As a Senior Back-end Engineer, you will design and develop scalable backend systems, collaborate with research teams, and optimize performance.
About us
Founded in 2017, Q-CTRL has grown to become the global leader in quantum. We’re using control to solve the hardest problems facing quantum technology, improving hardware performance and accelerating pathways to useful quantum computers and other technologies. As a product-led company, we bring together diverse teams such as product, design, engineering and research to help achieve our mission of making quantum technology useful. Join us to help shape the quantum future.
As one of the fastest growing companies in the quantum sector, we’ve had a number of key milestones:
- In November 2023, we announced an industry-first partnership with IBM Quantum Services, natively integrating our performance management software with all IBM quantum computers. Building off of this relationship, in September 2024 we started offering two services via IBM’s new Qiskit Functions Catalog as an inaugural partner.
- Designed and moved our Global HQ offices and lab space into the first purpose-built (and award winning) commercial and research facility for a quantum technology company in Australia.
- Continued to deliver real world outcomes across the quantum sectors, with our work with Australian Defence on software-ruggedized quantum sensing for navigation without GPS, as featured in the New York Times.
- In October 2024, we announced our record breaking expansion of our Series B funding round to USD $113M, with $59M USD of new capital.
- Grew our global presence to include Los Angeles, Berlin, and Oxford - as well as the recently announced office in San Francisco.
From educating the workforce on how quantum computing works, to building the next generation of quantum sensors, to delivering massive performance gains for end-users, it all starts with hiring the right talent. If you want to help us build the Quantum future, read on.
About the role
As a Senior Back-end Engineer on the Boulder Opal Scale Up team, you’ll be at the forefront of building the software backbone that powers the future of quantum technology. You’ll work side by side with brilliant engineers and researchers, designing and delivering scalable, high-performance systems that bring groundbreaking science into the real world.
From SDKs to cloud-based platforms, your work will shape the tools researchers and customers use every day. You’ll not only develop world-class backend systems but also help translate cutting-edge research into production-ready solutions, bridging the gap between quantum experiments and reliable software.
If you’re excited about building robust systems, tackling complex problems, and exploring the edge where software meets quantum physics, this is your opportunity to make a real impact in one of the most exciting fields in technology today.
What you'll be doing:
- Build impactful systems: Design, develop, and optimize scalable backend applications in Python that power real-world quantum technology.
- Engineer for performance: Create high-efficiency service-to-service communication using modern protocols.
- Bridge science and engineering: Work hand-in-hand with researchers to translate cutting-edge research code into production-ready solutions, while sharing engineering best practices.
- Deliver end-to-end solutions: Partner with product, frontend, and infrastructure teams to ship integrated features used across Q-CTRL’s products.
- Champion quality: Implement and enforce best practices for code quality, security, and operational excellence.
- Solve tough problems: Troubleshoot, optimize, and enhance system performance and reliability at scale.
- Shape reusable architectures: Develop product features that promote flexibility, reuse, and scalability across multiple business cases.
- Contribute broadly: Take on other responsibilities aligned with your skills and experience and grow into new ones with support and training.
- Other duties within the Employee's skills and experience, or with reasonable training.
Ideally you'll have:
- 5+ years of backend engineering experience with Python, Rust, C++, or similar.
- A track record of collaborating across research and engineering to solve hard technical challenges.
- Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive, ownership-driven mindset.
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills across agile, cross-functional groups.
- Experience designing and implementing efficient algorithms, statistical models, or large-scale data pipelines.
It would be fantastic if you have these skills/experience but not essential:
- Hands-on experience with modern APIs (gRPC, GraphQL, REST).
- Exposure to cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) and infrastructure management.
- Knowledge of database optimization, distributed systems, or microservices.
- Familiarity with Python web frameworks like Django, Flask, or FastAPI.
- Experience building frameworks or tools for complex computational systems (e.g., calibration, signal processing, or scientific computing).
- Understanding of data modeling for scalable and efficient processing.
- Curiosity or knowledge of quantum physics/quantum computing.
- A background in start-up or scale-up environments where speed and agility are key.
- Skills in data visualization using Plotly, Dash, or Jupyter.
Salary
The base salary for this position is targeted between $135,000 - $213,000 and will ultimately be determined by specific job-related skills, experience, level, location and other contributing factors. Depending on the position offered, this role may be eligible for annual discretionary bonuses, equity and other forms of compensation outside of the targeted range. For more information on benefits at Q-CTRL, please visit our careers page at https://q-ctrl.com/careers.
Should you have any questions related to the compensation package, please speak directly with the Talent Acquisition representative.
Why Q-CTRL?
Flexibility: We embrace workplace flexibility so you worry more about your impact vs a rigid work schedule.
Attractive salary: You’ll get to have the start-up impact without the start-up wages.
Equity: We want people to have a sense of ownership in what they do and offer the potential for equity share and annual bonuses.
Cash bonus: We recognize exceptional performance and impact by offering annual discretionary cash bonuses.
Resources: We are well funded by the world’s best technology investors, letting us chase our ambitions with minimal constraints.
Parental support: We offer paid parental leave to support you and your loved ones.
Diversity: We’re an equal opportunity employer and actively support initiatives like the ‘Global Women in Quantum’ program to help expand the quantum workforce.
Unique culture: You’ll be surrounded by some of the world’s leading physicists, engineers, product, marketing and design people (to name a few!) with a strong desire to learn and transfer knowledge.
Meaningful values: You’ll work with an incredibly supportive team who work consistently to deliver our core values to be real, be trusted, be just and to be revered.
Personal development: We provide you with a personal development and wellness budget.
Make a dent: Last but not least you’ll have the unique opportunity to help set the direction for this revolutionary technology and truly make an impact that matters!
Q-CTRL aims to bring together cross-functional teams from many different backgrounds to help achieve our goals - we strongly encourage you to apply even if you do not meet all of the requirements mentioned in the job posting.
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.
Please be advised that our communications will only come from the @q-ctrl.com domain. All our active job postings are available on our company website.
To recruitment agencies, we do not accept unsolicited branded profiles and are not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.
Top Skills
AWS
Azure
C++
Django
Fastapi
Flask
GCP
Grpc
Python
Rust
Similar Jobs
Artificial Intelligence • Cloud • HR Tech • Information Technology • Productivity • Software • Automation
As a Senior Staff Software Engineer, you'll develop high-quality software solutions, mentor peers, and enhance platform capabilities across various technology stacks while ensuring scalability and performance.
Top Skills:
Ai Productivity ToolsCloud DevelopmentJavaRelational DatabasesService-Oriented ArchitectureWeb Development
Artificial Intelligence • Cloud • HR Tech • Information Technology • Productivity • Software • Automation
As a Senior Staff Software Engineer, you will design, implement, and maintain platform features, ensuring high-quality, scalable software while mentoring colleagues and integrating AI tools into workflows.
Top Skills:
Ai Productivity ToolsAsynchronous WorkflowsJavaRelational Databases
Artificial Intelligence • Fintech • Payments • Financial Services • Generative AI
Join Airwallex's team as a Senior Backend Software Engineer to develop secure stablecoin infrastructure, integrating it into financial systems and enhancing global payments.
Top Skills:
BlockchainC#C++JavaKotlinPythonRust
What you need to know about the Los Angeles Tech Scene
Los Angeles is a global leader in entertainment, so it’s no surprise that many of the biggest players in streaming, digital media and game development call the city home. But the city boasts plenty of non-entertainment innovation as well, with tech companies spanning verticals like AI, fintech, e-commerce and biotech. With major universities like Caltech, UCLA, USC and the nearby UC Irvine, the city has a steady supply of top-flight tech and engineering talent — not counting the graduates flocking to Los Angeles from across the world to enjoy its beaches, culture and year-round temperate climate.
Key Facts About Los Angeles Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 375,800; 5.5% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Snap, Netflix, SpaceX, Disney, Google
- Key Industries: Artificial intelligence, adtech, media, software, game development
- Funding Landscape: $11.6 billion in venture capital funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Strong Ventures, Fifth Wall, Upfront Ventures, Mucker Capital, Kittyhawk Ventures
- Research Centers and Universities: California Institute of Technology, UCLA, University of Southern California, UC Irvine, Pepperdine, California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Quantum Science and Engineering
