Director, System Software in Oxford

Quantum is now, and it's built here. Oxford Ionics, now part of IonQ, is pioneering the next generation of quantum computing. Using our world-leading trapped-ion technology, we're building the most powerful, accurate and reliable quantum systems to tackle problems that today's supercomputers cannot solve. Joining Oxford Ionics means becoming part of a global IonQ team that is transforming the future of quantum technology - faster, at scale, and with real world impact.

IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world's leading quantum company delivering solutions to solve the world's most complex problems. IonQ's newest generation quantum computers, IonQ Tempo and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are the latest in cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners such as Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA achieve 20x performance results. The company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance in 2025. The company is accelerating its technology roadmap and intends to deliver the world's most powerful quantum computers with 2 million qubits by 2030 to accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. IonQ's advancements in quantum networking position the company as a leader in building the quantum internet.

We're looking for an enthusiastic and highly technical Software Engineering Director who will thrive in our dynamic cross-disciplinary environment. You'd be working closely with our skilled software engineers and our world-leading quantum scientists to plan and manage the development of software that powers our quantum computers. You will initially be leading a software team of around twenty software engineers with future growth of the team expected. We develop a full stack solution ranging from the real-time control & monitoring of our systems through an IR and quantum compiler layer to application demonstration. Your role will be critical in both specifying the stack as components that can be individually developed and released, and growing the team into a world-class organisation capable of developing and supporting the stack for internal and external customers. A critical part of this will be to establish and drive suitable development, devops, release, and 3rd line support processes.

The quantum core of our hardware is built from trapped-ion qubits, controlled by devices designed and made by a partner tier 1 fab. We control the ions using electrical signals and laser light, driven by real-time FPGA systems and networked equipment. The required sequences and operations are derived both by low-level experiments that our science teams produce, and by a compilation flow from quantum algorithms. Our software stack is a combination of Python and Rust. We are looking for an experienced software leader, previous exposure to quantum systems is not required.

In this position, you'll have the opportunity to accelerate the delivery of our software projects, contributing directly to the success of our research and development roadmap. A focus in this role will be leading the definition and evolution of any internal team processes and the devops processes as our stack matures. You will work collaboratively with other teams to develop stronger cross-team interfaces and processes.

Your Key Responsibilities Can Be Split Into Two Categories:

• Product management
  • Lead the software team and work with other technical teams to build and maintain long-term roadmaps for our various software projects;
  • Capture feature requests from internal conversations and external requirements;
  • Understand conflicting priorities and manage the team to deliver according to company needs and timescales;
  • Drive detailed software solutions, working with the software team;
  • Provide clear updates on issues and progress to all stakeholders;
  • Own the software team's backlog, working with the team members and project management group to keep it up to date;
  • Be the first point of call for others in the company to understand how the software fits together at a high level.
• Team management
  • Ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the software team and ensuring the team maintains the right balance of delivery speed and quality;
  • Support members of the software team, including looking out for their wellbeing;
  • Conducting the performance reviews for the team and supporting their career development at IonQ;
  • Work with the SVP of Engineering and Chief Technology Officer to plan future growth of the software team.

To be successful, you will need proven experience managing a software organisation containing tens of engineers and subject matter experts in their respective fields. You will have a track record in setting priorities, giving clear expectations and ensuring results are suitable for the internal and external customers, with a clear understanding of critical versus urgent items.

You'd Be a Great Fit With:

• Proven ability to delegate at the appropriate level while maintaining good quality output at the pace needed in a high-tech startup;
• Detailed technical background in more than one of the following areas: real time embedded software, compiler development, assembler development, graph algorithmic representations, system monitoring, data centre deployments;
• Clear understanding of standard software development processes and a pragmatic approach to their use in a growing organisation;
• Excellent technical and organisational communication skills, both across the organisation and to external stakeholders.

It would also be beneficial to have an understanding of branching and release practices and when to use them and/or how to organise internal triage and support as our external customer base grows. Additional desirable experience would be experience in tracking team delivery of new features, including scoping, estimation, release planning and tracking.

Be part of a team that's shaping the future of quantum. We offer more than just a role, you'll join a world class community of scientists, engineers and innovators working to unlock the full potential of quantum computing. We offer a range of benefits, including opportunities to further your career alongside industry leaders, a competitive salary with IonQ stock options, an annual performance bonus, generous annual leave, flexible hybrid working, private medical and dental insurance for you and your family, and much more. Join us and be part of the future of quantum computing. We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.