We’re looking for a smart, motivated software engineer who will thrive in our small, growing team of engineers and physicists.

Our quantum control systems involve custom hardware and real-time constraints. We’re looking for someone who has suitable embedded development experience, who understands how these constraints impact software development.

While we’re looking for engineers with embedded experience, we are offering a diverse role encompassing a wider range of technical areas: from designing high-level APIs as part of our quantum computing stack, to writing firmware that runs our quantum control systems, to debugging hardware – all while working in a dynamic multi-disciplinary team.

If you have experience in analogue electronics or digital logic design for FPGAs, we can offer a uniquely varied role allowing you to combine software development with these skills. However, these skills are certainly not essential.

You might be a great fit for this position if...

You enjoy working at the boundary between software, hardware and physics

The role will involve working closely with our quantum scientists to design software that powers our quantum computers. This is an exciting opportunity to learn about a variety of technical fields from expert colleagues.

You are confident balancing autonomy and collaboration

We are a small, growing technology company offering a friendly and collaborative work environment, along with significant autonomy. We’re looking for someone who will thrive in this environment. You’ll do well in this role if you’re able to independently plan and execute solutions to problems large and small. Equally, your ability to seek input and discuss issues with co-workers from a variety of technical backgrounds will be key. Effectively translating complex technical needs into useful software is a difficult skill, and we greatly value any candidate’s communication skills.

Our technology stack includes...

• Python and Rust

  • We’ll be building real-time embedded firmware written in Rust, with higher-level software written in Python, extending the open-source ARTIQ platform

• FPGAs and SoCs

  • We’ll be developing custom hardware and gateware to extend our hard real-time distributed control system

  • We use Xilinx FPGAs and Zynq SoCs, along with the open-source Migen framework for fast and reliable gateware development

• Qubits

  • The quantum core of our hardware is built from trapped-ion qubits, controlled by chips designed and built in-house by our microfabrication team. 

You will have flexibility over whether your work computer runs Linux or Windows. We use Git for our version control.

How to Apply and What To Expect

Apply by email to [email protected] with:

• Your CV

• A brief cover letter explaining your background and interest in the role

If your application is successful, you will have an introductory chat with a member of our team so we can get to know you on your terms, tell you more about Oxford Ionics and the role and let you ask us any questions you have. We’ll ask you about your background, relevant experience and your in interest working with us.

We aim to let you know if we will move forward to the main interview within one week of our initial chat. All our interviews can be conducted over video calls if you are more comfortable with this, otherwise we would love to show you around the facilities at your main interview to give you a feel for what working with us would be like.

We want you to be comfortable and able to show yourself off in the best possible light. If there are any accommodations we can make during the interview process to make things easier for you, please let us know.

At any point, please feel free to email any questions to [email protected]

We look forward to meeting you!