.
- 5+ years of experience in leading the design, development, and maintenance of robust, high-quality SDKs
- Proficiency in Python
- Experience in mentoring and guiding engineers of all levels to ensure a high bar for code quality and performance
- Experience in driving the team's long-term vision and architecture, shaping roadmaps, and providing technical leadership
- Experience in collaborating with product and other engineering teams to ensure alignment and effective communication.
- Experience in identifying and solving complex technical challenges related to SDK development, performance, and integration
- Demonstrated experience in prioritizing user-friendliness and seamless integration of SDKs for developer adoption
- Demonstrated ability to remain current with industry trends, upstream software modifications, and advancements within the SDK ecosystem
- Experience in creating and maintaining clear and comprehensive documentation
You’d be a great fit with:
- 10+ years of professional software experience
- 7+ years in leading the design, development, and maintenance of robust, high-quality SDKs
- Experience with system-level programming languages like C++ or Rust
- Proficiency in quantum computing SDKs (Qiskit, Pennylane, CirQ)
- Some experience with quantum computing or quantum physics
Location: This position can work onsite or hybrid from one of our offices (College Park, MD, Bothell, WA) or fully remote in the US.
Travel: About once per quarter
Job ID: 1105
The approximate base salary range for this position is $162,920 - $213,304. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, and equity.
Compensation will vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. Beyond base salary, total compensation includes a variable bonus and equity component and a range of benefit options found on our career site at ionq.co/jobs. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment. Our US benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, matching 401K, unlimited PTO and paid holidays, parental/adoption leave, legal insurance, a home internet stipend, and pet insurance!
IonQ's HQ is located in College Park, Maryland, just outside of Washington DC. We are actively building out our recently opened manufacturing and production facility in Bothell, WA (near Seattle). Depending on the position, you may be required to be near one of our offices in College Park, Seattle, Toronto, Canada, and Basel, Switzerland. However, IonQ will expand into additional domestic and international geographies, so don’t let this stop you from applying!
At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all while striving to identify and eliminate barriers. We empower employees to thrive by fostering a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.
We are committed to equity and justice. We welcome different voices and viewpoints and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.
US Technical Jobs. The position you are applying for will require access to technology that is subject to U.S. export control and government contract restrictions. Employment with IonQ is contingent on either verifying “U.S. Person” (e.g., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum) status for export controls and government contracts work, obtaining any necessary license, and/or confirming the availability of a license exception under U.S. export controls. Please note that in the absence of confirming you are a U.S. Person for export control and government contracts work purposes, IonQ may choose not to apply for a license or decline to use a license exception (if available) for you to access export-controlled technology that may require authorization, and similarly, you may not qualify for government contracts work that requires U.S. Persons, and IonQ may decline to proceed with your application on those bases alone. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.
US Non-Technical Jobs. Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.
If you are interested in being a part of our team and mission, we encourage you to apply!
Top Skills
What We Do
Quantum computers are a revolutionizing technology — they have the potential to transform business, society, and the planet for the better, and IonQ is at the forefront of this revolution.
After over 25 years of academic research, IonQ was founded in 2015 by Chris Monroe and Jungsang Kim with $2 million in seed funding from New Enterprise Associates, a license to core technology from the University of Maryland and Duke University, and the goal of taking trapped ion quantum computing out of the lab and into the market. In the following three years, we raised an additional $20 million from GV, Amazon Web Services, and NEA, and built two of the world’s most accurate quantum computers.
In 2019, we raised another $55 million in a round led by Samsung and Mubadala, and announced partnerships with Microsoft and Amazon Web Services to make our quantum computers available via the cloud.
In 2020 and 2021, we built additional generations of high performance quantum hardware, added Google Cloud Marketplace to our cloud partner roster and announced a series of collaborations and business partnerships with leading academic and commercial institutions.
On October 1st, 2021, IonQ began trading as IONQ on the New York Stock Exchange, making it the world's first public pure-play quantum computing company. We remain hard at work realizing the world-changing potential of quantum computing.
Why Work With Us
We’re growing a passionate, diverse team of collaborative, creative people. We believe in pursuing innovative, challenging work with integrity, alongside team members we can learn from and grow with.
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