Principal Systems Engineer – Quantum Computing Systems

Summary

Responsibilities

• System Understanding Through Scientific Partnership
• Work closely and continuously with quantum scientists to understand how the machine is actually operated, tuned, and debugged in practice.
• Spend significant time in the lab, observing experiments and participating in scientific discussions to absorb tacit system knowledge.
• Treat scientists as primary system knowledge holders, approaching requirement gathering as a learning and synthesis exercise.
• Build trust by accurately reflecting scientific intent and constraints in system models, requirements, and architectural decisions.
• Requirements Co-Evolution & Traceability
• Facilitate the co-evolution of system requirements as the machine progresses:
• Start with lightweight, provisional requirements
• Explicitly document uncertainty, assumptions, and open questions
• Refine requirements as experimental results and understanding improve
• Translate scientific goals (e.g., performance, stability, operability) into actionable engineering requirements while preserving necessary flexibility.
• Establish traceability between:
• machine-level goals
• subsystem requirements
• engineering deliverables (e.g., JIRA epics)
• Ensure engineers understand the intent behind requirements, not just the wording.
• System Architecture & Integration Leadership
• Develop and maintain a living system architecture covering:
• quantum hardware
• control electronics and firmware
• control software and orchestration layers
• Produce clear, accessible architecture diagrams that reflect reality and evolve with the system.
• Identify missing architectural elements, poorly defined interfaces, and integration risks early.
• Lead system-level trade studies and technical decision-making in partnership with engineering and scientific leaders.
• Ensure architecture reflects machine milestones and not just organizational boundaries.
• Integration, Test Strategy, and Machine Protection
• Define and drive a system integration and test strategy appropriate for an evolving R&D machine.
• Help ensure engineering testbeds match machine configurations as closely as possible.
• Push integration testing upstream so that machines are not used as primary test platforms.
• Partner with engineering teams to define validation criteria tied to real machine behavior.
• Reduce burden on lab teams by improving pre-deployment testing and integration readiness.
• Early Wins & Trust Building
• Deliver small, tangible improvements early that directly reduce friction for scientists and engineers, such as:
• clarifying a recurring interface problem
• creating a simple integration checklist
• documenting a failure mode that saves days of debugging
• Use these wins to establish credibility and reinforce the value of systems engineering.
• Continuously gather feedback on what is helping vs. slowing teams down, and adapt approach accordingly.
• Unlearning, Adaptation, and Process Design
• Actively identify where traditional systems engineering assumptions do not apply to quantum computing.
• Unlearn rigid models around fixed requirements, early design freezes, and linear development.
• Introduce process and structure incrementally, calibrated to system maturity.
• Champion systems thinking without dogma — prioritizing outcomes over formality.
• Technical Leadership & Mentorship
• Serve as a technical leader and mentor for engineers and emerging systems thinkers.
• Help scale system knowledge through documentation, diagrams, and internal education.
• Contribute to leadership discussions on technical strategy, integration risk, and execution pacing.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in systems engineering or system architecture for complex hardware–software systems.
• Proven experience integrating multidisciplinary systems (hardware, software, controls).
• Strong background in requirements definition, interface management, and system integration.
• Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, fast-evolving R&D environments.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills.
• Preferred Qualifications
• Experience in aerospace, automotive, robotics, advanced instrumentation, or similar domains.
• Familiarity with model-based systems engineering (MBSE) concepts or tools.
• Experience working closely with research or experimental teams.
• Exposure to quantum technologies is a plus, but not required.
• Personal Attributes We Value
• Intellectual humility and curiosity
• Comfort learning from domain experts
• Bias toward clarity and usefulness
• Strong listening skills
• Pragmatic, outcome-driven mindset
• Why This Role Matters
• You will help build a machine that has never existed before — not by enforcing process, but by making the system understandable, integrable, and scalable. This role is foundational to turning scientific breakthroughs into reliable quantum computers.
• QuEra is committed to cultivating a diverse work environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We highly value diversity in our current and future employees and do not discriminate (including in our hiring and promotion practices) based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
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