Chief Architect for Developer Tools - 802 in Cambridge

We are seeking a Chief Architect for Developer Tools to join our team at Quantinuum. As the Chief Architect for the Developer Tools, you will act as the technical authority for the creation of Quantinuum’s developer tooling, including languages and upper‑stack compilers, logical encodings, emulation and debugging tools, and quantum application optimization. You will work with other leaders on hardware‑software co‑design efforts, ensuring our software stack is scalable and enables our quantum processor development. You will mentor senior engineers, set coding standards, and help define and execute on the technical roadmap to translate business needs into robust, production‑ready systems.

Architectural Leadership

• Serve as the senior technical authority for the quantum software developer tools, defining and evolving a high‑performance software stack to maximize the value of quantum hardware for priority customer applications.
• Work with our Algorithms Group and end users to identify platform capabilities, components and tools, and architect the platform tools to deliver those capabilities.
• Own the end‑to‑end architectural direction, ensuring the platform provides a scalable, production‑ready developer tool suite.

Hardware‑Software Co‑Design

• Act as a principal technical partner to quantum hardware (QPU), firmware, and systems engineering teams, driving a tightly integrated hardware‑software co‑design approach.
• Ensure the software architecture fully exploits underlying hardware capabilities while providing system‑level insights that inform future hardware development and platform evolution.

System Performance & Optimization

• Lead deep architectural analysis of quantum workloads, compilation pipelines, and execution frameworks to ensure optimal performance and scalability.
• Identify system‑level bottlenecks and define optimization strategies across compilers, runtime systems, and algorithms to enable efficient execution of complex quantum applications.

Research & Technical Leadership

• Provide thought leadership in areas such as quantum compilation, algorithm optimization, and performance engineering.
• Contribute to external research collaborations, publications, and open initiatives where appropriate, helping position the organization as a leader within the global quantum computing ecosystem.

Technology Vision & Platform Strategy

• Partner with product, engineering, and executive stakeholders to shape the long‑term technology roadmap for the quantum software platform.
• Translate business objectives and customer needs into architectural priorities, evaluate emerging technologies, and guide strategic technical decisions that support the company’s long‑term innovation goals.

Technical Influence & Standards

• Act as a trusted technical advisor across engineering teams by establishing architectural principles, software standards, and design review processes.
• Mentor senior engineers and technical leads, helping to raise the technical bar and ensure consistency, quality, and long‑term maintainability across the platform.

YOU MUST HAVE

• PhD or Masters in Computer Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• 10+ years in software engineering, with at least 3‑5 years in a senior architect or lead role, specifically within quantum computing, high‑performance computing environments, or developer platforms.

WE VALUE

• Quantum Expertise: Proven experience with quantum programming frameworks, quantum circuit design, noise models, and error correction/mitigation.
• Systems Programming: Expert‑level proficiency in Python and C++ or Rust.
• Architectural Skills: Demonstrated success in designing large‑scale software systems, including compilers, distributed systems, and user interfaces.
• Experience with quantum compiler design.
• Strong knowledge of quantum error correction (QEC) protocols and their software implementation.
• Record of publication or patents in quantum computing.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of bridging the gap between theoretical physicists and software engineers.
• Proactive problem‑solver with a strong "ownership" mindset.

What is in it for you?

Working alongside a highly talented team, with leading names in the quantum computing industry. We offer a highly competitive package, equity, 28 days of paid holiday (in addition to public holidays), a workplace pension, a positive approach to flexible working and enhanced parental and adoption benefits.

About Us

Quantinuum is the world leader in quantum computing. The company’s quantum systems deliver the highest performance across all industry benchmarks. Quantinuum’s over 650 employees, including 400+ scientists and engineers, across the US, UK, Germany, and Japan, are driving the quantum computing revolution. By uniting best‑in‑class software with high‑fidelity hardware, our integrated full‑stack approach is accelerating the path to practical quantum computing and scaling its impact across multiple industries. By joining Quantinuum, you’ll be at the forefront of this transformative revolution, shaping the future of quantum computing, pushing the limits of technology, and making the impossible possible.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans.

We are an inclusive equal opportunity employer. You will be considered without regard to age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, sex, or veteran status.