Senior Engineer, System Automation (Device Interfaces)

Job Title

Senior Engineer, System Automation (Device Interfaces)

Role Summary

The Senior Engineer owns the system-level translation layer between photonic/electro-optic device capabilities and the automation workflows that use them. This role defines device interface requirements, supports modelling and control-stack integration, and partners with firmware engineers to migrate performance-sensitive functionality into firmware.

The role works across hardware, firmware, software, system design, and test teams to enable scalable calibration, automation, monitoring, modelling, and control workflows for prototype and production quantum hardware.

Experience Level

Senior — typically requires 5+ years of relevant experience in systems engineering, hardware automation, embedded systems, controls, test/integration, or scientific software.

Responsibilities

Define and deliver device interfaces that expose hardware capabilities reliably to automation and control software; integrate and validate those interfaces through the control stack and system tests.

• Own device interface requirements for photonic/electro-optic and related hardware, consolidating inputs from device design, calibration, automation, software, firmware, and integration teams.
• Translate system-level automation and calibration needs into software, firmware, and test requirements; resolve ambiguous interface needs and ownership across teams.
• Prototype, debug, and contribute Python code for hardware control, automation, integration, and test workflows.
• Partner with software and firmware engineers to integrate interfaces through the hardware abstraction layer and migrate performance-sensitive functionality into firmware.
• Define test requirements and validation plans to ensure interfaces are exercised correctly in integration and system testing; debug cross-layer issues.
• Support device- and system-level modelling efforts that depend on device behavior or control workflow assumptions.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience required to perform the role; preferred items follow.

• 5+ years experience working hands-on with complex hardware systems spanning firmware, software, and test/integration environments.
• Strong Python development skills for hardware control, automation, prototyping, debugging, integration, and test.
• Experience translating system-level use cases into clear software, firmware, interface, or test requirements and driving ambiguous requirements to closure across teams.
• Proven ability to debug issues across firmware, software, and physical devices and to define integration and hardware-in-the-loop tests.
• Strong written and verbal communication and documentation skills.
• Preferred: experience with photonic, electro-optic, optical, RF, or related hardware systems; familiarity with firmware constraints (latency, determinism, bandwidth, sequencing); experience with calibration workflows, automated calibration routines, and system-level or device behaviour modelling.

Education Requirements

B.S., M.S., or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Optical Engineering, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent technical experience).

About the Company

Company: PsiQuantum

Headquarters: Palo Alto, CA, United States

PsiQuantum develops silicon-photonic quantum computers aimed at building million-qubit, fault-tolerant systems. Founded in 2016, the company combines semiconductor manufacturing processes, photonic hardware, and quantum software to scale quantum systems for commercial and government applications.